PDF for Friday, August 27, 2010

Observer

The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s

Alcohol-related incidents spark concern

Police make arrests and issue citations for minor consumption at off-campus parties

By SARAH MERVOSH News Editor

Three people were arrested and two more were cited last weekend for minor consumption in off-campus areas heavily populated with Notre Dame students. The suspects were 19 and 20 years old.

Three of the suspects gave Notre Dame campus addresses and two gave out-of-state addresses.

These incidents came after police busted a party July 17 at 1017 E. Washington St. and took 43 people to jail for various alcohol charges. Those arrested included eight football players, one basketball player and nine hockey players.

South Bend police responded to a call that a fight was occur-

GASPAR GARCIA DE PAREDES | Observer Graphic

Fr. Warner selected as 12th Superior General

By COURTENAY DEVLIN

Writer

The Congregation of the Holy Cross has a new leader in Rome, and he’ll arrive from Notre Dame.

Director of Campus Ministry

Fr. Richard V. Warner was elected on July 16 to become the 12th Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Rome.

Warner graduated from Notre Dame in 1962 and received an honorary degree in 1987 from the University. He also studied theology at Catholic University in Santiago, Chile, and was ordained a Holy Cross priest in 1966.

“Fr. Warner has served Notre Dame with distinction in many and varied capacities, and we are collectively — and I am personally — indebted to him for his wise counsel, witness to the Gospel and service to our campus and broader

community,” University

President Fr. John Jenkins said in a press release.

After his ordination, Fr. Warner returned to Chile to teach English for six years before becoming the provincial treasurer for the Indiana Holy Cross Province. In 1979, he became Provincial Superior for the Indiana chapter.

Warner, a counselor to thenUniversity President Fr. Edward “Monk” Malloy, became director of Campus Ministry in 1989 and has held the position for more than 20 years.

In his new position, Warner will succeed Fr. Hugh W. Clearly. He will oversee the international missions and operations of the Congregation, founded in France in 1837 by Blessed Basil Moreau. Warner will work primarily from Rome, according to the release.

The Congregation of Holy Cross is an order of more than 1,500 priests and has founded eight colleges and universities in the United States, including Notre Dame, and 45 secondary schools worldwide, the release said. In addition to education, the Holy Cross is

Students should know their rights, attempt to cooperate to avoid trouble with drinking

By LAURA McCRYSTAL News Editor

As the school year begins and students attend off-campus parties, local lawyers’ advice is to understand not only the law, but also the value of cooperative behavior in encounters with police officers.

Notre Dame Law School graduate Rudy Monterrosa said it is crucial for students to know the law. He practices law in South Bend and has experience defending students charged with alcoholrelated offenses.

“I do believe that it’s an issue that students do need to be aware of what their rights are and what they can and cannot do,” he said.

Block Party returns to B1

By JOHN CAMERON News Writer

Saturday marks the return of the B1 Block Party, which will be held at 5 p.m. in the Legend’s parking lot and star Guster and Mayer Hawthorne, among others.

The event was originally conceived after construction cancelled the annual studentrun concert, “The Show.”

“The Show didn’t have a place to go, and there really wasn’t anything going on at the beginning of the year last year so Legend’s decided to have it in the parking lot,” said Aaron Perri, general manager of Legends. “I don’t think it’s necessarily replaced The Show.”

The Block Party may not have officially replaced The Show, but it drew a larger crowd last year than the annual show ever did.

“It was a wild success last year. We had 5,000 people; it was bigger than The Show ever was. Even with five ticket booths, we couldn’t keep up with the line,” Perri said. “We couldn’t have been more pleased ... People just really embraced it.”

While the Block Party is, in part, a concert, Perri reminds students that the Block Party is unlike The Show in that it is about more than the music. He said he hopes students will take advantage of all it has to offer this year.

“I feel like last year people kind of thought of it just as a concert and didn’t realize there was a lot more going on,” he said. “The idea behind it is that it’s really three attractions in one: the food, the festivities, the music. We actually have free food from 5 to 7 p.m., so that’s something new from last year.”

XOXO, Observer

It’s appropriate that I spend most of my time working for The Observer, because I specialize in observing.

QUESTIONOFTHE DAY: WHATISYOURFAVORITECEREAL?

That’s my watered down term for picking out certain individuals on campus and giving them justobscure enough nicknames that my friends and I can talk about them.

With two thousand new freshmen to choose from and the return of people watching in the dining hall, the beginning of fall semester is the most wonderful time of the year for us “observers.”

Most of the time, it’s someone I have never met. But their insistence on wearing cute dresses to the DH on Saturday mornings instead of sweats like the rest of the hungover campus population, or their eerie resemblance to an armadillo, warrants my “observation.”

Sometimes, it’s someone who skirts the edges of my friend group. At least in this case they have some semblance of who I am, but I can’t decide if that makes it more or less creepy that my friends text me “Frills singing karaoke at a bar about her long distance relationship with JFK!!!” Probably more creepy, but it’s fine.

Basically, if you work in student government, have hooked up with any of my friends or one of my friends wants to hook up with you, are a barista at Starbucks or always study in the same location, you are in danger of earning yourself a nickname.

I’m sure I’ve earned myself one right now since my picture is next to this column. But do me a favor and at least make it creative enough that I won’t know you’re talking about me when I pass you in the dining hall. Changing Smerv to Smurf won’t cut it.

For those of you sitting here being creeped out, don’t even try to pretend that you don’t do it too. Face it, campus “observing” is 10 times better than Facebook stalking because you don’t actually have to be friends with the person to do it.

All you need is to find out that that girl dressed as a mermaid for the theme party hooked up with the same kid you did. Or have a guy refuse to walk your friend home after breaking parietals, and soon your friends will be texting you things like, “Omg Ariel chatting it up with up Broken Legs at Feve.”

At least for those of us who work for the Observer, stalking, er I mean “observing,” comes with the job description of being a journalist.

So that’s my excuse. It’s not being creepy, it’s being professional.

The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. Contact Sarah Mervosh at smervosh@nd.edu

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 631-4541 so we can correct our error.

Elizabeth Balderramma junior McGlinn

“Special K.”

Kyle Sandberg junior Alumni

“Cracklin’ Oat Bran.”

Lauren Kelly sophomore off-campus

“Froot Loops.”

Lucia Tosatto sophomore Ryan

“Special K.”

OFFBEAT

Man hit by flying fish during boat race COLUMBIA — A fish out of water sent a Texas kayaker onto dry land instead of the finish line at an annual Missouri River endurance race.

Houston resident Brad Pennington was considered one of the favorites among men's solo racers in the Missouri River 340, a canoe and kayak race that began Tuesday morning in Kansas City, Kan. At least until a 30-pound Asian silver carp jumped from the water and hit him in the head. The fish are known to panic and jump in response to passing vessels.

"It felt like a brick hit

me," Pennington said Wednesday. The 43-year-old lawyer already was having trouble steering his boat, a streamlined model built for speed but not necessarily sturdy enough to withstand a river known for commercial transport. The fish flew as Pennington was trying to return to shore to repair his kayak, assisted by a competing three-man team

Champion ham fetches $1.6 mil for charity LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Start baking those biscuits and stirring that red-eye gravy.

Two donors have pledged a record $1.6 million for Kentucky's grand champion country ham.

That works out to about $100,000 a pound for 16 pounds of Kentucky's favorite cured meat.

The auction is the highlight of the Kentucky Farm Bureau's annual Kentucky Country Ham Breakfast at the state fair in Louisville.

This year's winning ham was produced by Broadbent B&B Foods of Kuttawa in western Kentucky.

Bernard Trager, chairman of Republic Bank and Trust, and Dr. Mark Lynn & Associates, owner of Dr. Bizer's Vision World, contributed $800,000 each Thursday for the ham.

Information compiled from the Associated Press.

“Honey Bunches of Oats and Oh’s.” Tylor Gauger sophomore Stanford

IN BRIEF

Shakespeare’s fairy tale “Cymbeline” will be performed tonight at 8 p.m. in the Decio Mainstage Theatre at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $15 for students and $35 for general admission. For more information call 574-631-2273

The annual RecSports Biathalon will take place Saturday at 10:30 a.m . at St. Joseph’s Beach, with registration beginning at 9 a.m. For more information call RecSports at 574-631-5100

The musical “Kiss Me Kate” will be performed Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Leighton Concert Hall at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $15 for students and $35 for general admission. For more information call the DeBartolo Box office at 574-631-2273

An opening reception for the McGraw and PauLlosa Collection Exhibit will take place Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Snite Museum of Art. All are welcome to attend.

There will be an outdoor screening of the film “Planet Earth” this Sunday at 8: 30 p.m. on South Quad . Snacks and refreshments will be provided. All students, faculty and staff are welsome to attend.

The Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning and the Career Center are holding a workshop ”What Can We Do For You?” this Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. in the LaFortune Student Center Ballroom. Registration is required. Please register online at kaneb.nd.edu

To submit information to be included in this section of The Observer, e-mail detailed information about an event to obsnews@nd.edu

Freshmen adjust to college life at ND

By AMANDA GRAY News Writer

Freshmen are feeling the pressure of juggling academics and a social life after their first few days on campus.

Freshman Kaitlyn Keelin said the assignments have been stacking up.

“I wasn’t really nervous,” she said. “I’m slightly overwhelmed by the readings already on the first day. I wasn’t ready for it.” Keelin, who is taking mostly general requirements, said she is still in the process of making friends and branching out on campus. Her roommate, Rebecca Moriarty, said she has made friends with mostly the other residents of her dorm.

“It’s a lot different than what I expected,” Moriarty said. “Actually, I didn’t know what to expect.”

Freshmen Bobby Hess and Taylor Nutter said the worst part of the first week didn’t come in the classroom, but rather in adding final touches to rooms and class schedules.

“It’s been busy, but it’s been really nice. Everybody’s really kind here,” Nutter said. “I’m from San Diego, and I couldn’t take that much. I had to find all I needed here. I also got into [Introduction to Anthropology] with [Professor James] McKenna, so I’m really excited.”

Hess said his schedule was finally organized with his adviser.

“It was a shock at first to walk into a 250-person general

chemistry class,” he said. “But my seminar is nice.”

While some freshmen stress about making friends, Keelin is not worried because of the campus atmosphere.

“I always heard people were friendly — that they go out of their way to help,” she said. “It was pleasantly unexpected.”

Hess was worried about making friends while keeping his grades up before he got to campus, but those fears subsided after learning he was living in Sorin College.

Moriarty, whose mother attended Notre Dame, heard stories about friendships made on campus.

“From that, I thought I would’ve had great friends by now, but it’s more than that,” she said. “You have to find people you want to be with.”

Athletics seem to be the most anticipated social event. Both Moriarty and Keelin said they cannot wait for football season to begin, and Hess said he’s been attending games with his family for more than a decade, watching the student section.

“I’m looking forward to being in the student section and doing all the cheers,” Moriarty said.

Keelin is also looking forward to interhall athletics, specifically soccer, although worries about balancing everything are also growing stronger.

“I just feel stressed out about it already,” Moriarty said. “But I’ll be okay. I’ll just set my mind to it.”

Contact Amanda Gray at agray3@nd.edu

Saint Mary’s campus undergoes renovation

By ALICIA SMITH Associate Saint Mary’s Editorr

Students returned to the Saint Mary’s campus to find some changes.

Karen Johnson, vice president for student affairs, said most of the work was done during the summer, though students may still see some continuing into the fall. Many of the changes were made to directly benefit students, while others benefited students more indirectly and were designed to add beauty to the College.

“All the work benefits the students, whether it is providing a more comfortable learning or living environment, or providing a safer campus,” Johnson said.

Johnson said new closed circuit cameras were added to the Angela parking lot. These cameras were requested by students several years ago to create a safer environment in the parking facility.

The College applied it, Johnson said. In addition to the cameras, card access was added to Angela Athletic Center.

Johnson said Lake Marian was cleaned during the summer as well. Silt was removed from the lake and will be used as filler around campus.

After several severe storms during June, seven trees were removed from campus and will be replaced, Johnson said. Additionally, the College changed the landscaping in several different areas on campus. Johnson said this was to remove old or overgrown plants. The Nature Trail received new markers, and foliage around the trail was trimmed.

Johnson said several buildings were upgraded. The roofs of Moreau Hall and the Science Hall are being replaced, and other building renovations include a new air handling system installed in Holy Cross Hall to better circulate fresh air throughout the building. The radiators in Holy Cross Hall were removed as well, allowing new convection heating units to be installed in every room.

Regina Hall was the recipient of some new furniture. The College also repaired several sidewalks after requests from students last spring.

“I absolutely think these things improve the campus,” Johnson said. “Any time you make upgrades and repairs you improve the campus environment.”

Contact Alicia Smith at amith01@saintmarys.edu

SMC students protest new Co-Exchange policy

By ALISON MEAGHER News Writer

Recent revisions to the Saint Mary’s Co-Exchange (Co-Ex) food services program have prompted College students to start a petition in opposition to the changes.

The former Co-Ex program allowed Saint Mary’s students to use one of their meal swipes to receive a ticket to eat dinner free of charge at one of Notre Dame’s dining halls. In recent years, seventy-five daily tickets were offered on a first-come, firstserve basis, according to an email sent to Saint Mary’s students explaining the policy change.

Beginning this semester, Saint Mary’s students will only be able to apply for a Co-Ex ticket if their commitments to classes or organizations at Notre Dame prevent them from eating during normal Noble Family Dining Hall hours, according to the e-mail.

Saint Mary’s students who do not fit these criteria must pay full price to eat at Notre Dame.

“[The program] may exist for decades to come, but with a more focused intent. The program is not being eliminated,” Karen Johnson, vice president of student affairs at Saint Mary’s, said in an e-mail to the College student body. “It is being managed in a more efficient manner, so that Saint Mary’s students with a demonstrated need to be on Notre Dame’s campus at mealtime will get the Co-Ex tickets.”

According to Johnson, the former policy often prevented students with commitments at Notre Dame from obtaining tickets.

“[The change] is about better utilizing the tickets we distribute so the people who need them are getting them. We are happy to pay for the meals of students who have a demonstrated need to be on Notre Dame’s campus,”

Johnson said.

Saint Mary’s and Sodexo, the College’s food service company, pay the for the number of Co-Ex

meals each day because the meals are not included in an individual student’s meal plan, the email said. According to the email, the existing policy allowing Notre Dame students to eat at Saint Mary’s has not changed. Sophomore Genevieve Spittler was a member of the Saint Mary’s swim team last year. Because practices were held at Notre Dame, she said she often missed College dining hall hours and used the Co-Ex policy to eat at Notre Dame.

“We never had problems getting Co-Exes,” she said.

Caitlin Acherl, a junior in the Saint Mary’s ROTC program, agreed with Spittler.

“I understand the fact that [Saint Mary’s] needs to keep a budget,” she said. “However, I think they can limit the number of tickets while still keeping students happy.”

Several College students created a Facebook event titled “We Want Co-Ex’s Back” to protest to the new Co-Ex policy. Students who join the event are encouraged to leave their e-mail address and short paragraph about the how the revision of the Co-Ex policy affects them. Two of the event’s creators — juniors Maggie Pinnick and Grace Kenesey, who is a member of The Observer’s photography staff — plan to present a 300-signature petition to College President Carol Ann Mooney.

Contact Alison Meagher at ameagh01@saintmarys.edu

continued from page 1

actively committed to parish work and missionary outreach. The Holy Cross currently has a presence in 16 countries on five continents.

“The General Chapter has made an astute decision in electing Fr. Warner to lead our congregation and, while

we will miss him and his ministry at Notre Dame, we rejoice that his talents will be shared in new ways around the world,” Jenkins said in the release.

Please see page 16 for a related letter from Fr. Thomas Doyle, vice president for student affairs.

Contact Courtenay Delvin at cdelvin@nd.edu

Thirteen freshmen earn awards for anthropology

The Center for Public Anthropology (CPA) has recognized 13 first-year students for op-ed articles they submitted to its 2009–10 Community Action Project competition. More than 7,500 students from 28 U.S. colleges and universities submitted work to the CPA oped challenge this year. Only the top five percent of entrants are given awards.

Three students in the Social Science University Seminar taught by Vania Smith-Oka, Nancy O’Neill Assistant Professor of Anthropology, received Public Anthropology Awards in the spring 2010 round of the CPA competition: Jordan Bai, Ted Glasnow, and Isaac Harrington. Ten students in the Introduction to Anthropology course taught by Assistant Professor Daniel Lende and Associate Professor Ian Kuijt

received awards in the fall 2009 round: Paige Aiello, Chris Allen, Woo Hyun Chun, Gabriel De Vela, Julian DeMelis, Sara Kolettis, Phillip Lettieri, Catherine McDonough, Christina Rogers, and Alex Ydoate. Entrants were called on to address three questions about the return of blood samples taken from an Amazonian tribe in a 1968 research project—a controversial issue in anthropology:

u As students of anthropology — the study of humanity — when should they act as global citizens, assisting people outside their own culture and country?

u After gathering information about the controversy, what are the objective facts of the issue?

u Based on their understanding of the facts and their beliefs about their social responsibilities, what action should they take in this controversy?

Rights

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Underage consumption of alcohol by a person under the age of 21 in Indiana is a Class C misdemeanor and an arrestable offense, said attorney Michael Tuszynski, of Stanley, Tuzynski & Associates in South Bend. Underage students who are stopped by police officers are often issued citations, Tuszynski said, which are also known as proxy arrests. In these cases, the offender is released based on a promise to appear in court when summoned.

The decision whether to arrest or issue a citation is at the discretion of an individual police officer in each situation, although cooperation with the police can work to a student’s advantage, Tuszynski said.

“A little bit of civility can go a long way,” he said.

the student was drinking. This lack of evidence makes it extremely difficult to charge the student with a misdemeanor, but they will likely be booked into jail.

“And that’s the catch-22 that you’re in,” Monterrosa said. “Between a rock and a hard place.”

If students take the breathalyzer test, Monterrosa said it is still a police officer’s discretion whether to arrest or issue a citation.

“I would tell you that typically I don’t see too many people getting arrested for minor consuming,” he said.

Tuszynski said students who are arrested must both post a bond and test below a certain blood alcohol level before they are released.

Students who are on public property, such as a sidewalk, Monterrosa said, may be approached by police officers.

“I have to say if somebody’s having a party just keep it low key and keep it inside the house.”

Rudy Monterrosa

In the state of Indiana, both the Indiana State Excise Police and city police can respond to situations involving alcohol.

Notre Dame Law School graduate

According to the state of Indiana’s website, the Excise Police are the law enforcement division of the state’s Alcohol and Tobacco Commission.

“South Bend Police, they’re in charge of enforcing the laws here in the city of South Bend,” Monterrosa said. “Excise police specifically target certain types of violations.”

City police typically would respond to a dispatch call such as a noise complaint about a party, Monterrosa said. They can issue citations, make arrests and also call in a unit of Excise Police.

When either South Bend or Excise Police arrive at the site of a party, Tuszynski said a warrant is typically required to enter a home.

“The home is sacred under the Fourth Amendment as well as Article 1, Section 11 of the Indiana Constitution,” he said.

If a police officer knocks at a door, asks to enter and is granted permission, Tuszynski said the requirement for a warrant is waived. There are also exigent circumstances, which he said allow officers to enter a property without this permission. One such example would be a situation in which a person fled police by entering a home.

“It’s extremely fact specific,” Tuszynski said. Monterrosa said if police knock on a door and see what appears to be criminal activity, such as very young people drinking alcohol, they have the right to investigate the situation.

Once inside a residence, police officers may ask students for their identification and request they take a breathalyzer test, Monterrosa said. Students may refuse this test, but it is more likely they will be arrested if they do so. Without a breathalyzer result, there is no evidence

through expungement, which can be done with the help of a lawyer, but is not necessary. Graduate schools and employers would only be truly concerned with whether an applicant had been convicted of a crime, he said.

Regarding students over the age of 21 who host parties where alcohol may be served to minors, Tuszynski said the same legal process would apply. Posting a sign at a party forbidding drinking under the age of 21 might factor into the situation, but it would not protect the student hosts.

“I certainly wouldn’t rely on that,” he said. “When you have a party and you serve alcohol, you really kind of put yourself in peril.”

In these cases, reasonable suspicion of underage consumption of alcohol is required for a breathalyzer test.

“They call it a walk and talk,” he said. “In talking to them if they get any other information of a crime being committed then they can follow through with that. So an officer can go up to you and talk to you, but I’d say that they need to have at least reasonable suspicion that some criminal activity is going on.”

Once students have either been released from jail or issued citations, they will receive a court summons in the mail, which makes it crucial that students provide police officers with correct and current addresses, Monterrosa said.

Tuszynski said prosecutors will file formal charges, and cases are then resolved in one of three different ways: trial, plea or dismissal. There is also the opportunity for a pre-trial diversion program, which would involve a fine, community service hours and potentially other conditions. There is no criminal conviction associated with this program.

Monterrosa said the pretrial diversion program is a preferable option for students because the case never goes to court. They can qualify for it if they have no past convictions.

“By no means should they ever proceed with a criminal case,” he said. “Especially if you’re at Notre Dame or you’re at Saint Mary’s, you’ve already worked that hard to get to that point.

“But I think that it’s very best to have misdemeanor conviction avoided at all costs.”

If the pre-trial diversion program is completed, Tuszynski said it is important to understand the charges are never erased from a person’s record. When graduate schools or employers ask students if they have been charged with a crime, students must answer yes. These charges would also surface if a background check is run on a student who had completed a pre-trial diversion program.

Monterrosa said any traces of a charge may be erased

Party

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Additional festivities include a rock wall, corn hole and a Eurobungy, which is similar to a trampoline with harnesses. There will also be a 21-andover beer garden and food from Chick-fil-A, Papa Murphy’s and Jimmy John’s.

While last year’s show was a fantastic success, Perri said he hopes this year’s improved Party will be an even bigger hit.

While Monterrosa said it is easier said than done, the only way to avoid encounters with the police is to avoid minor consumption, public intoxication or hosting parties at which underage students are present. Once a student is in a situation with the police, he said it is most important to be cooperative because the final outcome is left to police discretion.

“Certain things are going to happen depending on whether you cooperate or not with law enforcement,” he said.

According to Monterrosa, students also need to understand that they are a part of the city of South Bend.

“I have to say if somebody’s having a party just keep it low key and keep it inside the house, but I guess it’s easier said than done,” he said. “I think people just need to be aware of what the laws are.”

Contact Laura McCrystal at lmccryst@nd.edu

lines. This year, tickets can be purchased for 10 dollars online, at the LaFortune Student Center box office and at the entrance to the Block Party.

“The tickets are only 10 bucks. We really try to keep prices down, even though the concert costs more,” Perri said. “Students should know if they buy tickets in advance, it will really save them some time.”

“Students should know if they buy tickets in advance, it will really save them some time.”

Aaron Perri general manager Legends

“Five thousand’s a great number, and if we get to 5,000 again it really feels packed there in the parking lot, but we have room for every student,” he said. “We can accommodate about 8,000 out there.”

With such a large crowd, Perri advises students to get tickets in advance to avoid long

Also returning is the B1 After Party, which sold out last year. DJ Whoo Kid, the DJ for 50 Cent, will be providing the after show entertainment.

“The Block Party is a fantastic event ... Legend’s is really proud to be able to present this and put it out there,” Perri said. “We hope this year students embrace it even more.”

Contact John Cameron at jcamero2@nd.edu

Arrests

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ring at the corner of Washington and Eddy streets and were dispatched at 1:41 a.m., according to the police report.

“When the officers got there, they realized the fight had spilled over from 1017 E. Washington, so officers went to that house and they called for more units because there was a large party there,” the report stated.

The officer exited his squad car and heard glass breaking from the rear of the house. A white male ran out from behind the building and continued to run when police ordered him to stop. Officers pursued him on foot, but were unable to catch him, the report said.

The decision to arrest was made by the South Bend police, said Lt. Tim Cleveland, excise police commander for the district in which the incident occurred.

“The decision was made before our officers arrived,” he said.

He said excise police make the decision to arrest based on circumstances.

“If the individuals are too intoxicated to walk, then we’ll incarcerate,” Cleveland said.

The blood alcohol levels for those arrested at the July 17 incident ranged from .02 to .16 percent. Twelve of the 43 individuals arrested had blood alcohol content levels of .05 percent or below.

“If the individuals are too intoxicated to walk, then we’ll incarcerate.”

Lt. Tim Cleveland district excise police commander

People also jumped out of windows and from the roof of the residence, the report said.

South Bend police called Indiana State Excise Police to assist them and were at the house for about an hour. It took three trips using the South Bend prisoner transport van and patrol vehicles to transport all of the suspects to St. Joseph County Jail, the report said.

The suspects were kept in jail until their blood alcohol content levels returned to zero. For many of them, this took several hours and they were released the next morning.

Several messages left for the South Bend police were not returned.

Student body president

Catherine Soler

said student government is aware of these recent incidents and is “putting forth efforts to protect students, keep them safe and allow us to have fun while respecting the law and our neighbors.”

Soler also said she is compiling reports of the incidents and encouraged anyone who has knowledge of an incident to contact student government.

“We want people to come and tell us so we know what’s going on,” she said. “So when we talk to people we have testimonials.”

Contact Sarah Mervosh at smervosh@nd.edu

Beck rally to be held on ‘Dream’ day

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Glenn Beck says it’s just a coincidence his Restoring Honor rally on Saturday at the Lincoln Memorial will take place on the anniversary and at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Civil rights veterans are skeptical.

“This is going to be a moment that you’ll never be able to paint people as haters, racists, none of it,” Beck says of the event featuring Sarah Palin and other conservative political and cultural figures.

“This is a moment, quite honestly, that I think we reclaim the civil rights movement.”

“When we heard about Glenn Beck, it was puzzling,” the Rev. Al Sharpton said. “Because if you read Dr. King’s speech, it just doesn’t gel with what Mr. Beck or Mrs. Palin are representing.”

Beck, a popular figure among tea party activists and a polarizing Fox News Channel personality, is headlining the event, and Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and a potential 2012 president candidate, will be a prominent speaker. But Beck told his television audience again on Thursday that it’s not about politics.

The event’s website says the rally is to pay tribute to America’s military personnel and others “who embody our

nation’s founding principles of integrity, truth and honor.” It also is to promote the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which provides scholarships and services to family members of military members.

The website urges citizens to attend and “help us restore the values that founded this great nation.”

The rally, on the 47th anniversary of King’s plea for racial equality is drawing a strong reaction — and several counter-rallies — as the nation looks toward November’s elections.

Beck is known for his strong opinions, including his statement that President Barack Obama is a racist; he later told CBS’ Katie Couric that he was “sorry the way it was phrased.”

But organizers of Saturday’s rally are telling attendees not to bring signs, “as they may deter from the peaceful message we are bringing to Washington.”

Signs at some tea party events have included pictures of Obama embellished with a Hitler-style mustache, racial epithets and threats to Democratic officials. Such posters have given tea party critics grounds to claim the loose organization of activists is motivated by racism against the nation’s first black president.

“Dr. King never had to ask anyone to leave their signs and guns at home,” said Benjamin

Todd Jealous, president of the NAACP. “To say to your followers, don’t bring your signs — it’s like saying don’t open your mouth.”

“The 8-28 rally is supposedly is about ‘reclaiming the civil rights movement,’ but it is being led by someone whose idea of a racist is the president of the United States,” said Jess Levin, a spokesman for the liberal Media Matters for America. “This rally is about one thing and one thing only. And that’s promoting Beck’s political agenda.”

Elsewhere in Washington, civil rights activists planned to mark Saturday’s anniversary of the landmark 1963 speech with rallies and demonstrations, some ending on the National Mall. One group planned a four-story sculpture in honor of King near the Washington Monument. Others planned to meet at a Washington school.

Sharpton’s National Action Network planned a “Reclaim the Dream” rally featuring Education Secretary Arne Duncan, National Urban League president Marc Morial and Martin Luther King III.

In an opinion piece for The Washington Post, King said of Beck’s event that it’s “commendable that this rally will honor the brave men and women of our armed forces who serve our country with phenomenal dedication.” But he also said it was clear the organizers were invoking his father’s work.

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My summer experience hanging out in the dugout

As the semester begins, and before everyone settles into their routines, a window of opportunity exists whereby students offer themselves to new friendships. Their openness shows with the sparkling twinkles in their eyes. Soon that willingness to make new friendships withers as classes and homework consumes each day. But during the school year’s brief social introductory period of time, the most over-asked question surely is, “What did you do this summer?”

Gary Caruso Capitol Comments

For me, the highlight of my summer came when I met avid baseball fan and Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor — less than a year after her confirmation — in a softball dugout for five innings during a cancer survivor’s charity game played by a bipartisan, bicameral team of female members of congress. Justice Sotomayor’s low-key arrival quickly turned into a pied-piper style walk to the dugout as well wishers greeted her and cell phone cameras frantically clicked. The energy around Sotomayor rippled like the wave along the bleachers as she made her way to the dugout.

Upon her entrance into the dugout

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR

where I served as one of the congresswomen’s coaches, senators and representatives alike swarmed for pictures and autographs. Republican house members who, if sitting in the senate at the time of Sotomayor’s confirmation, would have been bound by ideology to vote against her, respectfully requested photo ops and autographs with genuine graciousness. It was one of the rare moments in Washington when political affiliations were removed from an event, reminiscent of the pre-Gingrich political era.

Anyone who spent more than a minute with the justice would attest that Sotomayor’s infectious smile and down-to-earth demeanor were also genuine. Her gracious offering of as much time necessary to everyone who asked cemented my impression of her.

National Public Radio personality Nina Totenberg spent nearly a dozen minutes with her, both peering out the dugout fence at the game while chatting about encounters with mutual friends.

I dutifully queued among the members and eventually had my iPhone photo snapped with Sotomayor as well as an autograph. Ironically, since Sotomayor ordered an end to the Major League Baseball strike years ago, she refuses to sign any type of ball, including the pink softball I offered to her. She signed wristbands, shirts and programs but no balls. The “Reliable Source” section of the

Show some faith

This letter is in response to Mackin Bannon and Rachel Cotton’s answers to The Observer’s “Question of the Day” on Aug. 25. While Brandon Saia, Stephanie Prince and Tierney Roche correctly predicted an undefeated season for the Fighting Irish football team in 2010, Mackin and Rachel had the audacity to predict nine and 10 wins after only their second day as Notre Dame students. Mackin? Rachel? Where’s the faith? What reason have you to believe in anything less than perfection? What has caused you to become jaded so soon into your lives as Domers?

I’ve lived through dark times as a student. I came to Notre Dame during Brady Quinn’s final year amidst a hurricane of hype about how great our team was supposed to be. I thought I felt bad after a brutal loss in the Sugar Bowl that year, but then came the worst three-year stretch in the history of our program ...

After witnessing 3-9, 7-6 and 6-6 from the student section, I feel as though skepticism should be justifiable. Even so, I still stay true to my duty as a Domer by refusing to let doubt creep into my mind. Night is darkest before the dawn. In our case, night was darkest two seasons ago.

Now, as Coach Kelly ushers in a new era of Fighting Irish Football I urge you to look around at the rays of new hope that wash over our campus and reflect in Our Lady atop the Golden Dome herself. Right now, a new energy unfamiliar to any current student is stirring just beneath the surface. Anticipation is mounting, and the echoes are nearly ready to be awakened. In just ten days, thunder will shake down from the sky over Notre Dame Stadium. It is up to all of us to recognize the opportunities we currently have as coaches, players, faculty, staff, administrators, and especially the players, the band, and the students, to take advantage of our short time here by doing our own part to carry on the Spirit of Notre Dame. You will look back on these days for the rest of your lives, and our tradition will live on through the stories you share with our future generations. Wouldn’t you rather have your own stories begin like those of Brandon, Stephanie and Tierney? Wouldn’t you rather start off as a true believer?

Go Irish! Beat Boilers!

Daniel

Colt Collins law student Class of 2013 Aug. 25

Washington Post published that fact and estimated what her signature on a ball would command in the memorabilia market.

As the game progressed and players focused more on the game, Justice Sotomayor climbed on the bench, sitting on the back support with her feet on the seat so that she could better see the game above the players in the dugout. While she sat alone during the fifth inning, I approached her solitary figure for my few minutes of quality discussion. I mentioned that if my parents were alive, they would be thrilled at my ability to speak with her because all four of my grandparents were Italian immigrants in the early 1900s.

Sotomayor replied that our nation certainly is a wonderful place of opportunity, comparing the path she and her immigrant family took to my path. She joyfully and emphatically spoke from her heart when she tied our families’ paths with the possibility of intersecting and being together in the dugout. It reminded me of the excitement Catholics felt in 1960 when John Kennedy broke the political religious prejudices with his election as president.

As I prepared to return to my coaching duties and end our conversation, I could not resist the bust-chopper aspect of my personality. I concluded by asking her to do me a favor the next time she saw Justice Antonin Scalia. I said, “Tell Justice Scalia for me that a

Don’t

practicing Catholic says to quit giving his opinions in speeches before issues come before the court — he is supposed to decide on the merits in court, not prior.”

Justice Sotomayor smiled her famously broad grin, and I could see a bright twinkle in her eye that knew what I meant. She merely nodded her head as I shook hands with her one final time and resumed my coaching duties. She sat alone atop the dugout bench for another two innings without much more conversation from others in the dugout.

As I think back on my first week at Notre Dame when everyone seemed to have a bright twinkle in their eyes and were open to making new friends, I gleaned a life lesson. Students, beware that life’s many twists always seem to present at least one new person with a genuine soul regardless of whether or not destined for fame. Recognizing a future Sotomayor begins with your first week at Notre Dame.

Gary Caruso, Notre Dame ‘73, serves in the Department of Homeland Security and was a legislative and public affairs director in President Clinton’s administration. His column appears every other Friday. He can be contacted at GaryJCaruso@alumni.nd.edu

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

fence me in!

I first visited and fell in love with Notre Dame when I was in third grade. My parents had brought me to campus to see a football game. At that point in my life, I didn’t particularly care for sports, nor did I understand the majesty that is Notre Dame football. I can’t say if we won that day, but a physical reminder of what I do remember is about to disappear.

I remember running through the lush grass in front of the library, red and golden leaves crackling beneath my feet. I remember chasing chubby squirrels wherever they scampered, and I remember my parents having a difficult time explaining to me that it was time to leave. Most vivid in my memory is flopping down in the center of a patch of grass, tossing freshly fallen leaves into the air, and cheering “I want to go to Notre Dame!”

With this fond memory, it is disheartening to see ominous fence posts popping up across campus. I believe that God made grass to frolic in, and not to be fenced in. Where will I frolic now coming from class after receiving an excellent grade? Surely if I wanted to prance in jubilation on a slab of concrete I would have found a college located in a concrete jungle! How will I skip barefoot to the library on warm autumn days and feel the carpet of grass between my toes if intimidating and ugly fences deter me?

Recalling the lines of Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,” I implore the university: Stop this madness! These fences will decrease our access to one of God’s most beautiful gifts: Grass, green with life and tall in exultation beneath the heavens, inviting the most tired of feet to walk there and be cushioned.

Stephanie DePrez Scene Writer

There And Back: A Student’s Tale

Walking around San Diego during the last weekend of July, I was greeted by lamp posts bearing the banner of a character from the movie “Tron: Legacy,” which will come out later this year. Underneath the omnipresent ads are the words, “Celebrating Pop Culture and the Arts.”

This is Comic-Con? I thought the San Diego Comic Convention was a gathering of 40-year-old-men in sweaty Star Wars t-shirts, trading Spiderman comics and Lord of the Rings movie trivia. Instead, it’s more than a mile of the most cutting-edge new products in movies, television, video games and comics (I actually bought some!).

In-between unending rows of venders peddling everything from anime hats to artist-interpretation Tolkien jewelry were booths devoted to cult internet web-series like “The Guild” and network promotion sites for the likes of Square Enix Games, WB and Fox. Posters from horror films and viral fan videos I’ve never heard of ran alongside lines of giddy fans, male and female, aged 10 to 80, clutching comics or cameras, waiting eagerly to see the writer/artist/actor who they will tell you changed their life (and who you most likely won’t recognize).

The only way to survive is to keep moving through the mosh of people, each experiencing their own nirvana, and to make sure not to stop too long to take a picture of that fabulous Wonder Woman/Iron Man/Slave Leia costume walking by. And is that Joss Whedon?

Be still my beating heart.

This is the man who got me here. Sort of.

I have been a fan of Joss Whedon shows (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Firefly,” “Dollhouse”) since fellow Notre Dame student and Scene writer Ellie Hall showed me them freshmen year. Our nights spent diving into these cult TV shows eventually led to us both majoring in Film, Television and Theater (FTT) at Notre Dame. We ultimately wrote two grant proposals, asking this fine university for the funds to study Whedon as a writer, director, and fan influencer.

Thus we found ourselves at Comic-Con, video camera in hand and thesis questions at the ready, willing to talk to anyone and everyone who claims to be a member of the BuffyVerse. Which was quite easy, seeing as we were at the Mecca of superfans, surrounded by people who spend a year meticulously sewing the most authentic replication of Malcolm Reynold’s (“Firefly”) iconic brown coat possible. After all, “Firefly” fans do lovingly call themselves Browncoats.

Our journey began at 3 a.m. on a Wednesday morning, getting up in order to get in line for Hall H, the 6,500 person seating hall that quickly became a parade of top Hollywood A-listers.

In order to secure our seats for the Joss Whedon/J.J. Abrams (the producer behind the new “Star Trek” movie and “Lost”) panel, we were forced to sit through a long slog of people like Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Angelina Jolie, Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde and Aaron Eckhart.

After popping my eyeballs back into my head, Whedon finally took the stage to crack wise about Buffy, 3D and his undying love of the new movie “Star Trek” (which made Mr. Abrams blush very red indeed). But this wasn’t just play – no, no – for it was all captured on my camera, to be edited and transcribed for a university-funded documentary and thesis.

whose works we’re here to study, and decided to plead our case at the Dark Horse Comics booth, the comic book company that produces the tie-in comic books for all things Whedon.

After asking around, we were handed off to a senior editor. A firm case was made for our work, for the credit we were to receive and for the academic impact we hoped to make with our respective projects. See, this is the kicker. Because we were in San Diego as students, and not just fans, doors opened to us that we would have never imagined. VIP passes in hand, we skipped up to the entry doors to make our way in.

But who should we pass? The man himself, Whedon, about to go backstage. I frantically joined the mass of cameras surrounding him, getting over my raging inner fan in order to keep the camera steady and take in the action of Whedon signing an autograph for a fan in a wheelchair. In fact, over the weekend, we spent so much time tailing Whedon that his regular entourage became accustomed to us and stopped trying to wedge my camera out.

As fate would have it, we sat behind Whedon’s go-to costume designer, who agreed to do an interview. After that, we hooked up with the Browncoat booth, and interviewed many of the biggest movers and shakers in the Can’t Stop the Serenity charity movement (grown out of the “Firefly” cinematic continuation from 2005, “Serenity”). Soon word got out about our quest for knowledge, and we even had the producer and the star of an upcoming fan film for charity offer to be interviewed.

This was all in between our scheduled interviews with mainstay Whedon show writers like Steven DeKnight and Jane Espenson, who now develop and write for shows such as “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” and “Battlestar Galactica.” Had we not been at Comic-Con, our pleas for contact would probably have gone unanswered, but since we were able to catch them during their moments of down-time, we were able to gain a massive array of authoritative information from people whose careers began on Whedon shows.

But what about the final contact, the Holy Grail of interviews our fangirlsquee had been waiting for all week? It was not to be, but not without an exhaust of every avenue possible.

The golden moment came when Whedon was leaving his “Dollhouse” comic book signing. I had stood their filming intermittently the whole time, so he assumed I wasn’t going to attack. When he walked by, I held out our contact card, hoping he would grab it as he passed. He not only took it, but he stood there, looking at me expectantly. “Five minutes – for our thesis – we’re doing it on you – if you have any sort of time – I know you’re busy –”

“Well, I actually have to run to an Avengers thing right now, but if I have time I’ll let you know.” Alas, “time” he did not have. But that “Avengers thing” turned out to be the Hall H extravaganza that introduced the whole cast of the upcoming film Whedon is currently penning and will direct, complete with appearances by Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo. I suppose I’ll forgive him.

Tuesday began in the line for Ballroom 20, capacity 1,200, in order to see the “Joss Whedon Experience” panel (because apparently we’re not the only ones who love this guy). After sitting through a panel on “Stargate: Universe” (of which I had previously known nothing) we followed the ghost of an opportunity onto the exhibition floor that turned out to be a dead end. Frustrated but determined, we explored our options, for we simply could not miss the panel on the man

After four days of double-take worthy costumes, endless lines, brief encounters with destiny and enough swag to merit another checked bag, we headed to the airport, beaming with success. Armed with the badge of academia, we whittled our way into the upper echelon of Browncoat company. We talked our way into a closed panel. We connected with a couple of today’s most successful television writers. And eventually, we made contact with the subject of our study.

The moral of the story? Pursue your passion. If you want to study it, there is a way. If you love it enough, you will run into people who want to help. Ask your professors, your dean, and the endless array of funding opportunities on this campus. When you get somewhere, don’t be shy. Impress people with how confident Notre Dame students are. Surprise them with your knowledge and quest for answers. Who knows? You might just end up at Comic-Con.

Contact Stephanie Deprez at sdeprez@nd.edu

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

By ELLIE HALL Scene Writer

The four glorious days of the San Diego International Comic-Con give attendees the chance to rub shoulders with icons the entertainment industry and enjoy the cutting edge of pop culture along with 140,000 other like-minded, so-called nerds. The convention has grown so much over the past 30 years that even the most casual conventioneer needs a map and plan of attack. Fortunately, my partner crime, Stephanie DePrez, and I were not casual conventioneers — we were women on a mission.

1. Do your research

Be able to recognize all of the famous names that will be wandering around the Exhibit Hall, because you never know when you’ll run into Stan Lee or James Cameron on the way to the bathroom. Know which of your icons will be at the Con and make sure you can pick them out of a lineup.

2. Have a plan of attack

Military strategies have been planned with less detail than our finely-tuned schedule. Since there are always a million interesting things going on at once, you need to pick and choose the most important panels and the impossible-to-miss signings, and still leave enough flexibility in case something important comes up.

3. Forget sleep I think we averaged four hours of sleep a night during the Con. It’s a choice — you can be well-rested, or you can be in the first row of Hall H when Joss Whedon officially confirms that he’s directing and writing “The Avengers.”

4. Buddy System

You cannot do Comic-Con alone. With friend along for the ride, you never have to worry about losing a spot in line, going hungry or having your seat stolen during

the panel break. Instead, you throw your seat-saving friend a sandwich as she walks into a panel and run off to track down a Fox publicity executive. Synergy.

5. Get Connected

Awesome things happen really quickly at Comic-Con, so when they do, it’s in your best interest to know about them as soon as possible. Actors and directors randomly show up at booths for signings, exclusive memorabilia will go on sale, or a free taco van will park outside the convention center. You never know what will happen, but you can bet that when it does, someone will tweet about it. I brought my laptop to the Con every single day and took advantage of the free WiFi so that I could always know what was happening around the Con.

6. Don’t Be “That Fan” Yes, ComicCon is the closest thing to Nirvana for practically every fan base imaginable because there’s always that chance that you’ll meet the object of your devotion, but the overly emotional/crazy fanatics ruin that opportunity for everyone else (I’m looking at you, Twihards). While Steph and I were waiting to interview longtime Joss Whedon writer Jane Espenson at the California Browncoat booth, a Buffy alum, newlywed Seth Green, dropped by so that he could introduce Jane to his wife. He shook hands and talked with fans for a few minutes ... until one very loud guy noticed him and started freaking out. Cue crowds and Seth Green’s hasty departure. The biggest names in the entertainment industry come to Comic-Con to meet fans and interact with them, but no one wants to interact with a blubbering idiot. It’s okay if your inner fangirl is squealing when you realize that you’ve been sitting next to Nathan Fillion for the past 15 minutes (true story), but keep it that way: inside.

The View From Home

By MAIJA GUSTIN Scene Writer

For those who, like myself, were unlucky enough to miss Comic-Con 2010 this year, here are some of the greatest hits, misses, news and shockers to come out of San Diego.

Comic book movies are all the rage right now, with “The Green Lantern,” “Thor” and “Captain America” all having strong presences at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. But, perhaps even more exciting than Ryan Reynolds in the CGI Green Lantern suit, is the announcement of a director and final cast list for “The Avengers,” a comic book about the crime-fighting antics of a legion of famous superheroes, including, but not limited to, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk. Fanboys rejoiced when Joss Whedon, the creator of such pop-culture hits as “Firefly,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” was announced as the director of this superhero extravaganza.

panel for his upcoming film “Cowboys & Aliens.” Tears flooded the eyes of many fanboys and girls in the audience, and even more outside the convention hall who missed Mr. Ford in person.

Aliens really are taking over the world, or at least Hollywood. After the success of alien-related flicks last year, like “District 9” and “Avatar,” a ton of new alien movies were announced at this year’s ComicCon. They range from the very intimate British film “Monsters,” about a couple dealing with the aftermath of an alien invasion, to “Skyline,” about aliens that literally suck people up into the sky, to “Battle: Los Angeles,” which takes a look at warfare against an alien invasion in Los Angeles. Each of these films looks totally awesome, and each takes a different look at aliens. Whether they’ll be any good or not, however, remains to be seen.

Marvel Comics also announced their third Hulk in the last decade, after Eric Bana and Edward Norton both left the franchise, with Mark Ruffalo (“Shutter Island”), who will be joining the cast of “The Avengers.” Jeremy Renner, star of this year’s Oscar winner “The Hurt Locker,” will join Whedon, Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and many others as the superhero Hawkeye. During the Marvel Comics panel, Robert Downey Jr. sauntered onstage and proceeded to bring out the entire cast of the film. Never has so much nerd-power been in the same room at one time.

Though “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” has since been released, to mostly great reviews, Edgar Wright surprised fans at ComicCon with several free advanced screenings of the film. He rewarded the fanboys who made his film possible and showed ComicCon how to do a panel the right way — preferably with a movie waiting at the end.

“Tron” was a cult hit almost 30 years ago and this December, Jeff Bridges, this year’s Oscar winner for “Crazy Heart,” is back with a new look at the world inside a computer. In “Tron: Legacy,” Sam Flynn (“Eragon”) gets sucked into the world of Tron where his father, Kevin (Bridges) has been for the last 25 years. Sam must save his father and get them both out of a world that doesn’t want them to leave. Not only did the “Tron: Legacy” trailer look awesome, Disney brought out the big guns at Comic-Con with an awesome scavenger-hunt that led to a giant rave/party with waitresses dressed in Tron suits serving fluorescent drinks, clips from the new movies, a DJ and lots of video games.

Not long after director Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth”) announced he would no longer be directing “The Hobbit,” the sequel to the much-beloved and much-Oscar-winning “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, he came out at Comic-Con and announced his next big project — a new film adaptation of the Disney World attraction “The Haunted Mansion,” absolutely unrelated in any to the 2003 Eddie Murphy movie. Though millions are scratching their heads, del Toro professes to be a diehard fan of the ride and wants to make it a scary, but still family-friendly, film.

Though people having been walking around Comic-Con for years dressed as Han Solo, Harrison Ford finally made his first appearance at the geek Mecca when he was brought onstage, as a surprise, by director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”), during the

“Let the Right One In,” a Swedish film about a young vampire and the human boy she befriends, took the movie world by storm last year, receiving immense praise from most of the world’s top critics. Groans were heard round the world when director Matt Reeves (“Cloverfield”) announced he’d be remaking the film. And though nothing could beat the originality and ingenuity of the Swedish version of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel, the trailer for “Let Me In” that premiered at Comic-Con wasn’t half bad. In fact, it was downright enticing, showing off what appears to be some great work by the movie’s young stars Chloe Moretz (“Kick-Ass”) and Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Road”). Skepticism over the American version is still running rampant, but many were surprised at how not-bad Reeves’ film actually looks.

While Warner Bros. did a great job of showcasing upcoming films like “The Green Lantern” and “Sucker Punch,” the audience was left fairly miffed by the lack of coverage of what might be the movie event of the year: the release of part one of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” the final installment of the wizarding franchise. They better have something good up their sleeves to make up for this.

Dodgers leave Milwaukee with three wins

Astros beat Phillies 5-1 for a record breaking four-game sweep; Home runs from Gonzalez, Tejada lead Padres over D-backs

MILWAUKEE — Casey Blake hit a two-run homer and six Dodgers pitchers combined on a two-hitter as Los Angeles beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 Thursday for a three-game sweep.

The Dodgers came into Milwaukee with a 3-14 mark on the road in the second half but rekindled their playoff hopes with their first three-game sweep at Miller Park since May 23-25, 2003.

The Brewers lost their fourth straight.

Leading 4-1, the Dodgers broke the game open in the seventh with three runs off starter Yovani Gallardo (11-6) and reliever Todd Coffey.

Gallardo walked reliever Kenley Jensen with one out and Scott Podsednik singled for the third time. Ryan Theriot looped the first pitch from Coffey into center for an RBI single that scored Jensen.

An error by catcher Jonathan Lucroy on center fielder Chris Dickerson’s throw to the plate allowed Podsednik and Theriot to advance. Podsednik scored on Reed Johnson’s single, and Theriot came home on Coffey’s wild pitch.

Blake’s 13th homer, a two-run shot off Gallardo in the sixth, pushed the lead to 4-1. Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier was ejected during the inning for arguing with plate umpire Adrian Anderson.

Los Angeles starter Carlos Monasterios, who allowed one

run and two hits in 4 1-3 innings, tired in the fifth. But the bullpen came on to protect a 2-1 lead. With one out, Monasterios walked Gallardo, hit Rickie Weeks with a pitch for the second time in the game and then plunked the next batter, Corey Hart, to load the bases. That ended the rookie right-hander’s 10th start of the season. Ronald Belisario (2-1) relieved and got Ryan Braun to strike out swinging.

Dodgers manager Joe Torre brought in left-hander George Sherrill to face left-handed hitting Prince Fielder, who hit into a fielder’s choice to end the Brewers’ threat.

After Fielder’s 26th home run, a solo shot in the fourth, tied the game, Podsednik lined a shot off the glove of a diving Weeks at second base in the fifth. The ball trickled into short right field, allowing Brad Ausmus to score.

Ausmus also had three hits.

Podsednik singled, went to third on Theriot’s double and scored on Matt Kemp’s groundout in the first.

Astros 5, Phillies 1

Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven sharp innings, Carlos Lee homered and the Houston Astros beat the Phillies Thursday to complete their first four-game sweep in Philadelphia in 11 years.

The two-time NL champion Phillies fell three games behind idle Atlanta in the NL East and trail San Francisco by a halfgame in the wild-card standings.

Rodriguez (10-12) allowed one

run and five hits, striking out six. The left-hander is 7-2 with a 1.79 ERA since June 24.

The spoiler Astros got major contributions from three former Phillies — pitchers Brett Myers and J.A. Happ and All-Star outfielder Michael Bourn — to earn their first four-game sweep in Philadelphia since September 1999. They swept a four-game series from the Phillies in Houston last September.

The Astros have owned the Phillies in recent years. They are the only NL team with a winning record (30-16) against Philadelphia since 2004.

Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick (8-7) allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings. He’s 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA in his last three starts.

Philadelphia has struggled against the lesser teams in the majors, going 21-19 against clubs that are 10 games or more below .500.

The Phillies’ inconsistent offense is struggling again, scoring two runs or less in seven of the last eight games.

Rodriguez allowed only one baserunner on a walk until Jayson Werth lined a single to left to start Philadelphia’s fifth. Raul Ibanez followed with a double, but Rodriguez pitched out of the no-out jam without allowing a run.

Shane Victorino struck out. Brian Schneider then lined out to right fielder Hunter Pence, who easily nailed Werth at the plate.

The Phillies finally broke through in the fifth. Chase Utley lined an RBI double into the rightfield corner to cut it to 4-1.

The Astros scored a run in each of the first four innings, getting key, two-out hits for the first two.

Anderson Hernandez singled and scored on Lee’s double to left in the first. Angel Sanchez singled and scored on Bourn’s single to right in the second.

Lee connected with one out in the third, hitting a drive to deep left for his 18th homer and a 3-0 lead.

Sanchez led off the fourth with a double and scored when Rodriguez ripped a single off the scoreboard in right.

The speedy Bourn stole a run in the seventh. He reached on an infield single, stole second base despite getting picked off, and scored from second on an infield single.

Padres 9, Diamondbacks 3

Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run homer and Miguel Tejada had a two-run shot as the San Diego Padres beat the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night to take a season-high 6½-game lead atop the

NL West.

The Padres’ closest pursuer, the San Francisco Giants, lost to Cincinnati, 12-11 in 12 innings. David Eckstein had three hits and three runs, and Tejada also scored three runs to help San Diego improve to an NL-best 7649.

Arizona’s Stephen Drew went 4 for 4 with two solo homers for his first career multihomer game.

Drew wound up with a leadoff home run after umpires used instant replay to reverse the original call. His second homer left no doubt, clanging off the top of an advertising sign atop the rightfield wall with two outs in the seventh to chase Wade LeBlanc (811).

The game was briefly delayed in the third inning when a woman with a Mexican flag and a man ran onto the field, apparently protesting Arizona’s immigration law. Both were quickly apprehended by security and led off the field.

The umpires huddled, then went to review video. Replays showed that the ball hit off a seat in the home run porch.

The 1-0 lead didn’t last long. Eckstein singled leading off the bottom of the inning and Tejada drove an 0-2 pitch from Saunders into the Padres’ bullpen beyond the fence in left-center for a 2-0 lead. It was Tejada’s second since coming to San Diego in a trade with Baltimore on July 29, and his ninth overall.

San Diego scored four runs in the third to take a 6-1 lead. Three were unearned due to two errors. Eckstein scored on a bases-loaded fielding error by Drew, the shortstop. Jerry Hairston Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Tejada. As Tejada slid into home, the threehop throw by left fielder Rusty Ryal hit him in the back for an error, allowing runners to advance to second and third. Yorvit Torrealba followed with a two-run single.

Arizona’s Adam LaRoche hit an RBI double in the fourth and Drew homered again in the seventh, giving him 10.

LeBlanc allowed five homers in his first 12 starts, and has allowed 16 in his last 12. He allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings, struck out seven and walked two.

Saunders also lost 10-1 to the Padres on Aug. 8 at Phoenix. He allowed nine runs and eight hits, walked three and struck out one.

Gonzalez’s homer was his 156th in five seasons with the Padres, tying him for second with Phil Nevin on the franchise all-time list. He’s seven shy of Nate Colbert’s record 163. His shot to right-center off Joe Saunders (14) with no outs in the fourth inning was his 26th. Eckstein and Tejada were aboard on singles. Drew led off the game with a fly ball into the right-field corner. First base umpire Ted Barrett signaled fair ball as the shot off LeBlanc ricocheted back onto the field and Drew pulled into second base.

Woods shoots best round since break from tour

PARAMUS, N.J. — Yes, that really was Tiger Woods’ name atop the leaderboard.

In his first tournament since his divorce, Woods finally looked like the No. 1 player in the world Thursday at the Barclays when he opened with a 6-under 65, his lowest score of the year, to share the lead with Vaughn Taylor. It was his first time leading after any round on the PGA Tour since the Tour Championship last September.

“It’s exciting to hit the ball flush again,” Woods said. “It’s something I’ve been missing all year.”

He didn’t miss much at Ridgewood Country Club. Woods hit all but one fairway and putted for birdie on all but two holes. And while he hit his driver only twice, they were two of his best shots of the day — including on the 291-yard fifth hole, where his drive landed pin-high and settled 15 feet away.

Was it just a coincidence that his game showed up so soon after his marriage was dissolved?

“I can’t really say that’s the case,” he said. “As far as golf, it was nice to put it together.”

Woods and Taylor both played in the morning, when the greens were smooth and the conditions were only breezy. They had a one-shot lead over Adam Scott, Brian Gay and Ryan Palmer. Scott played in the afternoon, where a gust of wind played tricks on him at the final hole and led to bogey.

Scott endured a long day in the pro-am Wednesday and didn’t think Ridgewood would serve up a 65 to anyone.

“Seeing some good scores this morning made me change my mind,” he said.

That one of those scores belonged to Woods was hardly a surprise.

“For him to piece things together can’t be too hard,” Scott said. “He’s very good.”

The last time Woods’ was atop the leaderboard after any round of any tournament was when he won the Australian Masters on Nov. 15, less than two weeks after his life caved in on him — the car crash after Thanksgiving night, details of adultery, five months away from the game and a broken marriage, which officially ended Monday.

His golf hasn’t been very good either, which is why Woods began the FedEx Cup playoffs 112th out of 125 players who qualified. He was so low down the list that he was first to tee off under a sunny sky at Ridgewood, the first time he’s done that in his PGA Tour career.

It worked to his advantage.

“With fresh greens, everybody in our group was making putts on the front nine,” Woods said. “You had to get it today.”

And he did. The 65 was his lowest score in 46 rounds, dating to a 62 in the BMW Championship last year. Taylor grinned when asked if he was surprised to see Woods’ name on the leaderboard.

“Somewhat, you know?” he said. “It’s good to see him back up top.”

With sunshine and a light breeze, conditions were ripe for scoring. Palmer had a chance to join the leaders until a three-putt bogey on the 18th put him at 66. Even though the greens became bumpy in the afternoon after so much foot traffic, the course was soft enough to allow for good scores. There were 14 players who shot 67, including Davis Love III, defending champion Heath Slocum and Stewart Cink.

Phil Mickelson, with his ninth chance in the last four months to replace Woods at No. 1 in the world, made only one birdie for a 72.

For Woods, the timing could not have been better.

Only the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings advance to the second round of the playoffs next week in the Deutsche Bank Championship. Woods at least needs to make the cut, then finish in the middle of the pack. He had a better solution.

“I figure if I win, I should be OK,” Woods said.

For one of the few times this year, he gave himself ample reason to believe that. Woods opened with a 3-wood down the middle of the fairway, a pitching wedge to 15 feet below the hole and a birdie putt.

More followed, even on the par 5s, which have given Woods fits in recent months.

He mostly used his 3-wood off

the tee, figuring that was enough to reach the corners without having to take on the tops of trees that line the fairways. Plus, with saturated conditions from rain earlier in the week, tour officials allowed players to lift, clean and place their golf balls in the fairway.

“With the ball in hand, it’s much more important to hit the fairways,” Woods said. It was the first time since the 2006 British Open

at Royal Liverpool that he hit his 3-wood off the tee on every par 5.

The two times he hit the driver turned out to be two of his best shots of the day.

After the tee shot on the par-4 fifth — only six players hit that green off the tee — Woods used driver into the wind on the 18th, hitting it so well that he had only a 7-iron into the green. He hit a punch shot to just over 6 feet for a final birdie.

NFL Owners push for 18-game schedule

ATLANTA — NFL owners are eager to increase the regular season from 16 to 18 games.

The players aren’t so sure.

During a five-hour meeting at a posh hotel in downtown Atlanta, the push to add two more games to the regular season picked up steam Wednesday — at least among those who sign the checks.

“I think it’s a win-win all around,” said Bob Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots.

The owners also unanimously approved Stan Kroenke’s proposal to purchase majority ownership of the St. Louis Rams, assuming he turns over control of two other teams he owns — the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche — to his son.

Kroenke owns 40 percent of the downtrodden Rams and exercised his right to purchase the rest of the team from the Rosenbloom family for a reported $750 million.

“Obviously, all of us know and respect Stan,” commissioner Roger Goodell said. “He’s been a terrific owner in the NFL and we’re confident he will continue to be a great owner.”

Kroenke must turn over operational and financial control of the Nuggets and Avalanche to his 30year-old son, Josh, by the end of the year. He must give up his majority stake in the teams by December 2014 to meet NFL rules against cross-ownership of franchises in other NFL cities.

But talks on the expanded season dominated most of the meeting.

Goodell pointed out that the league already has the right to impose an 18-game schedule — and keep four preseason games for each team — under the current labor agreement with the players. But that contract expires after this season, and it’s clear the expanded schedule will be a central issue in talks on a new collective bargaining agreement.

The owners would like to keep the season at 20 weeks, reducing the number of preseason games from four to two.

“We want to do it the right way for everyone, including the players, the fans and the game in general,” Goodell said. “There’s a tremendous amount of momentum for it. We think it’s the right step.”

The owners held off on voting on a specific proposal that could be presented to the players union. Among the issues that still must be resolved: when to start the expanded regular season, possible roster expansion to cope with more games, and changes in training camp and offseason routines to come up with ways for evaluating younger players who wouldn’t have as many preseason games to make an impression.

“We want to continue to address a variety of issues before putting together a specific proposal, which our negotiating team will provide to the union’s negotiating team,” Goodell said. “There’s tremendous support for it. Almost all the questions, all the discussions, are how to do it in a way that’s fan friendly.”

Around the NFL, however, many players questioned the wisdom of making an already grueling season even longer. At the

very least, they want more money — and several proposed changes in the rules governing injured players, or adding an extra bye week to deal with the grind.

“With 16 games, every game is important and therefore the fans are very into it, the stadiums are packed because they know if their team loses, it pushes them further and further away from making the playoffs,” Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer said. “I think if you go to 18, each game kind of loses a little bit of its significance.”

The players clearly expect to be receive a bigger chunk of the multi-billion-dollar NFL pie if they’re going to be putting their bodies on the line in two more games that count.

“Obviously the players want to be compensated for two more games,” San Francisco 49ers linebacker Matt Wilhelm said. “That’s the one thing the players have to get met.”

They are also concerned about an increased risk of injuries and fret that it could shorten their careers or increase the number of health problems they endure after retirement.

“I would vote to eliminate two preseason games and then keep it at a 16-game season because the longer you’re out there playing, the more your body breaks down,” Chicago Bears tight end Desmond Clark said. “When you get into December, you’re like walking zombies. You can’t feel your joints.”

Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita said the timing of the proposal is odd, considering the owners want the players to accept a smaller share of the revenue in the next labor agreement.

“They are asking you to play more games and put yourself at more risk, and they are also asking us to take a pay cut,” he said. “That’s a lot to ask. All those things don’t make a whole lot of sense. We need to sit down and talk through it all and find out what it is they’re really trying to do and see if it makes sense or not.”

But Kraft said the expanded season is the most obvious step to bring in more money while the economy is struggling.

“I really think going to an 18game season is critical to us getting a labor deal,” he said. “There’s not a lot ways in this economic environment we can generate incremental revenues. That’s the best way.

“The other thing,” he added, “our fans have said pretty loud and clear they’d like us to have fewer preseason games.”

Several players and coaches have pointed out that having only two preseason games would likely make it more difficult for fringe players to get enough of a look to make the team.

Already, teams have been experimenting with joint workouts in training camp, believing those sessions could help replace the shorter preseason. This year, for instance, the Atlanta Falcons worked out with both New England and Jacksonville.

“If it was a two-game preseason, then the starters are going to see most of that time because they’ve got to get ready for the season, so if you’re third string, good luck,” said Indianapolis linebacker Gary Brackett.

Favre adjusts to new changes in Vikings’ offense

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — One of the biggest reasons Brett Favre decided to return to the Minnesota Vikings this year was his familiarity with an offense that he enjoyed being around so much in 2009.

Suddenly, in some ways, Favre feels as if he’s starting all over again.

His two favorite targets — Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin — have struggled with ailments throughout the preseason. Rice had hip surgery on Monday and likely will miss the first half of the regular season while Harvin has hardly practiced because of recurring migraines.

“Not a lot different than last year as far as chemistry is concerned,” Favre said Wednesday. “It would have been nice to come in and go to bat with the guys that we finished with last year, but that is part of football. Every coach will say the same thing. Regardless of who is put in there we have to play the same way.”

With Favre leading the way, the Vikings changed from a runoriented offense in the first three years under coach Brad Childress into a pass-first unit that finished second in the league in scoring.

Vikings receivers caught 207 of the 377 passes completed last season, nearly all of which were thrown by Favre. When Favre stepped into the huddle in San

Francisco on Sunday night, Rice and Harvin were not even in the stadium, meaning 143 of last season’s receptions weren’t around.

Bernard Berrian (55 catches) and Greg Lewis (eight) are the only healthy receivers on this year’s roster who caught a pass from Favre in 2009.

Harvin did practice on Wednesday for the first time since a scary collapse last week brought on by migraines. He was taken from the field in an ambulance, spent the night in the hospital and did not make the trip to San Francisco. His availability for Saturday night’s game against Seattle is in question.

The reigning rookie of the year forged a bond quickly with Favre last year, emerging as his security blanket on third down.

Harvin missed one game in the regular season because of migraines and several practices in the playoffs as the Vikings marched to the NFC title game.

“Percy’s situation is kind of iffy,” Favre said. “We expect big things from him, bigger than last year. He has to take care of himself first.”

While Harvin dealt with the headaches last year, Rice’s need for surgery came as a surprise to nearly everyone. He was injured in the NFC title game loss to New Orleans, but said that doctors told him his hip would heal without surgery.

Rice posted an update on his

blog on Wednesday, saying that he tweaked the injury during minicamp in June but still hoped to avoid surgery. But doctors told him on Monday that a new MRI showed “a problem that could shorten my career.”

“Once the Doc got in there and checked everything out, he said having the surgery was the best move I could have made, so I don’t regret it now,” Rice wrote. “He said it could have been much worse if I would have tried to play on it during the season. He said it could have been my last year of playing football, so I know I made the right decision.”

Favre said he kept in contact with Rice, who led the team with 83 catches and 1,312 yards, while he spent the summer deciding whether he should come back for a 20th NFL season.

“I really felt like at some point here in training camp he would be able to go,” Favre said. “Obviously that’s not the case. Probably like most people, I was pretty optimistic that he would be OK.”

So Brett, if you knew Rice would be out so long, would you have come back?

“I don’t know that for certain because that obviously wasn’t the case,” Favre said. “It’s hard enough at 40 to play. You take a guy out that had roughly 90something catches and was obviously pretty productive ... but there’s more guys on this team, too.”

Rice said he hopes to be back before the first half of the season ends. There have been theories that he did not get the surgery because he was in the final year of his contract and was hoping to sign an extension, and Rice addressed that issue in his blog.

“It’s not my concern what people say about my contract, whatever happens, happens,” Rice wrote. “If the Vikings decide to give me an extension, that’s great. If not, life goes on. I’ll continue to work hard and do everything I can to be successful in what I’ve been doing my whole life, and that’s playing football.”

The Vikings scrambled this week to add depth to a receiving group short on experience, sign-

ing veteran free agent Javon Walker on Tuesday and trading with the Dolphins for slot receiver Greg Camarillo on Wednesday.

Walker caught passes from Favre for four years in Green Bay, but he has just 41 receptions in the past three years combined in Denver and Oakland.

Camarillo has 105 receptions for 1,165 yards and two touchdowns over the past two years in Miami.

“Without Sidney, it sure makes it tougher, Favre said. “But going into the season last year, no one expected the season that Sidney was going to have. So, maybe there’s another guy that can step up and do that.”

continued from page 24

to play, and also try to get a look at some players,” Clark said.

Clark said his strategy will be to get each player some field time over the weekend by splitting the squad into two groups that will each play in one of the two games.

“I think what I’ll do is play the more experienced group in the Saturday night game because on paper, Ohio State is the more highly ranked team,” Clark said. “Then in the Sunday game against IPFW, I think I’ll play the lads who didn’t play in the Saturday game. We’ll try to give the whole team some game play.”

Ohio State finished last season with a 12-5-4 record and

IPFW, the host school, closed the year at 6-11-2.

“It’s not a tryout,” Clark said “But every day they go out to practice is a tryout, because you’re always competing. We’ve got a pretty set system, and so you’re trying to peg down the system and get teamwork and cohesion within the group. At the same time, we’re looking for them to prove themselves to me, especially the new boys.

“They have to prove themselves to the team too, especially the freshman. It’s very important that they prove themselves to the upperclassmen and start to stake a claim and show everybody that they can play.”

The Irish defeated IllinoisChicago in their first exhibition game, and Clark was impressed by the play of many, but particularly junior forward Michael Rose and senior midfielder Greg Klazura.

“It was good to see Rose back because we lost him at the end of last year with a broken ankle,” Clark said. “It was good to see him back and playing well, and I was really impressed with him. Greg Klazura was showing great willingness to get into the attacking area, so I thought that was good to see. There were a lot of guys with bits and pieces that were very good.”

Notre Dame will face Ohio State at 8 p.m. Saturday and IPFW at 2 p.m. Sunday. Both games will be played in Fort Wayne.

Contact Eric Prister at eprister@nd.edu

Belles

continued from page 24

“Our two seniors, Mary Kate Boyce and Rosie O’Connor need to play well for us to be successful, and I fully expect them to rise to the occasion,” Hamilton said.

Boyce also finished in the top ten in the country and received All-American honors. Boyce was named to the All-MIAA First Team and finished ninth at the NCAAs in the spring, earning All-American honors. She finished ranked 38th among Division III golfers with an 82.06 spring average. O’Connor has been a consistent team player since her freshman year, often coming in third for the Belles on the course.

“They know the history of our past successes and they are ready to do their part to insure our future success,” said Hamilton.

“The upper classmen enjoyed our run in the NCAA last year and would like to get back and improve upon our 4th place finish.”

Saint Mary’s will be competing in eight tournaments, including the MIAA Championships. The Belles will also have the opportunity to play in familiar territory, as they compete in the O’Brien National Invitational at the Warren Golf Course.

“We have a relatively young team with six new players so they are eager to see what it is all about,” Hamilton said. “The uppers know what they are capable of and our excited about the high level of play the freshmen have brought to the team.”

The Belles will compete at Trine August 28 and 29, teeing off at 1:00 p.m. each day.

Contact Tim Singler at tsingler@nd.edu

Kelly

continued from page 24

they can’t see you from your box area,” he said. “So we even added a 49th [script] where I get to run out of the coach’s box, which is a lot of fun, out to the middle of the field to call timeout.”

Another example is a “turtle punt,” which the Irish would use when in a punting situation near their own goal line and want to run some time off the clock.

“It’s really a mental approach because you have to be locked-in to the different situations that are occurring,” Kelly said.

backer Anthony McDonald doubtful for the season opener, Kelly changed his tune Thursday.

“He’s gone from doubtful to questionable,” Kelly said. “We’re moving in a direction that we think we may have him in a back-up capacity for Purdue.”

u Another linebacker took a step in the right direction Thursday. The NCAA Clearinghouse declared freshman Justin Utupo fully eligible. Utupo can now both practice and compete.

“The preparation then is 100 percent on Purdue.”

Brian Kelly Irish coach

“Understanding personnel changes, for example.”

Once Notre Dame goes through those 49 scenarios, including Kelly’s dash to midfield, fall camp will have come to a close, and preparation for the Sept. 4 opener will begin.

“That’ll be our last day relative to the preseason,” Kelly said. “The preparation then is 100 percent on Purdue.”

Notes:

u Less than a week after declaring junior inside line-

Puente

continued from page 24

ing.

“We have really strong leadership,” Brown said. “Our co-captains have done a really good job in practices and off the court helping acclimate the freshman as well as continuing to lead the returning players. I think that we have some other strong leaders, and different people lead in different ways.”

Dealy has 641 kills in her two years with the Irish and has repeatedly proven herself as an allaround threat on the court.

u Sophomore cornerback

E.J. Banks will rejoin the Irish Tuesday, but now in a role on the scout team. He will be unable to play in games, and is not on scholarship, Kelly said. Banks left the team for undisclosed reasons earlier this fall, and Kelly said Banks made the choice to come back in the new role.

“He wanted to come back to Notre Dame. He wanted to be on the team, and he wanted to prove himself,” Kelly said. “So he is going to get the opportunity to prove himself, both on the field and academically.”

Contact Douglas Farmer at dfarmer1@nd.edu

Joining the Irish this season are six members of a highly touted recruiting class, which earned the No. 13 ranking on prepvolleyball.com. The youth of the freshmen won’t stop Brown from utilizing them on the court this weekend.

“We’ll have some freshman playing for sure,” Brown said. “We’ve worked through several different lineups and we need to see how everybody responds in game time situations. We need to see what combinations might be best for us but there will definitely be freshman on the floor.”

“We’re really looking forward to it since we know we have a great lineup of teams this weekend and we know it’s going to be really competitive.”

Debbie Brown Irish coach

Puente joins Dealy as one of the most experienced players on the team and in the league, while also being a knowledgeable defensive specialist.

Puente and her fellow liberos — senior Megan Dunne, junior Frenchy Silva and sophomore Christina Theofilos — have combined for more than 1,400 digs in their careers. Puente’s experience on all sides of the court and keeping her teammates on track will also be invaluable for Notre Dame this season, especially with the first three matches occurring in the same weekend.

This weekend, freshmen Maggie Brindock and Sammie Brown start at setter, a position that will automatically put them in the spotlight.

“It’s just a matter of meshing it all together,” Brown said. “We go in there with the expectation of a win ... A huge thing for us is that we find a good rhythm and that we get better every night that we play.”

The Irish open their season against Marshall at 7 p.m. tonight. Notre Dame plays Cal Poly at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and finishes the weekend against Arizona at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Contact Meaghan Veselik at mvesel01@saintmarys.edu

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Friday, August 27,

Sports

Getting “close”

Kelly happy to see team bouncing back

By DOUGLAS FARMER Sports Editor

One day after only describing practice with disappointed sentences sprinkled with harsh words, Irish coach Brian Kelly said his team came was “close” Thursday after practice.

“We’re getting close,” he said. “Today was a pretty good day for us in terms of bouncing back from what I considered a sloppy practice. Our guys came with a purpose today.”

Kelly said Notre Dame worked on some of the same situations Thursday that they did in Wednesday’s practice.

“We got a lot of the things done that we needed to,” he said. “Our goal line work doesn’t get a lot of attention during the year, although it is important in terms of punching it when in those short-yardage situations.”

For most of the fall, the Irish practiced for about two hours per session, but in the past two days, they only spent 2 hours and 20 minutes on the field, and Friday will be another short practice.

“[Today] will be very short, but one that they will

ND VOLLEYBALL

have to bring a mental edge do it,” Kelly said. “We’ll have our bench control script, which is about 49 different scenarios that will occur during the game … We’ll do that in the Stadium. We’ll put the headsets on

Irish open season by hosting invitational

By MEAGHAN VESELIK Sports Writer

Notre Dame will open its 2010 season on its home court, as the Irish will take on Marshall, Cal Poly and Arizona in the Shamrock Invitational this weekend.

“This is always a really exciting time of the year for us,” Irish coach Debbie Brown said. “We’ve been here a couple weeks now just to practice, but it’s way more fun when you get to play.”

Notre Dame, the Big East regular-season defending champions, finished last season 21-7. With six players graduating and six

freshmen added to the roster, the Irish are prepared for a challenging weekend.

“We’re really looking forward to it since we know we have a great lineup of teams this weekend and we know it’s going to be really competitive,“ Brown said. Brown and the Irish are looking to their strong lineup of returning players to continue to lead the team and show the freshman the ropes. Junior Kristen Dealy, an outside hitter, and senior Angela Puente, a libero, will co-captain the team while working with other returning players to take on the challenges they will be fac-

see PUENTE/page 22

and do a dry run.”

Kelly said when he first started as a head coach in 1991 at Grand Valley State University, his bench control script only ran 16 scenarios deep. Now, he even has a scenario that involves the

MEN’S SOCCER

head coach running.

“One is how to take a timeout in a two-point play situation, when, clearly, the linesmen, the umpire and the referee get situated so

see KELLY/page 22

By TIM SINGLER Sports Writer

As the school year begins with lots of new expectations, Saint Mary’s looks to set the bar even higher this year.

Big expectations are the norm now for the Belles. Last year, Saint Mary’s finished as not only the best team in the MIAA; they were also one of the top teams in the NCAA.

Belles coach Mark Hamilton said that the team has some particular goals they want to achieve.

“Our goal this fall is to win the MIAA championship, perform well in the two big tournaments, the O’Brien National Invitational and the NCAA Fall Preview and to be ranked in the top 5 in the country,” said Hamilton.

Two of the top returning golfers for the Belles this upcoming season includes seniors Mary Kate Boyce and Rosie O’Connor. Both helped lead the team to the NCAAs last season and helped the Belles have one of their best seasons in school history.

see BELLES/page 21

Preseason play continues

By ERIC PRISTER Sports Writer

Notre Dame will finish its three-game exhibition schedule with games against No. 18 Ohio State and IndianaPurdue Fort Wayne this weekend, after opening with a 3-2 victory over Illinois-Chicago Monday.

Irish coach Bobby Clark said he is trying to establish a good core group of players as well as to solidify their particular game plan as the Irish prepare for the regular season.

“In the first game, you wanted to try to get a result out of it, but at the same time, you wanted to try to peg down the team and how we’re going

see TEAM/page 21