PDF for Tuesday, November 13, 2012

When TV meets academia

Professor attends seminar exploring connections between education and television

By MEL FLANAGAN news writer

christine becker, associate professor of Film, Theater and Television, was one of just 20 professors selected to attend a seminar sponsored by the academy of Television a rts and sciences Foundation last week in los a ngeles.

The exclusive seminar chose professors from across the country through an application process and invited them to the academy’s headquarters for five days of educational panels, presentations by television executives and behind-the-scenes set visits.

“it appears to be a way to create ties between the television industry and academia,” becker said. “it’s partly to help us learn more about the industry and partly to help them with outreach into the educational community.”

The academy emphasized the wealth of opportunities they offer students such as internships

or scholarships, as well as advice they give for graduates looking to get into the media industry.

“[There was] advice from the panelists on how to find work in the industry when you’re just starting out,” she said. “many of the participants enthusiastically recalled their own college experiences and how they carried things they learned in college into their careers.”

becker, who applied for the seminar last year but was not selected, said the academy chose educators from a variety of institutions and backgrounds.

“about half of the professors taught television production and broadcast production, and the other half of us were television studies — what i would consider myself — or people who teach television history and criticism,” she said.

participating faculty traveled from institutions across the country, including penn state, the university of

university unveils new paris program

By ADAM LLORENS news writer

students will have the opportunity to make the city of lights shine a littler brighter next year when notre dame institutes its first study abroad program in paris.

The college of arts and letters will offer the program to complement the social sciences program at institut d’etudes politique also known as “sciences po,” and the abroad program université catholique de l’ouest in angers.

French professor Julia douthwaite, academic liaison program for the paris program, is excited about the university’s expansion into France.

“we were seeking a partnership with a strong university where we could send our advanced students,” douthwaite said. “we wanted something that would be exciting and challenging for our

junior students.”

students will take courses at université paris diderot, a school of about 26,000 founded in 2007.

The campus is situated by the seine river in southeastern paris in a diverse neighborhood populated primarily by ethnic chinese refugees from the former French colony of French indochina. locals speak cantonese, vietnamese and khmer in addition to French.

douthwaite said the program is designed as a yearlong immersion, but students can take a semester program beginning in spring 2014.

she said the paris program offers an opportunity for students to take more challenging language courses on location.

“what’s different about this program from angers is that students can take lower-level requirements for their French major or

smc to host class contest

By JILLIAN BARWICK s aint mary’s e ditor

This afternoon, saint mary’s students will be suiting up in their respective class colors to duke it out in the first annual student activities board (sab) Turkey bowl.

First years must wear purple shirts, sophomores will wear pink, juniors will don green shirts and seniors will be decked out in blue at the event, which will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on the intramural field between opus apartments and the a ngela athletic Facility parking lot.

Junior lauren sweeney, cochair of the sab entertainment committee, said she is excited to institute a festive athletic tradition at the college.

“The Turkey bowl is a touch

Lecture discusses memorials

By MADDIE DALY news writer

Just hours after the 9/11 attacks on the w orld Trade c enter in 2001, photos and other media began to collect in commemoration of the tragedy that had just occurred.

o n m onday, u niversity of r egensburg g erman professor and author i ngrid g essner described these remembrances as “digital humanities” and discussed their impact on the way the nation grieved after the attacks.

“a n unofficial record of immediate responses should not be lost or disregarded,” g essner said. “ s pontaneous memorials at g round Zero bared a sacred quality of standing with the dead. a lso, missing person fliers represented another form of spontaneous

memorial. a t the moment they were put up, they became expressions of prayer and hope.”

The n ew york Times recognized this unconventional

type of memorial and began dialing the numbers on posters, compiling stories and publicizing each one.

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News

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Policies

The

You Rong Yu freshman lyons hall “Jaguar.”

Brendan Lesch sophomore keough hall “dog.”

Ahn Ta sophomore keough hall “monkey.”

Steven Ramsey law student knott hall “Falcon.”

Kelly Passabet sophomore pasquerilla east hall “mountain lion.”

Madelyn Lugli freshman breen-phillips hall “l eopard.”

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sponsored by the Graduate Student Union.

Film: “Asterix chez les Bretons” 329 DeBartolo Hall

6 p.m.-8 p.m. Dinner, screening and discussion.

Wednesday

“Man as the Primary Way for the University”

Carole Sandner Hall

12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Lunch and lecture.

“Re-Personalizing Medicine” Jordan Hall

7 p.m.-8 p.m.

Lecture on reinforcing pathos in medicine.

Thursday

“An Irish Perspective: Doing Business in a Global Economy” Mendoza College

5 p.m.-6:15 p.m. Speaker Mary Hanafin.

Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra DeBartolo Performing Arts Center

8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Concert tickets $3-$6.

Friday

“The World’s Need for Strong American Leadership” Geddes Hall

2 p.m.-4 p.m.

Speaker John Keane.

Fall Concert: Notre Dame Glee Club DeBartolo Performing Arts Center

8 p.m.-9 p.m. Tickets $5-$10.

Saturday

“What’s So Funny About a Joke” Snite Museum of Art

12 p.m.-1 p.m. Part of the Saturday Scholar Series.

Roller Skates and Sonic LaFortune Student Center

10 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Indoor skating.

Week celebrates education abroad, international students

By ANNA BOARINI news writer

w hile notre dame offers some of the best academics in the country on its campus, i nternational e ducation week is intended to highlight the importance of academic and cultural exchange between institutions here and abroad.

mckenna pencak, assistant director for i nternational student services and activities said i nternational e ducation week is a national celebration coordinated by the departments of state and e ducation.

“[This week] celebrates and promotes international education and global exchange,” she said.

This year, one of the key events during the week is a memorial fundraiser hosted by the c hinese Friendship a ssociation for sophomore Ziqi Zhang, the saint mary’s c ollege international student who passed away in october, pencak said.

The fundraiser will be held Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the c oleman-morse c enter lounge and will benefit Zhang’s family, pencak said.

Throughout the week, there will also be a variety of events on campus highlighting

cultural diversity. pencak said one of the most popular events is The Taste of south bend.

“students, staff and faculty can sample free international cuisine provided by local ethnic restaurants,” she said. “i n years past, more than 300 people have attended this event.”

This event, in its third year, will take place wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the l aFortune ballroom.

she said the week is important because of how integral international exposure and study abroad are to the notre dame experience.

“The university offers a wealth of opportunities for students to study, conduct research and do service abroad,” she said. “sixty percent of undergraduate students at notre dame study abroad and more than 900 international students from nearly 90 countries attend notre dame.”

The week is a unique opportunity for international students to highlight their diverse backgrounds, pencak said.

“i nternational e ducation week provides an opportunity to celebrate and raise awareness of the international student community … [and] provides an opportunity for international students to share their cultures with the

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campus,” pencak said.

one of the co-sponsors of the week is notre dame i nternational, a relatively young branch of the university’s administration, pencak said.

“The university established notre dame i nternational two years ago to create even more international learning opportunities for students, facilitate international research collaborations and enhance the university’s reputation as a center for international scholarship, teaching and service,” she said. “notre dame i nternational coordinates iew [ i nternational e ducation week] as a whole, whereas a variety of cultural clubs, institutes, departments and organizations coordinate individual events throughout the week.”

For pencak, her favorite part of i nternational e ducation week is the way it brings the campus together.

“it’s great to see both a merican and international students celebrating cultural diversity and learning about different countries and cultures from one another,” she said.

Contact Anna Boarini at aboari01@saintmarys.edu

c lub encourages daily exercise

By MEGHAN THOMASSEN news writer

one million steps. walk nd, notre dame’s official and free walking club, challenged members of the notre dame community this fall to don pedometers and walk that many steps in 100 days in exchange for weekly giveaways and better health.

conner edelbrock, fitness intern at recsports, said the challenge helped grow the club this year.

“one of our goals is to reach a wider audience of people participating in walking every single day,” edelbrock said.

walk nd has 362 members, edelbrock said, and is open to faculty, students, staff and their spouses. o ver 50 percent of the members are faculty and staff, while students form 25 percent of the club.

“The big incentive program for the fall semester was 1,000,000 steps in 100 days, [which is] 10,000 steps a day,” she said. “we’ve had a lot of success with it.”

walk nd also recently collaborated with the humane society of st. Joseph county to connect walkers with over 60 dogs that need exercise. There will be an information session this Friday at the humane society at 5 p.m. for students interested in volunteering.

Jennifer phillips, assistant director of fitness at recsports, said the club started when human resources offered to subsidize the pedometers and log books two years ago. recsports is responsible for the administrative work and organizing the program’s events and incentives, she said.

“walking is something most people can do,” phillips said. “it’s a simple way for people to

tournament

con T inued F rom page 1

football game between the classes at the c ollege,” s weeney said. “it is a small tournament with eight to 12 on each team. The winners will receive m idnight madness points for their class and Turkey b owl jerseys with their graduation year on the back.”

m idnight madness, a sab event held in February, is another competition between the classes at the c ollege when students receive free food, prizes and play “minute-to-win-it” games. The s aint mary’s Tostal performer is also announced at the event.

There will be four games held during the tournament, with each team playing two games. w hile it is an interclass competition, s weeney said it

improve their health. we wanted to at least put a more structured program out there, where it was simple for people to do it on their own. it doesn’t cost anything. … we just provide the structure, motivation and education about walking as an exercise.”

To increase their step quota, members can park farther away in the parking lot, take the stairs or walk to the post office on campus, phillips said.

“[ we are] just helping people with being more creative in incorporating exercise into their day,” she said. “The beauty of walking is you just need to put on a pair of shoes and walk out your front door. you don’t need to pack a bag. you don’t need to take a shower after necessarily. you don’t have to spend a lot of money. you don’t have to take up your lunch hour.”

she also said off-campus locations are good alternatives to the routes available around campus, such as the dunes national l ake shore or the parks along st. Joseph r iver.

“i would highly recommend going over to l ake michigan,” she said. “you feel like you’re in a totally different world. There are cute little beach towns, like new buffalo and st. Joseph and great restaurants, and you can walk along the beach.”

phillips said research has shown people can start seeing improvement in their health when they walk 10,000 steps a day, which is about five miles for the average adult.

“They can see improvements like a drop in blood pressure, maybe a drop in cholesterol, improved sleeping, improved concentration levels or improved immunity functions.”

Contact Meghan Thomassen at mthomass@nd.edu

is meant to bring the classes together.

“sab is having the event to promote school spirit and m idnight madness next semester,” sweeney said. “a lso, it is a different type of event, which will hopefully encourage more girls to come to our events.”

students are encouraged to play in the games and also come cheer on their fellow classmates by also wearing their class colors. The class with the most supporters will win bonus m idnight madness points.

upon arrival, students participating in the Turkey b owl must sign a waiver. students are still able to sign up before the event if the teams are not filled yet.

Contact Jillian Barwick at jbarwi01@saintmarys.edu

s eminar

wisconsin-milwaukee and ryder university.

becker said the insight of the television industry members who work behind-the-scenes was the most beneficial experience. while television stars and showrunners, or “above-the-line” players, are likely to provide interviews and discuss their jobs, it is uncommon for “below-the-line” players to do the same.

“The below-the-line panel, with an editor, cinematographer and production designer was really invaluable,” becker said. “we got to

hear them talk about what they do and how they create shows. … it was direct access to industry people we wouldn’t get otherwise.”

other panel discussions included topics such as how content is created for children’s television and the day-to-day duties of showrunners.

The most fascinating panel featured program executives from each of the five major networks, becker said, who are tasked with setting up the weekly schedule.

“it was really interesting talking to them,” she said. “increasingly, audiences are watching shows by other means, and their job is to find ways to keep the schedule in a traditional mode while

also considering the fact that people are watching the shows from different means.”

regardless of their insight, becker said she was honored the executives attended the conference in the first place.

“These are extremely busy people with high-pressure jobs, and it’s gratifying to see they care enough about the fact that we are teaching the students this information that they would take time out of their day to talk to us,” she said.

Trips outside of the academy’s facilities to television and film production sets complimented the in-house panels.

The group visited stargate studios, a visual effects studio that provides special effects for shows such as “ walking d ead,” and the warner bros. production area, where the academy showed the professors the sets of multi-camera sitcoms such as “Two and a half men” and “The big bang Theory.”

becker said she particularly enjoyed a trip to the youTube hangar, where industry workers are charged with creating professional-looking youTube videos with high-quality content.

“ we got a look at the traditional method of hollywood and then a glimpse of what the

new future of content could potentially be,” she said. becker said the seminar helped highlight some connections between traditional media practices and what students are beginning to explore. “ w hen i ask my students if they watch shows on the time they’re scheduled, they say no,” becker said. “it’s interesting, knowing that the students i teach, some of whom are going to be the future of the television industry, are doing very different things than the people in the industry are right now.”

Contact Mel Flanagan at mflanag3@nd.edu

supplementary major on campus, and then they can take up to 40 percent of their requirements in France,” douthwaite said.

students can take a variety of classes in the fields of film studies, French literature, comparative literature, French language and linguistics, literary history and theory and literary methods.

“They will get credit for any kind of French culture, linguistic, grammar, literature, film studies classes and we are working on art

history,” douthwaite said. “it’s a huge university, so there are many other disciplines represented, and our students are our ambassadors and will help future generations.”

“The broad variety of humanities course offerings makes université paris diderot a ‘must’ for advanced level French majors,” douthwaite stated in a press release. “They will be able to attend a well-regarded French university and take classes with native speakers, all the while doing upper-level coursework that is recognized for the major and supplementary major in French.” douthwaite said students

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would have a variety of options for living arrangements in paris.

“notre dame international will negotiate with the association that provides host families in paris,” douthwaite said. “another option will be a room in a dormitory with other students, similar to the situation of the students who go to the sciences po program, or they may find a small apartment on their own.”

douthwaite said the new program also excites her as a faculty member, author and researcher.

“The faculty over there are people like us,” she said. “They are active and publishing scholars and are exciting to talk to … it will be good for our students to have faculty similar to us in France.” in all, the paris program diversifies the study abroad options and provides students with an opportunity to study and live in a world-class city, douthwaite said.

“This is a fabulous opportunity for students, and if i were 20 years old, i would jump at the chance to be a part of this program,” she said. “it will give students a time of independence and gives them time in paris, my favorite city in the world.”

Contact Adam Llorens at allorens@nd.edu

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“They promised that all profiles will remain on their website indefinitely,” g essner said.

“The portraits have become a memorial of virtual presence.”

e ventually, permanent memorials were constructed both locally and internationally. These memorials all used similar structural plans but reflected different concepts.

“memorials should not enshrine any particular interpretation of the past, but invite visitors to use their memory,” g essner said. “memory can assume an active role and allow for renewal and healing. There is no shared narrative about 9/11 itself, so there is a lack of a definite interpretation.”

c ertain aspects of memorials allow for such individual interpretation while still encompassing the collective experience of the event. names, empty space, trees, walls, light and water are among the most common attributes of memorials, g essner said.

“e mptiness allows a descent into memory and is a primary design element,” g essner said.

Contact Maddie Daly at mdaly6@nd.edu 9/11

“Trees display liberty, rebirth, possibly even resistance. water is the most common feature, and the two cascading sunken pools in the g round Zero memorial encompass the footprints of the two towers.”

The new york g round Zero memorial features all of these elements, the most iconic being the annually-lit 88 searchlights outlining the building footprints, creating two vertical columns of light in place of the towers.

a lthough new york is home to the largest and most famous memorial for 9/11, other countries have created off-site memorials.

The d onadea 9/11 memorial is located near d ublin, i reland, and specifically honors a firefighter from the area who died in the aftermath of the attacks.

“d onadea built a scaled replica of the Twin Towers, carved in blocks of limestone,” g essner said. “They are surrounded by newly planted oak trees and contain all the names of the new york firefighters and policemen and women [who died].”

s imilarly, m oncalvillo, s pain, built a 9/11 memorial to commemorate a member of its community who worked in the financial district of n ew york and perished on 9/11.

“There is a contextual relation by remembering 9/11 through the tragic death of individuals who had ties to these specific hometowns,” g essner said.

o ther off-site memorials are located in o berviechtach, g ermany; s eoul, s outh k orea; p adua, italy and Jerusalem, i srael. n early all of these memorials contain actual pieces from the building, creating a physical tie to n ew york. e ach memorial reflects the transformation of the Twin Towers into icons through the media coverage following the events.

“This contains a transformative potential,” g essner said. “c hange is only possible in a certain continuation of form. m inimalist structures function as the most effective form of memorials.”

my own two hands

on saturday i made two full-size, youcan-sit-down-at-them picnic tables. i woke up at 9:30 a.m. and started working on them with two classmates in the west lake hall workshop.

it’s been a long time since i’ve built something tangible. most of my college career has been filled with conceptual tasks. i write a lot of papers and, as a design major, i craft a lot of two-dimensional media (posters, books, screens), but it’s been a long time since i have actually built something useful.

i first learned to use power tools when i was 10 out of necessity. i participated in a program called destination imagination (d i.), which according to their mission statement seeks “to be the global leader in teaching the creative process from imagination to innovation.” i remember it more as an excuse to build cool stuff. as a fifth grader, i was part of a five-person team that built a makeshift garbage truck (a highly modified Tycko rc remote control car) that could release cheese (weighted pvc pipe) down the back of the garbage truck, which was effectively a large ramp. a k’nex motor that i had wired to a remote control trigger would release the cheese and it would roll across a game board into a large dumpster we had fashioned from an old refrigerator box.

we used a table saw to cut the board for the ramp and an electric drill to make the housing for the k’nex motor. using those tools was probably the highlight of my fifth grade education.

The challenge we completed was called it’s your move, and we had to create a vehicle that could project objects from certain points on a game board into some sort of receptacle outside the board. we could not touch the vehicle and we had to stand at least eight feet from the edge of the game board. a ll the while we had to perform a skit relating our actions to some semblance of a narrative. as a group of fifth grade boys, we were naturally the monkey men garbage company — a rag-tag group comprised of an ex-opera singer, a surfer dude, and a talking rotten banana — who narrated their daily route and spouted facts about trash and recycling along the way.

i still take pride in that garbage truck. it currently sits above the rafters in my dad’s garage.

There is something special about building an object. words on a page seem fleeting, conversations are rarely recorded, and thoughts are gone in an instant. but a physical object like a table is much more permanent. at the end of the day it is something to be proud of, something i can point to and say, “i made that with my own two hands.”

Contact Brandon Keelean at bkeelean@nd.edu

The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The color of success

This past week while tutoring off-campus, one of the kids i work with asked me this question:

“did you ever envision yourself going to notre dame?”

he said “notre dame” with widened eyes and an awe-filled tone.

we were working on a math problem and this question caught me off guard. This kid, marquise, is in the fifth grade and is one of the most boisterous kids i’ve ever met. so i was thrilled and alarmed when he was suddenly serious and finally had a genuine interest in what i had to say. however, i was not confused. i knew exactly why marquise asked me that question. like him, i am black and this fact challenges his idea of what a notre dame student can be. marquise asked me this question because, to him, notre dame represents a giant orb of white grandeur that is not easily penetrable by people like us. so when he sees someone who looks like him and shares his identity at such an institution, it both confuses and inspires him.

This probe into marquise’s reasoning is not mere presupposition, rather the result of its similarity to my own educational experiences. i recall being marquise’s age and seeing very few people who looked like me in college, nonetheless in authoritative positions. This, of course, is due to many historical, structural and social factors — definitely not some pseudoscientific explanation of inferiority.

i attended a nearly all-black grade school of about 200 children. all of the teachers were white. however, it wasn’t their whiteness that was alarming; it was the fact that

their race contradicted ours.

The visual contrast was striking: a classroom of 30 black children with a white teacher up front, giving commands. over time, kids may notice this difference and wonder: “why is the teacher always white? is that how it is supposed to be?”

This dominant visual is also seen outside of the classroom setting. we’ve all seen the proverbial photo of a white volunteer in a crowd of african children. sure, this is touching, but what is really being perpetuated by this image? Think of the implications from the perspective of a black child, who may incur subconscious dissonance:

“i look like the people who are being helped. do i really need to be helped? The white person is in power.”

i question if this causes self-doubt, but i do believe it imparts a false notion of the color of success and speculation regarding the position of a person of color in society. are we always just the ones to be taught or helped?

The visual and cultural disproportion i experienced combined with media output of mainly white images of success and power cultivated the incorrect assumption that power was the domain of white people. an accumulation of white images of power and success can perpetuate a false notion of white superiority in children of color. The racial and cultural disconnect in my experiences of being taught or helped had been mirrored in marquise’s experiences; so much so that he is incredulous at the idea of a black person attending notre dame and being an authoritative figure. our race and culture helps shape our experiences, ideas and perspectives. a lack of cultural sensitivity does no good when educating children of color. in my grade school, no mention was ever made of anything

unrelated to white culture or history and black history month was vehemently ignored. kids can notice a disregard of their culture and the accompanying championing of people who are not like them. marquise’s question displayed that his ideas of just who can succeed had been impacted by his amassed observations of a tendency for positions of power to be held by whites. people of color have the opportunity to challenge this notion and serve as inspiration and leaders for youth in their communities.

it is also imperative that whites recognize the fallacy of color blindness and adapt a mechanism of cultural sensitivity and literacy and an awareness of the very visible power structure that presents itself when mentoring or teaching in settings where children of color are in the majority. overall, marquise’s question revealed his cumulative perspective of how successful a black person could be in a world dominated by whiteness. a delusional image of success can be overcome by providing kids with more positive images of people who look like them — different ideas of what success, power and authority look like. students in largely minority classrooms could also benefit from culturally literate instructors and curriculum that recognizes the legitimacy of their identity.

my answer to marquise’s question? “no, i didn’t envision myself coming to notre dame. i didn’t think i was good enough. but, guess what? i’m here and you can be, too.”

Leila Green can be reached at lgreen2@nd.edu

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

“The writer should never be ashamed of staring. There is nothing that does not require his attention.”

Flannery O’Connor American writer and essayist

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The human dignity of campus workers

“b e the change you want to see,” be “pro-life” and support worker rights — what do these three ideas have in common? more than we might realize. This past Friday night at the peace house, i had the wonderful opportunity to gather with a group of my fellow notre d ame students who were involved with the c ampus a ction l abor p roject for an evening of fellowship and a conversation about the dignity of workers.

There were so many new faces and i was humbled to meet so many other students who care about labor justice, despite our differences. Throughout our conversation, a central idea that we all agreed on was the significant way that we as students can promote

the dignity of workers by how we relate to the many who work daily for us here on campus.

m any students shared encouraging stories of ways that they had witnessed individual students or entire student communities show honor and care for those who serve us by working for notre d ame. a s a student who is deeply committed to upholding the human dignity of workers who are often overlooked or underappreciated, i was inspired by these positive examples that model how we ought to relate to those who work for us in a spirit of solidarity.

perhaps the most important question i could be asking right now is not about how “the university” is upholding the dignity of workers, but rather, how am i loving those who make my education possible through their work on a daily basis? i am not suggesting

that we don’t need to care about where notre d ame invests its money or how the workers are treated in factories that produce the a didas apparel we proudly don at our football games. b ut perhaps the best place to start is with ourselves and our own attitudes.

The stories i heard on Friday night were intentional gestures of love to our workers that can reflect what we believe, and ultimately, what notre d ame students believe. i n many ways, this university has intentionally taught us that the dignity of the human person is of utmost importance.

we have the opportunity to demonstrate this belief by making loving gestures toward workers more frequently in our own community. The people who work for us are part of the notre d ame family. They make our education possible just like our professors and benefactors do. a nd yet, we

can all forget to care for them at times. it doesn’t have to be that way. To me, there seems no more appropriate way to “be the change you want to see.” i know i need to hear this. a s notre d ame students, we can demonstrate our concern for our fellow brothers and sisters who do the dirty work on our behalf and thus speak volumes about our desire for worker rights to be upheld in the business world. a nd we can be transformed in the process. a s a c atholic, this is an important part of what it means to me to call myself “pro-life.”

Annie DeMott is a senior theology major and education, schooling and society minor. She can be reached at ademott@nd.edu

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

unlayering conflict with dr. seuss

The world of the yooks and the world of the Zooks are divided by a long and winding stone wall, according to d r. s euss. i n “The b utter b attle b ook,” the yooks eat their bread with the butter-side up, while the Zooks eat their bread with the butter-side down. Fearful of the Zooks’ strange ways, the yooks place a guard by the winding stone wall. The guard is armed with a tough-tufted prickly snick-berry switch to hit any Zook who comes close to the wall. w hen the switch is broken by a Zook who does not play by the rules, the yook guard goes to his “boys in the back room” to build him something else, something better and something bigger. e ach time the yook guard gets a new weapon, the Zook rebel returns equally armed. The yook’s triple-sling jigger is countered by the Zook’s jigger rock snatchem. The kick-a-poo kid is matched by the eight-nozzled, elephant-toted boom blitz. The utterly sputter is identical to the blue-gooer. Finally, the yook’s boys in the back room create the ultimate weapon with no possible defense: the bitsy big-boy boomeroo. b ut, the Zook’s boys in the back room make the same weapon for him. The story closes with the yook and the Zook holding

the bitsy big-boy boomeroos over their enemy’s side of the wall, and a little boy asks “ w ho’s going to drop it? w ill you or will he?” to which the yook replies, “ we’ll see. we will see.”

i finished reading this story with a student at perley e lementary. i asked him, “s o, what is the conflict?”

“ well, the yook was going to drop the bomb on the side of the Zook and the Zook was going to drop the bomb on the side of the yook, and they were going to blow each other up.”

“d efinitely. w hat is the original conflict in the story?”

a fter thinking for a few seconds, he replied that he could not remember.

d o you remember?

it started because the yooks eat their bread butter-side up and the Zooks eat their bread butter-side down.

a lthough written as a commentary on the bipolarity of the c old war’s mutually assured destruction, “The b utter b attle b ook” makes a clear statement about the complexity of conflict: The more layers that are added, the further we get from the actual cause of the conflict. it is a simple point, but one that must be taken into consideration in the attempt to manage, resolve and prevent conflicts.

o rganizing literature argues that the best way to approach a conflict, understanding that a conflict is something which causes tension and can result

in change, is to start with the “world as it is.” starting with the “world as it should be” ignores the underlying reality of the “world as it is” and therefore any changes created will not be sustained under the weight of the actuality of experience in the conflict itself. a ll changes will be superficial. however, even within the context of analyzing a conflict from the perspective of the “world as it is,” it is necessary to take one more step back and take a look in from the perspective of the “world as it used to be.”

The “world as it is” is a product of the “world as it used to be.” This type of analysis is harder. it requires more investments. it means learning more about the person who is being considered the enemy. u ltimately, it separates the people from their present circumstances and takes them back toward the core of the problem.

The gacaca courts in r wanda present an important case study on removing layers of conflict and complexity. i mplemented after the genocide, these courts were established in communities in order to uncover the truth regarding the genocide, reconcile the families of victims with the perpetrators and reintegrate the perpetrators back into the community in order to become productive members of society.

The “world as it is” view at the time

of the gacaca court creation was a country with the legacy of the genocide halting any economic growth and security.

i n order to move forward with the development of the country (the “world as it should be”), the community had to address the “world as it used to be,” to learn not only what happened during the genocide, but the reasons for what happened. o nly then could the community begin to heal and move forward together. The gacaca courts was not a perfect system, but it combined the models of the “world as it used to be” and the “world as it is,” and attempted a solution that could both address historical grievances and lay the foundations for a stronger future.

it is not only possible to un-layer our conflicts, it is necessary. we can step back from the brink when we look at the conflict in human terms, and that means recognizing the past and its pervasive role in the present.

Alex Coccia is a junior Africana and Peace Studies major, and a Gender Studies minor. He appreciates classroom conversations in Black Politics in Multiracial America. He can be reached at acoccia@nd.edu

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

By ANKUR CHAWLA

s cene writer

“wreck-it ralph” is disney a nimation’s latest feature film following an arcade villain of the same name. The movie is a genuine and well-developed story of finding oneself and identity outside of the labels placed on us. at the same time, “wreck-it ralph” is an ode to gamers and retro video games, spotlighting beloved characters like sonic, Q-bert and pac-man.

regardless of any preconceived notions of how disney will handle the beloved “star wars” franchise, their incredible use of licensed games and characters in “wreckit ralph” is certainly a good sign. overall, the movie, in typical disney fashion, is a good-hearted feel-good movie that has enough humor and allusions to appeal to kids and adults alike.

The movie’s namesake, ralph, is a typical arcade “bad guy” whose days consist of smashing the same building of condos while Fix-it Felix Jr. uses his magic hammer to repair any of ralph’s wreckage.

a fter a long day’s work of wrecking, ralph heads home to the neighborhood dump filled with broken bricks and his stump. on the game’s 30th anniversary, and after being left out of the party the other characters were throwing, ralph becomes fed up with being a bad guy and just once wants to be the hero.

moving from game to game, ralph tries to find a good

fit where he can in fact be a hero, win that shiny medal and be accepted in his own game as a friend and member of society. in the process, ralph goes to a halo-esque military combat game and a polar opposite candy-coated go-kart racing game.

Filled with puns and references to games from our past, “wreck-it ralph” is sure to become a disney classic. John c reilly is the voice of ralph and puts on a performance on par with his from “step brothers.” w hile not personally the biggest fan of sarah silverman and her typically juvenile humor, her character vanellope suited her persona well, of course with a fair share of “doody” jokes. it would be tough to find a better person to play the intense female military commander than Jane lynch, but the character’s romantic encounters with Jack mcbrayer’s Fix-it Felix Jr. are beyond awkward. still, the casting as a whole was surprisingly great for the movie. it should not take much to convince one to watch a vintage heart-warming disney movie, and “wreck-it ralph” is no break from the tradition. using retro gaming and classic characters as vehicles in the movie only adds to the story and provides more than enough for the collegeaged viewer to feel nostalgic about. be sure to take your little brothers and sisters to see it when you go home for the Thanksgiving holiday — you won’t be disappointed.

Contact Amkur Chawla at achawla@nd.edu

“Wreck-It Ralph”

Director: Rich Moore

Studio: Disney

Starring:

Know thy shelf literature is not dead

Texts, emails, tweets, Facebook messages, snapchats, pings, letters, pokes, imessage — which one doesn’t belong? it doesn’t take an saT whiz to figure this one out. letters don’t seem to fit into our modern landscape of communication.

This is an unfortunate side effect of our efficient, economic, environmentally-friendly new system of email and instant messaging. letters are an intensely personal and cathartic way to develop and deepen relationships. it doesn’t matter if you’re writing to your sister on the other side of the country or to the cutie in organic chemistry. sitting down and putting pen to paper is the next best thing to a face-to-face conversation. not only does writing down your thoughts help organize and clarify how you want to say something, it also helps you understand what you are trying to say. people talk about how they sometimes compose angry emails to vent. That annoyance doesn’t seem so important once you actually see your complaint composed on paper. letters force us to really consider what we are putting into words.

Typed, instant messages are more likely to be regretted. letters provide the same release without the danger of the “send” button accidentally clicked. They

can be revised, restructured and reworded to fit the message you’re trying to send.

perhaps the most important part about writing letters is the stationery. letters give people the excuses to obsess over stores like papyrus and hallmark. calligraphy pens and cardstock letterheads beckon like catnip. sending a letter lets your personalize your signature in more ways than one.

letters are also a wonderful form of memorabilia, a record for you to look back on. w hen you’re feeling sentimental, what sounds more appealing: scrolling through a litany of texts and abbreviations on a tiny screen, or keeping important letters to frame on your wall or tucked into your journal? most notre dame students probably have their acceptance letters still tacked on their bulletin boards. cards from grandparents, love letters from deceased spouses and notes scrawled by a marker-wielding kindergartener decorate refrigerators and living room walls.

w hen we’re dead and gone, will our children spend hours ticking through tweets to figure our what their parents were like? or will they have physical heirlooms of our intellect, sentiment and personality? is there any delight greater than waiting for a letter? The delayed gratification increases the importance of the message and makes it more of a gift. w hen someone opens their mailbox to find a letter, they usually perk up and think, “i wonder who it’s from?” w hen

someone notices they have yet another email in their inbox, they usually groan and think, “w hy do these people keep bothering me?” envelopes even look like gifts. here’s a letter, wrapped, signed, sealed, delivered and all just for you.

so here’s a little lesson about writing a letter, for those of you have never trotted to hammes-mowbray to buy postage stamps. w hen you’re trying to make a romantic gesture, you don’t shoot your significant other an e-card. you don’t send a potential employer a text, “hey! Thanx 4 the gr8 interview!”

w hile formal letters are something of a societal antique (alas!) there’s something classy, sophisticated and memorable about a composition. so, take a minute and jot down a note to your mom, your dad, your boyfriend, your roommate, your grandparent, your mentor or anyone who has been on your mind. if you’re abroad, make everyone on campus jealous and send a postcard from your latest day trip.

Just remember this: writing a letter breaks your message away from the mundane blitzkrieg of electronic overload and shows that you are far more mature, considerate and classy than the lucky recipient of your letter ever imagined.

Contact Meghan Thomassen at mthomass@nd.edu

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

By CLAIRE STEPHENS

s cene writer

w hether or not you go into “skyfall” as a bond fan, you’ll definitely leave as one.

“skyfall” exceeds expectations of a bond movie, fully bringing 007 to the modern day in spectacular cinematic style. a fter an impressive reboot with “casino royale” and an average but forgettable sequel in “Quantum of solace,” the four-year wait for “skyfall” was well worth it.

The task of the iconic opening sequence song is given to adele, who more than rises to the challenge in the song she performed and co-wrote. The moody, emotional piece already on playlists across the country sets the movie’s tone. The movie has barely begun, but from the opening song you immediately get drawn into the story.

The “skyfall” beginning is as psychedelic, artistic and kaleidoscopic as ever, consisting of artsy underwater scenes featuring blood, fire and of course, silhouettes of women. Though at times very self aware and abstract, paired with adele’s smooth and haunting voice, it works to create the darkness and the beauty of the film. a s far as characterization, “skyfall” doesn’t feature the reckless, cocky bond of “casino royale.” instead, it’s an aging, vulnerable bond being dragged down from the beginning. The audience sees their once-confident hero fight against dark forces and the inevitability of time passing,

his true humanity brought out through his weaknesses. m is featured in “skyfall” much more, too, played so well by the sharp, strong Judi dench, of whom we see a new side. a nother fun bonus is the introduction of Q (ben w hishaw), the witty, clever brains behind the technology, often comically contrasting bond’s rugged violence. it wouldn’t be a bond film without a sexy, foreign femme fatale or two for bond to tangle verbally and physically with (this time a more kick-butt, intelligent female is around to challenge bond as well.) however, bond isn’t so much absorbed with a woman like in “Quantum of solace,” but a dangerous new villain who has infiltrated too close to home and made the battle personal.

This movie also doesn’t have the brutal physicality in its action scenes as daniel crag’s bond has had in the past. The chase and fight scenes are still prominent and charged with breathless action, but are more stylistic and mesmerizing deadly dances.

This moment in bond history makes a point to define itself as a cultural force in a new modern time while still paying homage to bonds past. The movie reminds the audience of the true “british-ness” of bond with scenes all over historic london and more of a locational presence in the iconic city. The plot follows the international scandal of the british secret service and the dangerous consequences of a hacker villain.

even a viewer who has never seen anything bond will

be dazzled by the scenes of international travel — from the glamorous, glowing neon of shanghai to the scenic, rustic hills of scotland. “skyfall” not only is a good bond movie, but an all-out stunning, thrilling movie for today. The cinematography at times is art in motion, seamlessly blending beautiful and dramatic shots with the action of the story and the emotional stakes of bond and m. The score sucks you into the action of the chase, the intensity of the fight and the drama of the emotions and the intricacy of the new technology.

“skyfall” is a promising and exciting new chapter in bond history, electrifying for devoted fans and pulling in new ones by being so darn good.

Contact Claire Stephens at cstephe4@nd.edu

“Skyfall”

Director: Sam Mendes

Studio: Metro Goldwyn Meyer

Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris

By KEVIN NOONAN

s cene e ditor

i’ve always enjoyed the guy r itchie film “rocknrolla,” despite critics and friends disagreeing with me. in the movie, one specific scene features two comical, drugaddled thieves/back alley salesmen attempt to sell a group of men a thick fur coat in summertime. one salesman tries to circumvent the likely lack of demand by asserting, “i agree it doesn’t seem the right time of year to be acquiring a coat with such thermal efficiency, but christmas is always around the corner.” gerard butler’s character responds bluntly, “it is the middle of [expletive] summer.”

cisco adler’s debut solo album, “a loha,” evokes a parallel emotion, only reversed. adler made his name as a member of the alternative hip-hop duo shwayze, and fans of shwayze’s biggest hits will feel an identical vibe from this solo effort.

Fans of mickey avalon might also recognize adler’s vocals, as he was featured one of avalon’s biggest hits, “w hat do you say?” which was featured in the 2009 comedy “The hangover.”

The album as a whole plays slow and relaxed, with percussion driving the steady pace throughout the record and giving the feel of beaches, palm trees and paradise.

a nd while it may not be the most original sound in the world, the warm weather, party-all-night-sleep-allday smoothness of the sound would make for a solid

summer soundtrack if only the album had been released in June. instead, the record was released on october 22, just as the last vestiges of warmth and color faded away into the grips of winter (somebody told me it snowed on campus monday).

adler did release an ep with a few of the tracks on this album in July, but the full record didn’t hit stories for another three months.

a s said before, the album sounds almost exactly like almost all of shwayze’s songs, so adler is not venturing into any new territory here. The biggest difference is that while on shwayze’s albums the verses almost entirely consist of the rapper shwayze’s vocals, this record allows adler to show off his lyrical ability in more than just the hook. The singers’ vocals have always maintained a chilled out, smooth vibe and that continues here.

with shwayze’s hip-hop sensibilities and delivery removed, adler’s songs edge close to Jack Johnson territory, and listening to the album it’s not hard to imagine adler having a more similar sound to Johnson if he had grown up in hawaii instead of los a ngeles.

independent rapper g-eazy is featured on the first two tracks, building a good bridge between the hip-hop centered efforts of adler’s work with shwayze and the more reggae-inspired work of his solo album. “boom boom boom,” one of the two songs featuring g-eazy, is one of the more dance-friendly songs on the album and a solid crossover track.

“The good life” exemplifies the album’s mood,

featuring a slow beat, a catchy, laid back hook and lyrics about sunshine, california and happiness. “waking up in paradise” is another memorable tune, with another slow beat and catchy hook. but it stands apart slightly, featuring southern blues-rock band “north mississippi a ll stars” which give the song a stronger blues feel than the rest of the album.

maybe it isn’t the perfect time for a carefree summer album, but if anyone’s looking to escape the dull grays and bitter cold of the coming winter, “a loha” isn’t a terrible to place to turn.

Contact Kevin Noonan at knoonan2@nd.edu

“Aloha”

Cisco Adler

Label: Bananaboat Records

Tracks: “Boom Boom Boom,” “Waking Up in Paradise,” “The Good Life”

If you like: Shwayze, Mickey Avalin and Jack Johnson

In defense of ties

Sam Gans sports writer

s unday, unlike normal, wasn’t a particularly thrilling day in the n F l we saw the last unbeaten team go down, which was exciting. o ther than that game, however, only two of 11 games were wins decided by one possession.

b ut there was one oddity — something so rare it’s occurred just 18 times in nearly 40 years and last happened in 2008 before s unday.

There was a tie.

s ixty minutes wasn’t enough time for s t. l ouis and s an Francisco to separate themselves. n either was 75 minutes. The r ams and 49ers were deadlocked at 24 apiece after regulation, and following a scoreless 15-minute overtime period, each team’s record now has three numbers instead of the typical two.

The n F l is the lone major professional sporting league in the u nited s tates that still has ties. The nhl joined mlb and the nba in abolishing ties in 2005 when it instituted the shootout. c ollege football also had

season and each of the previous ones led to a winner. a nd there were no field goals in the overtime between the r ams and 49ers, meaning the new rule had no affect and the game would have ended in a tie under the old system, as well.

m ost people are happy with fewer ties in sports. a tie, many say, leaves an uneasy, unfinished feeling and the point of a game is to see which team is better, which a tie does not do. Finding a winner leads to more excitement, and perhaps more importantly, a feeling of closure.

b ut in the regular season, i say keep the tie. w ithout overtime.

i f the teams have the same score in the allotted time frame of the game, it’s perfectly reasonable to say neither deserves a loss, but neither deserves a win, either. They finished the game with the same amount of points, and that will be reflected in the standings. n either team was better that day. They were evenly matched.

This leads into my next point: Ties make end of games more exciting and in -

This leads into my next point: Ties make end of games more exciting and increase strategy. When there is the possibility of a tie, a coach has a choice. He can either go for the win and risk a loss or play it safe and accept the tie, but give up the chance for victory. There is no playing for overtime.

ties — without overtime — until 1996, when it adapted the current system that is now very familiar to every n otre d ame student. s occer is currently the only prominent sport in a merica in which ties occur with any regularity.

i n a bit of a twist, as the tie has decreased in relevance in most a merican sports, the n F l actually increased the likelihood of a tie occurring in games this season, though not with that intent.

i n 2010, the league adopted a new rule for its playoff overtime games. p reviously, the game ended with the first score. The new rule, however, stated if the team that received the ball scored only a field goal on its first possession, the other team had a chance to tie — or win.

This rule was only for the playoffs in 2010 and 2011, but is now the current policy for regular season games, too. This increases the likelihood of ties, of course. h owever, they are still very rare. s unday’s tie was the 11th overtime game of the

l akers choose d’a ntoni as new head coach

Associated Press

los angeles — The los a ngeles lakers hired mike d’a ntoni late sunday night, signing the former coach of the suns and knicks to replace mike brown.

The lakers and d’a ntoni’s agent, warren legarie, confirmed the deal two days after the lakers fired brown five games into the season.

d’a ntoni agreed to a threeyear deal worth $12 million, with a team option for a fourth season.

d’a ntoni got the high-profile job running the 16-time nba champions only after the club’s top brass extensively discussed the job with former lakers coach phil Jackson.

The 11-time nba champion coach met with lakers owners Jerry and Jim buss and general manager mitch kupchak on saturday to weigh a return for a third stint on los a ngeles’ bench.

The lakers instead went with d’a ntoni, a respected offensive strategist who coached lakers point guard steve nash in phoenix during the best years of their respective careers. d’a ntoni was less successful during four seasons in new york, but at least restored the oncemoribund knicks to competence before resigning last march.

“dr. (Jerry) buss, Jim buss and mitch kupchak unanimously agreed that mike was the best coach for this roster at this time,” lakers spokesman John black said.

bickerstaff will continue running the lakers until d’a ntoni arrives. los a ngeles beat sacramento 103-90 on sunday night, improving to 2-0 under bickerstaff after a 1-4 start under brown.

The lakers’ next game is Tuesday night against san a ntonio at staples center.

a fter brown’s dismissal, nash and kobe bryant both expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of playing for d’a ntoni, although bryant also campaigned eagerly for Jackson.

crease strategy. w hen there is the possibility of a tie, a coach has a choice. h e can either go for the win and risk a loss or play it safe and accept the tie, but give up the chance for victory. There is no playing for overtime. This adds to the suspense and makes for more difficult and important coaching decisions. Just ask Tom o sborne.

Finally, having ties, ironically enough, can serve as a de facto tiebreaker in end of the season standings, because it leads to a greater possibility teams have different records.

o f course, ties can’t occur in the playoffs. o ne team has to move on to advance, and a tie can’t settle that. b ut for the regular season, which is used primarily to see which teams qualify for the playoffs and their seeds, there’s nothing wrong with a tie.

Contact Sam Gans at sgans1@nd.edu

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

The 61-year-old d’a ntoni underwent knee replacement surgery earlier this month, and could be physically limited early in his tenure. black said the lakers aren’t certain when d’a ntoni will travel to los a ngeles to begin work.

interim coach bernie

Wante D

PART TIME WORK $14.25 baseappt earnparttime.com

Personal

UNPLANNED PREGNANCY?

Don’t go it alone. Notre Dame has many resources in place to assist you.

If you or someone you love needs confidential support or assistance, please call Ann Whitall at 1-0084 or Karen Kennedy at 1-5550. For more information, visit ND’s website at: http://pregnancysupport@nd.edu

bryant idolized d’a ntoni while growing up in italy, where d’a ntoni was a star player for olimpia milano in the italian pro league. d’a ntoni also has been an assistant coach on various u s. national teams featuring bryant, including the gold medal-winning squad at the london olympics.

nash won two mvp awards while running d’a ntoni’s signature up-tempo offense for the final four seasons of the coach’s five-year tenure with the suns.

nash and d’a ntoni won at least 54 games each season and

reached two western conference finals — and they eliminated bryant’s lakers from the first round of the playoffs in 2006 and 2007, still the only first-round exits of kobe’s 17-year career. d’a ntoni then coached new york to just one playoff appearance and no postseason victories. he also coached the denver nuggets during the lockoutshortened 1998-99 season. but his nba accomplishments can’t measure up to Jackson, who won five titles and reached seven nba finals during two stints totaling 11 seasons with los a ngeles.

Jackson walked away from the club 18 months ago after a second-round playoff sweep by dallas, and brown led los a ngeles to a 41-25 mark followed by another second-round playoff defeat last summer.

The lakers then traded for nash and dwight howard, setting up a season of enormous expectations for brown — but the lakers struggled to learn his new, princeton-influenced offense while playing mediocre defense.

First off, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley, should have won the NL rookie of the year.

With that said, here’s some happy song lyrics.

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy”: Bobby McFerrin

Here is a little song I wrote

You might want to sing it note for note

Don’t worry be happy

In every life we have some trouble

When you worry you make it double Don’t worry, be happy......

Ain’t got no place to lay your head

Somebody came and took your bed

Don’t worry, be happy

The land lord say your rent is late

He may have to litigate

Don’t worry, be happy

Lood at me I am happy

Don’t worry, be happy

Here I give you my phone number-

When you worry call me

I make you happy

Don’t worry, be happy

Ain’t got no cash, ain’t got no style

Ain’t got not girl to make you smile

But don’t worry be happy

Cause when you worry

Your face will frown

And that will bring everybody down

So don’t worry, be happy (now).....

Olympian leads squad

Observer Staff Report

individual glory was on the line this weekend as numerous irish fencers participated in the north a merican cup tournament in v irginia beach, va. Freshman foilist and olympian l ee k iefer provided one of the bright spots for the irish in the event as she notched a second-place finish in the women’s foil competition. e leanor harvey of the canadian Fencing academy bested her in the championship bout.

The irish also received strong performances from sophomore foilist madison Zeiss, who finished with a third-place finish in the women’s foil, and sophomore epeeist nicole a meli, who recorded a third-place tie in the women’s epee. some winners of the competitions included former i rish fencer kelley hurley taking home the gold in women’s epee. Former columbia fencer daria schneider won the women’s saber.

The competition had no affiliation with the ncaa , but it was

con T inued F rom page 16

route is we know most of the [teams] well we could face and there’s little chance we’ll underestimate any of them,” clark said. “i think that’s maybe the good thing. we’ve played michigan state, we’ve played indiana, we actually played Xavier in the preseason game. so these are three of the possible teams we could play and they’re all very tough, hard games, so i think we know it’s going to be very competitive.”

The top four teams in the ncaa tournament will play each game at home until the college cup in hoover, ala., should they advance. clark said the home-field advantage could play a huge role in the quest to advance for notre dame, who finished the regular season 8-0-0 in

an opportunity for individuals to advance their national ranking. These rankings help determine future national teams for the olympics and other international competitions. w ith a total of 1,924 fencers competing across 18 divisions, the four-day tournament is one of the biggest fencing competitions of the year.

The irish wrapped up the competition monday with senior foilist g erek meinhardt, who was competing in the men’s division i foil competition and he saved the best for last. a fter defeating harvard freshman Jerry chang in the semifinals, meinhardt went on to beat former penn state fencer and current olympian miles chamley-watson in a hotly contested final bout 15-14 and the earn the only gold for the irish this weekend.

other results from the men’s competition included st. John’s senior and current olympian daryl homer winning the men’s saber and connor shepard of the g olf blade Fencing center claimed the men’s epee.

alumni stadium.

“i really hope our fans come out and support us,” clark said. “we have had, especially early in the season, some terrific student support. hopefully, they’ll come out and see this team. That could actually be a huge advantage if we could get home support and i know our team really appreciates when they get the fans out.”

notre dame won its third big east championship title and first since 2003 with a 3-2 double-overtime win over no. 3 seed georgetown on sunday.

This will be the 15th appearance in the ncaa championship for the irish, and the seventh time they have been one of the top-16 national seeds.

Contact Sam Gans at sgans@nd.edu

otters took an 8-6 advantage they would never relinquish.

sorin’s touchdown came after a turnover shortly before halftime. The kangaroos forced sorin into a turnover on downs, and then drove inside the red zone. Fischer took a handoff and dove towards the end zone, but fumbled at the one-yard line. spinelli recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchback and then commenced an 80-yard drive that ended in the deciding touchdown. players from both teams said the play marked a turning point in the game.

“[That play] definitely helped our team’s attitude in this game,” sorin freshman defensive linesman stephen scobee said. “after it, we thought, ‘They gave us this, let’s go and take it.’”

Fischer’s fumble had the opposite effect on the kangaroos.

“it was a tough one to swallow for sure,” donegan said. “They took the momentum there.”

sorin’s defense shut down keough’s offense in the second half, intercepting donegan twice. both teams struggled with passing into the wind, but the kangaroos also had to face a ferocious pass rush led by scobee, junior defensive linesman Taylor nutter and junior defensive linesman daniel yi. scobee said he benefitted greatly from the help of his fellow linesmen.

“[nutter and yi] have really been helping out on the line,” scobee said. “They’re really good guys, and really good football players too.”

despite the loss, donegan said the kangaroos are proud of their season, the best in recent memory for keough.

“all the seniors have been incredible,” donegan said. “we’re hoping to carry on this to next year and try to get to the stadium.”

scobee, meanwhile, only needed one word to describe how he felt about playing in the stadium on sunday.

“awesome,” he said. no. 1 sorin will face no. 2 keenan on sunday in notre dame stadium for the interhall championship.

Contact Casey Karnes at wkarnes@ nd.edu

keenan 21, knott 6

By A.J. GODEAUX sports writer

with a chance to play in the championship at hallowed notre dame stadium on the line, no. 2 keenan knocked off no. 3 knott 21-6 on sunday to advance to the interhall championship game.

keenan’s offensive line committed two holding penalties on the first drive, the second of which negated a 25-yard completion. Two plays later, senior captain and quarterback andrew mcdonough connected with junior receiver Jeremy riche on a crossing route across the middle. riche made one man miss and outran the safety the final 20 yards, dashing into the end zone to put the knights (5-0-1) up 7-0. The 40-yard completion was the first of mcdonough’s three touchdown passes on the day.

knott (4-2) started to show life after halftime, and the Juggerknotts

marched down the field to start the second half. knott sophomore quarterback david Taiclet cut the knights lead to 7-6 with a 20-yard touchdown pass, but the Juggerknotts’ extra point attempt was blocked after a high snap.

mcdonough rallied the knights, responding with a 46-yard touchdown strike down the seams to junior receiver John garry.

after the Juggerknotts turned the ball over on downs midway through the second half, mcdonough wasted no time, connecting with riche for a 54-yarder on the first play of the drive to effectively seal the win for keenan. despite two long completions from Taiclet, knott struggled to get past the keenan defensive line on its final drive. after getting little pressure on Taiclet all game, the knights’ defensive line seemed to converge on Taiclet at once, sacking him on first down. Three plays later, with a fourth-and-10 and knott’s season on the line, Taiclet’s pass was knocked

down at the line of scrimmage.

Though the knights’ defense certainly held its own, mcdonough and riche proved to be a formidable duo on offense. mcdonough threw for 231 yards and three touchdowns, while riche finished the day with 120 yards and two touchdown grabs.

mcdonough gave credit to his offensive line, which rebounded in the second half after committing four penalties for 45 yards in the first half.

“i’ve got to give a big shout out to my offensive line,” mcdonough said. “They don’t ever get their names in the paper, but today they should. … They were challenged, knew they were better than those penalties and responded to the challenge.”

The Juggerknotts’ season is over, but the knights have one step left. it is the biggest step yet, the interhall championship, which will take place sunday at notre dame stadium.

Contact A.J. Godeaux at agodeaux@nd.edu

Irish fight past slow start to beat Monmouth

By ANDREW OWENS a ssistant managing e ditor

a fter a sluggish start, no. 20 notre dame’s bench powered the irish in the first half and helped the squad pull away from monmouth, 84-57 on monday night at purcell pavilion.

irish coach mike brey combated the lackluster start by substituting reserves freshman forward cameron biedscheid and senior center garrick sherman into the lineup. The duo engineered an irish surge, highlighted by a 21-5 run to seize a 28-12 lead.

“They came in and gave us scoring and we don’t let down defensively with sherman,” brey said. “sometimes we’re even better defensively with him in there.”

sherman scored nine points on 4-of-4 shooting in the first half, surpassed only by sophomore guard pat connaughton’s 10 points. biedscheid added five points of his own in the first stanza as the irish (2-0) carried a 35-23 lead at halftime.

“we did a good job feeding him and he’s got the best feel of our big guys to get to spots,” brey

paid a dverT isemen T

said. “it’s the first time we’ve been able to play cooley and sherman together at the same time and that’s what we envisioned. we saw it in practice, but [sherman] hadn’t done it with a uniform on.”

a fter only topping evansville by nine points in the seasonopener saturday, notre dame’s struggles carried over to the early portion of monday’s contest. monmouth (1-1) stymied the irish with early pressure and forced three notre dame turnovers in the first 2:15 of the first half. it wasn’t until graduate student forward scott martin’s 3-pointer at the 17:05 mark that the irish first scored.

“we didn’t handle [monmouth’s pressure] in the first half with 10 turnovers,” brey said. “i thought we handled it better in the second half.”

notre dame dominated the boards with 19 first-half rebounds compared to monmouth’s 10.

hawks forward marcus ware was the only monmouth starter 6-foot-8 or taller, and the irish used their size advantage to control the tempo in the paint.

at 6-foot-10, sherman’s size helped him score 22 points, a

career-high for the michigan state transfer. his previous best was 10 while playing with the spartans. he also finished with nine rebounds.

“it was nice to play a little better,” said sherman, who scored three points saturday. “i wasn’t playing to my potential and i owe it to coach brey and the team to do that. Tonight i just did what i do.

“i was a little passive in the first game and i tried to be more aggressive and i think that’s my role.”

including sherman, three irish players finished with doubledigit point totals. senior forward Jack cooley finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, while connaughton totaled 13 points. in the second half, fouls plagued monmouth as the irish cruised to victory. The irish, however, were not efficient at the free-throw line, finishing 16-of26 after an 18-of-30 performance saturday.

The irish will return to action against saint Joseph’s on Friday at 9:30 p.m. in brooklyn, n y

Contact Andrew Owens at aowens2@nd.edu

Belles place 19th at regionals

By BRIAN HARTNETT sports writer

s aint m ary’s finished its season s aturday with a top-20 finish at the ncaa d ivision iii g reat l akes r egionals at y ule g olf c ourse in a nderson, i nd.

The b elles recorded a team score of 515 to finish 19th in the field of 33 teams. s enior e lizabeth m ajewski said the b elles exceeded their expectations by placing in the top 20 at the regional meet.

“ o verall, it was a great end to the season,” she said. “The team raced competitively and placed in the top-20 teams, which was a goal of ours for regionals.”

time of 24:11.23, while senior Julia k enney finished third for s aint m ary’s with a time of 24:43.97.

a dditionally, senior s arah c opi recorded her personal best time in the 6-kilometer in her fi -

“Overall, it was a great end to the season. ... The team raced competitively and placed in the top20 teams, which was a goal of ours for regionals.”

Two of the b elles’ fellow miaa conference members finished in the top three of the regional meet. h ope won the meet with 91 points, while c alvin finished third with 103 points.

The regional race marked the final competition for the b elles’ six seniors. m ajewski said she was impressed with the performances of her classmates.

“a s one of six seniors on the team, i am very proud of my teammates and their performances,” she said. “ i t will be hard to leave this group of girls when we graduate.”

through the air, including two touchdown passes to senior receiver k atie r itter. g olden also rushed for 84 yards.

i n the end, extra points decided the battle. a fter a 10-yard touchdown run by g olden, the shamrocks were able to convert the extra point, while pangborn failed on both attempts.

g argan led the phoxes with 139 rushing yards and pangborn’s first touchdown. The second touchdown came early in the fourth quarter on a pass to senior receiver k ristin ruekert.

pangborn senior captain c olleen b ailey said the phoxes did all they could to win.

“i feel like we gave it our best shot,” b ailey said. “obviously it didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, but i think we left it all on the field. There were a couple of plays that didn’t go our way, a couple of extra points we didn’t deliver on, but i’m proud of the team. i’m proud of the season we’ve had.”

mc g linn will face no. 4 walsh in the championship game at notre dame stadium at 2 p.m. sunday.

Contact Lesley Stevenson at lsteven1@nd.edu

Walsh 14, Pasquerilla West 13

By SARAH CONNORS sports writer

no. 4 walsh employed its dominant defense to upset no. 1 pasquerilla west 14-13 on sunday and advance to the championship game.

The w ild women (6-2) will square off with defending champion no. 2 mc g linn at notre dame stadium on sunday.

“ we are looking to win,”

walsh senior quarterback k at l each said. “ we are a huge threat to anyone we come against. i think we just proved that in this game. we are here to win and are looking forward to the stadium.”

pasquerilla west (7-1) controlled the first half as walsh threw three first-half interceptions and the p urple weasels stormed out to a 13-0 lead.

versatile p asquerilla west sophomore quarterback l auren v idal led the early charge with both her passing and rushing ability. v idal ran the ball in for both p asquerilla west touchdowns.

but the p urple weasels’ luck changed dramatically toward the end of the first half.

w ith 30 seconds remaining before the intermission and on third down, l each completed a touchdown pass to freshman receiver e rin bishop to cut the pasquerilla west lead to 13-7 heading into halftime.

walsh carried the momentum from its last-minute touchdown into the second half.

near the end of the third quarter, walsh senior captain l indy navarre intercepted a pass and ran it back for a touchdown to give walsh the lead.

From there, walsh’s defense — led by senior a lyssa c asill — held firm and was able to prevent the p urple weasels from scoring for the rest of the game, as walsh went on to win, advancing to the championship. l each said she was very impressed with the attitude and teamwork of the w ild women.

“i personally struggled so the fact that i can rely on everyone to do what they need to do is wonderful,” l each said.

walsh will battle mc g linn on sunday in the championship at notre dame stadium at 2 p.m.

Contact Sarah Connors at sconnor1@nd.edu

Junior Jessica b iek paced the b elles, finishing 70th in the field of 234 runners with a time of 23:45.43. m ajewski said b iek has been valuable to the b elles in only her first season on the team.

“Jess has done incredible in her first cross country season and will continue to be a great asset to the team next year,” m ajewski said.

s enior e mma b aker finished second for the b elles and 87th overall with a

Elizabeth Majewski Belles senior

nal college race, finishing the course in a time of 24:54.68. m ajewski said c opi has been a consistent contributor to the b elles throughout the last four years.

“ s arah has continued to improve over her four years and finished her season with a really great race,” m ajewski said.

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a lthough the b elles failed to live up to their lofty top-10 preseason regional ranking, m ajewski, who finished 135th overall, said the team achieved a lot over the course of the season.

“ e veryone on the team has come so far this season, achieving both personal and team goals,” she said. “a ll of the girls on the team work toward similar goals, and this is what has made our team successful.”

Contact Brian Hartnett at bhartnet@nd.edu

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: anne hathaway, 30; ryan gosling, 32; megan mullally, 54; neil young, 67. Happy Birthday: Focus more on what you can do for others. patience, intuition and using your talents skillfully to market what you have to offer will help you carve a unique place to explore, exchange and excel. honesty will be the prerequisite to finding happiness. being evasive will only buy you time. your numbers are 4, 13, 18, 20, 27, 32, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): set a budget and invest in your skills. don’t let a professional setback stifle your creativity. consider ways to upgrade what you already have to offer. relationships look promising, but you’ll have to show greater interest to get results.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): listen to complaints and offer solutions. showing leadership and compassion will help you advance. an unusual connection with someone you meet through work will develop. remember past experience to avoid repeating a mistake.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): discipline will lead to victory. someone who has made an impression on you will be a reminder of what you are capable of doing. size up the situation you are facing with a peer and do your best to sidestep any discord that arises.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): interact with people who have similar beliefs and goals. work toward self-improvement and using your attributes to move forward. networking functions will help you realize that you can offer more if you find other outlets for your talents.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): engage in community events or activities. looking at your domestic situation from a new perspective will help you see what improvements you can make. someone is likely to be upset with you. consider how to make amends.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): discuss ideas and see who joins your quest. make changes to the way you do things that will put an end to ongoing squabbles with people who don’t appreciate what you have to offer. move on to a better place mentally, emotionally and physically.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): readdress the past before you move into the future. realize what you may have done wrong and make amends quickly. a trusted friend will make a suitable suggestion. do whatever motivates you to reach your goals.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): nurture and protect what you’ve been working so hard to achieve. learn from your mistakes. remember to reward someone who has stuck by you through thick and thin. an imaginative plan to improve your domestic situation will pay off.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): implement change that will improve your life. keep busy with physical jobs that take your mind off matters that are upsetting or cause anger. you can win in the end, but only if you recognize what has transpired.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Focus on work, money and posturing. striving to reach a pinnacle personally or professionally can be achieved if you focus on your strengths. balance your past and present by being as honest and open as possible and you will avoid guilt.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): don’t make a commitment. you are likely to change your mind once you have all the facts. do your research and stick to your own means and methods of doing things. love is highlighted. Focus on time spent with someone special.

PISCES (Feb. 19- March 20): contracts, settlements and investments look promising. honesty will be the determining factor when it comes to how far you will go and what you will achieve. you may have to reconsider what really happened in the past before you can move forward.

Birthday Baby: you are progressive, independent and a humanitarian.

mEn’s soCCEr

Irish earn No. 1 seed for NCAA championship

Notre Dame receives top seed, first-round bye in tournament for first time in program history

By SAM GANS sports writer

The irish made program history monday when for the first time, they earned the no. 1 overall seed in the ncaa championship.

irish coach bobby clark was pleased with the honor after winning the big east Tournament on sunday, but said it doesn’t mean much once the tournament begins.

“it’s special for the team,” clark said. “it’s a really nice reward for the players for the regular season and the big east Tournament, but i think that’s it. it’s a nice reward. it’s kind of like winning the big east Tournament. it’s something you work for and you’ve earned and no one can ever take it away from them, but in reality, the no. 1 seed, once you’ve got it, it doesn’t really mean too much.

“at the end of the day, you’ve still got to win the games. so it’s nice to put in the shelf, but then it’s very important we move on and get ready for competing, because it’s a tough bracket.”

as one of the top 16 teams in the 48-team field, the irish (16-31) earned a first round bye and won’t play until sunday in alumni stadium. notre dame will play the

mEn’s IntErhAll

BY CASEY KARNES sports writer

winner of Thursday’s game between cleveland state (11-5-3) and michigan state (11-9-1). The irish beat the spartans 2-0 in alumni stadium on sept. 14.

should the irish advance, they could face no. 16 indiana (11-5-3) in the third round. The irish defeated the hoosiers 1-0 on sept. 26 in bloomington, ind. other tough potential opponents in the region include no. 9 north carolina (15-32), no. 8 saint louis (16-4-0) and big east foe st. John’s (10-4-4).

“Just in our little bracket to get through the round of 16, it’s very difficult,” clark said. “it’s a hard bracket. Then you look beyond that and the two teams that jump out at you would be north carolina and st. John’s. but every team that gets into the ncaa Tournament has been successful in some shape or form. so you don’t expect any easy games at this stage of the season.”

The irish have played three of the teams in their region — indiana, Xavier (13-2-5) and michigan state — in either regular season or exhibition games this season. clark said that familiarity might be beneficial for notre dame.

“The one nice thing about the

see clark PAGE 11

IntErhAll

Sorin narrowly beats Keenan mcglinn edges out pangborn

in a game dictated by harsh winds, no. 1 sorin’s stout defense stymied no. 4 keough to pull out an 8-6 victory in sunday’s semifinals. at the start of the game, however, sorin (6-0) struggled to play up to its top ranking. although the otters forced the kangaroos (4-1-1) to punt on its first possession, their ensuing series netted negative yardage. The wind’s first tangible effect was felt on the otters’ punt attempt, as senior Ted spinelli’s kick blew back behind the line of scrimmage and give keough the ball on sorin’s 18-yard line. after two runs by junior running back mike Fischer brought the kangaroos inside the 10-yard line, junior quarterback seamus donegan found freshman receiver mitch patin for a touchdown.

“we just wanted to come in and keep doing what we’ve been doing,” donegan said. ”we just wanted to execute.”

keough held the lead until spinelli converted a fourth-and-11 into a 25-yard touchdown pass. after a two-point conversion, the

By LESLEY STEVENSON sports writer

i n a semifinal battle with a trip to notre dame stadium at stake, no. 2 mc glinn narrowly edged out no. 6 pangborn 1312 on sunday to secure a spot in the championship.

For the shamrocks (6-1), this matchup was even more than a tournament challenge — it was a chance for revenge. i n the regular season, mc glinn fell 13-0 to pangborn (4-3).

shamrocks senior captain e mily g olden said her team knew exactly how much this victory meant to her team.

“we worked so hard,” g olden said. “it just couldn’t have ended any better. it was nice because we lost to them in the regular season, so we got a little redemption, and we’re going to the stadium.” mc glinn nearly experienced defeat a second time thanks to a late comeback by the phoxes. w ith less than a minute to go in the game,

the shamrocks were forced to make a stand in the red zone to secure their close win.

From the mc glinn 18-yard line, pangborn sophomore quarterback caitlin gargan launched what would have been a touchdown pass to junior receiver molly shawhan, but the ball fell into a mix of receivers and defenders attempting to come up with the catch. a fter a few seconds, mc glinn sophomore defensive lineman l aura Thomas emerged, clinging to the football, with the game-saving interception.

“The end was stressful to say the least,” g olden said. “They are a really great team, and they wanted it just as bad as we did. it was about as close as it can get. i was definitely sweating at the end there, and there was just kind of a jump ball and l aura came out at the end of it.”

g olden went 9-for-11