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Volume 55, Issue 15 | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Custodial staff takes on new sanitization roles Amidst pandemic, University employees clean quarantine rooms, face increased hazards By MAGGIE EASTLAND News Writer
A version of this story was published online Sept. 22. Cleaning the 150 buildings and more than 10 million gross square feet that make up Notre Dame’s academic and administrative buildings, residence halls and athletic buildings is a daunting task for the University’s staff, but this year, new coronavirus challenges have placed an even greater strain on these frontline workers. Despite increased work
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hazards and sanitizing responsibilities, the 375-person cleaning staff still work for relatively low wages, the employees say. Heather Shultz, a member of the disinfecting team created this year as part of the HERE campaign, sprays down classrooms between every class period. Previously, Shultz was an event coordinator for the University, but due to a lack of events and increased need for sanitary measures, she was offered a job on the cleaning staff instead. Taking the job meant taking
a pay cut of $4. “I was shocked how little the cleaning staff got paid,” Shultz said. “Even in a normal year, they’re doing the dirty work, cleaning the toilets and taking out the trash.” The University is adding some benefits for its cleaning staff due to this year’s circumstances. First, cleaning staff are guaranteed payment if they are sent into quarantine or isolation. Building Services has also lengthened the new hire orientation to ensure proper safety and expanded
News PAGE 3
team suit up with gloves, goggles and face shields to sanitize classrooms and common rooms with an electrostatic gun that gives potentially infectious droplets an electric charge. Angela Hubbard, another member of the cleaning team, has worked at the University for the past 30 years. This year, she’s responsible for cleaning door handles and refilling hand sanitizer stations on the first f loors of DeBartolo Hall, Duncan Student Center and see STAFF PAGE 4
University recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month with virtual panel By ADRIANA PEREZ News Writer
Observer Staff Report
The ND Forum theme this year will be Election 2020: Think. Engage Respectfully. Vote., University President Fr. John Jenkins announced in an email Tuesday. The annual forum was created in 2005 by Jenkins with the purpose of encouraging the campus community to reflect and focus on various topics and issues, including the Church crisis and response, globalization, sustainability and immigration. Numerous events are sponsored each year to facilitate conversation around the theme’s topics. Jenkins encouraged ND community members to take part in these events, and encouraged students and faculty to add their own events to the collective calendar by contacting forum@nd.edu. “Let us all engage thoughtfully with the many important issues facing our nation during this election year, and when we disagree, let us do so honestly but with comity, never demonizing or denigrating those whose perspectives might differ from our own,” Jenkins said. “And, please, exercise your right and privilege to vote on Tuesday, November 3.”
child and elder care benefits for employees. “All employees, regardless of task, are receiving their normal pay,” University spokesperson Dennis Brown said in an email. “But for cleaning staff who are working in residence halls and other facilities, we have consulted with experts in the field and provided them with specialized training, PPE, other equipment and supplies to make their work environment safe.” Shultz and her fellow members of the disinfecting
ADRIANA PEREZ | The Observer
The Institute for Latino Studies hosted a virtual panel on the 2020 Census Monday in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
In the midst of a pandemic that has disproportionately affected Latino communities and in light of the upcoming census and general election, Notre Dame’s celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month offers opportunities to celebrate the more than 1,000 University undergraduates who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino. Sept. 15 marked the beginning of this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month in the United
States. Luis Fraga, director of the Institute for Latino Studies (ILS), said this celebration aims to recognize the contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities in the nation’s history and society. “The idea behind it is, let’s celebrate the good things as a way to remember how we can make things even better for these communities in the country,” Fraga said. The official celebration of Hispanic heritage in the
see HERITAGE PAGE 5
Local website gives rise to meal kit industry in South Bend By KAYLE LIAO News Writer
A new South Bend local website, Chompion, was created by restaurant owner Kevin Lawler and software engineer Matt Knapper to connect customers with local restaurants that provide take-out meal kits. Chompion provides a platform for the rising meal kit industry
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and helps the restaurants gain businesses during the pandemic. “Unlike a lot of other existing platforms, we are trying to help our restaurants by not taking the major cuts of their existing revenue, especially with the way the economy is right now in the restaurant industry,” Lawler said. “It is not a good time to be asking for more money from them.” Lawler and Knapper said they
launched the website after seeing a need to help the local community during the pandemic, which has been notably hard for restaurants facing restrictions and lower levels of people going out to eat. “Overall, we’re trying to really help make our community better and a lot of that is offering these new ways of doing things considering health and safety … because we need these businesses
employing people and adding to the culture and the vibrancy of the city,” Lawler said. Knapper has been building ecommerce sites for restaurants and groceries for the last five years and was able to apply his expertise in developing Chompion. “Our website is like a
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FOOTBALL PAGE 16
Mens BasketBALL PAGE 16
see CHOMPION PAGE 5
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TODAY
The observer | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
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EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
The Notre Dame cheer team performs at Louisville’s Cardinal Stadium when the Irish played the Cardinals last year. In order to allow for proper social distancing during football games, cheerleaders are not allowed to perform on the field this year.
The next Five days:
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Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 11:15 a.m. All are welcome to celebrate Mass.
“Andrea Alpago in Damascus” virtual 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Lecture led by Dr. Dag Niklaus Hasse.
Virtual Seminar virtual 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Join to hear about the pandemic’s impact on education in Brazil.
Reconciliation Sacred Heart Crypt 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome to partake in Holy Reconciliation.
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Need To Talk? virtual all day Lay Campus Minister or priest available to talk with anyone.
Virtual Seminar virtual 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Seminar on illiberalism in Venezuala led by David Smilde.
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The Big Draw virtual 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sketch works of art from Snite Museum of Art collections.
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ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | The Observer
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PrismND creates t-shirt fundraiser to promote intersectionality on campus By MAGGIE KLAERS News Writer
Follow ing the recent social unrest and police brutalit y protests around the nation, junior Aaron Moyer said he wanted to find a way to help indiv iduals in the communit y that are struggling. Moyer, co-v ice president of PrismND, an undergraduate LGBTQ organization, said the group decided to organize a t-shirt fundraiser to raise money for Black LGBTQ causes. “The LGBTQ communit y is so diverse,” Moyer said. “We saw this as a great way to partner w ith Black student-led clubs on campus and really promote the intersectionalit y that sometimes gets overlooked.” One of the groups PrismND partnered w ith is Shades of Ebony, a club dedicated to uplifting women of color. Senior Kaya Law rence, the club’s
president, said “intersectionalit y” is the idea that our identit y consists of multiple components, rather than one single label. “[Intersectionalit y] prov ides a unique space for recognizing the ways in which groups can coalesce and unite to really help each other,” Law rence said. “Intersectionalit y allows for a common space to recognize the ways in which you can unite and fight for a common goal.” Moyer said the fundraiser gave donors the freedom to choose which nonprofit they would like to donate to, as long as it would benefit the Black LGBTQ communit y. “A ll you have to do is donate at least $11.20 to any nonprofit that you’d want to,” Moyer said. “The significance behind that is that Nov. 20 is the Transgender Day of Remembrance.” Donors then for ward PrismND proof of their
donation v ia their website, and they w ill receive their t-shirt. The t-shirt, designed by PrismND secretar y sophomore Molly Doerf ler and senior Ellis Riojas, was inspired by the life of Marsha P. Johnson. Johnson was a Black transgender woman whose activ ism is largely credited for starting the Stonewall uprising of 1969. “We wanted to sy mbolize th e intersectionalit y bet ween the identities of bet ween Black and LGBTQ identities, so we used the image of Marsha P Johnson,” Doerf ler said. “We have a quote from her in the middle that says, ‘No pride for some of us w ithout liberation for all of us’, which embodies the intersectionalit y that we’re working for.” A lthough the fundraiser closed Sept. 22, Moyer said continuing to learn about Black and LGBTQ causes is
a great way to get involved. Law rence said it is important to educate yourself, rather than expect your Black or LGBTQ friends to teach you. “In any group, club, organization that you’re in, just recognizing that the power you have to kind of make a change and work towards some kind of intersectional goals, like reaching out to other clubs or organizations on campus or indiv iduals on campus and seeing what you can do to bring light to certain issues and help others and promote intersectionalit y,” Law rence said. Doerf ler described “allyship” as supporting a communit y that you are not a part of and being w illing to learn from it. “One thing that we’ve really been stressing this semester about allyship is that it’s about working to protect your siblings on campus who might have
different lives than you,” Doerf ler. “One thing that we’ve really been stressing is that social distancing is a form of allyship because it helps protect your LGBTQ siblings who might not have good home lives.” Law rence cautioned against performative allyship, adding that she has seen many peers who claim to be allies fall silent when they see instances of injustice. “An important component of allyship is not being afraid to stand up and speak up when the time comes when it’s necessar y to do so — so really just not being performative,” Law rence said. “Performative allyship can really be problematic and empt y in a lot of ways so mak[e] sure that you’re putting the action behind your words and your intention.” Contact Maggie Klaers at mklaers@nd.edu
Notre Dame students and faculty reflect on the life and death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg By DANE SHERMAN News Writer
A version of this story was published online Sept. 22. Last week, associate justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg died due to complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. Justice Ginsburg, also referred to as “the Notorious RBG” and the court’s “Great Dissenter,” led with strength in the face of adversity. She spent much of her early career fighting gender discrimination, before being appointed to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1993. She leaves behind a life-long legacy as a trailblazer for promoting and protecting women’s rights and furthering gender equality. University President Fr. John Jenkins released a statement Friday evening addressing Ginsburg’s death, and recalled her visit to campus in 2016. “I recall fondly her standing-room-only appearance in the Joyce Center in 2016,” Jenkins said in the statement. Political science professor Christina Wolbrecht spoke to the importance of Ginsburg’s work and its inf luence on the lives of
current and future generations of women. “Few people in history did more to advance the equality of women than Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and all long before she sat on the Supreme Court. The series of cases she argued in the 1970s transformed and ensured the constitutional basis for sex equality,” Wolbrecht said. “There is no woman in this country whose life was not materially improved by Ginsburg’s work.” Professor Eileen Hunt Botting, a political theorist whose scholarly interests cover modern political thought, feminism, family, ethics of technology and literature, also spoke of Ginsburg’s passing.s and your intention.”nd white, that’s just not life,” Go said. “Immediate needs need to be met.” “The loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg hit our country hard during a time of greater political and public health crisis, not only in the U.S., but around the world,” Botting said. “She had rightfully become a legal icon of a triad of egalitarian feminist values at the foundation of modern representative democracy: equality before the law; the right to non-discrimination on the basis of sex, gender or other social status; and
equality of opportunity.” First year Anjali Pellegrin said she was saddened by Ginsburg’s death, and discussed her admiration for the late justice. “RBG’s death made a lot of my greatest fears a reality; for me the Supreme Court is the greatest protector of the people and the minorities, and it’s so hard to see such a strong force for good go,” Pellegrin said. “As a woman, she was my idol and as an activist she was my hope. She will rest in power” Sophomore Isabella Garcia of Notre Dame College Democrats spoke to her regard for Ginsburg, and said she was upset by the politicization surrounding her death. “It was really monumental, but I think that, especially in this time, it really stings and reminds me that the election is so important,” Garcia said. “We’re in the 40-day stretch now. I’m thinking about the fact the Trump administration is going to try to nominate and push someone through.” On Sunday evening, Notre Dame College Democrats held an unofficial vigil to remember Ginsburg’s life and recognize what she contributed to the advancement of historically marginalized groups’ rights.
When asked how students can work to honor Ginsburg’s memory, Garcia talked about the vigil and said specific practices are important in honoring her. “I think, especially on a Catholic campus, it’s important to recognize the fact that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a Jewish woman, and so recognizing the traditional learning practices for that faith tradition has been an awesome thing to learn during this time,” Garcia said.
When ref lecting on how to honor Ginsburg’s memory, Botting said it’s best to remember the education that brought her to the Supreme Court. “We must ensure that future generations of citizens read and learn about the egalitarian and liberal ideas that are the basis for our most cherished democratic rights and freedoms,” Botting said. Contact Dane Sherman at lsherma2@nd.edu
DANE SHERMAN | The Observer
Students gather at the Grotto to light candles in a vigil for the late associate justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away Friday.
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NEWS
The observer | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Staff Continued from page 1
the Snite Museum of Art. “I love doing it,” Hubbard said. “I would not be here thirt y years if I didn’t.” Aside from a few extra cleaning tasks, Hubbard said her responsibilities and hours haven’t shifted drastically, and she feels safe given the protective equipment the Universit y prov ides. needs need to be met.” Chris Hatfield, senior director of Building Ser v ices, said the biggest challenges due to the coronav irus have been obtaining necessar y supplies and coordinating tight schedules to make sure cleaning policies are implemented. He also acknowledged the problematic nature of cleaning quarantine and isolation rooms or dorms of infected students. The protective equipment not only guards against coronav irus, but shields the team from harsh cleaning chemicals. As of Sunday, 14 coronav irus cases have been reported among employees. Building Ser v ices staff are already trained in universal precautions to prevent the spread of infection, Hatfield said in an email, so they simply took a few extra precautions, such as masks and physical distancing. Each member of the team is given an assigned building and schedule from Building Ser v ices. Since class times and schedules change ever y day, Shultz and her co-workers juggle a complicated schedule to ensure ever y room gets disinfected bet ween class periods. In addition, the electrostatic gun and all the protective equipment make cleaning a ver y tedious process, she said. “I feel like I’m mov ing in slow motion,” Shultz said. Besides a few new challenges, Shultz said she thinks the Universit y has treated her fairly. Shultz was placed in a residence hall to prov ide extra disinfecting measures, but a few of her coworkers were assigned to clean isolation and quarantine rooms. Shultz noted that a few of the team members assigned to clean the isolation and quarantine rooms, especially those who were older or higher risk, were more worried about safet y. They didn’t feel that the Universit y was prov iding proper transparency for some important details, such as how long the room had been unoccupied. Hubbard echoed this statement, describing how she’s thankful she wasn’t assigned to clean the quarantine or isolation rooms, especially since her rheumatoid arthritis puts her at a higher
risk. Hubbard said the cleaning staff who were assigned to clean these rooms were ver y displeased. “A ll employees have been repeatedly told by the Universit y to make us aware of any health concerns they may have, and that has been especially true for the cleaning staff,” Brow n said. “We can’t assist if employees don’t bring their concerns to us.” Nonetheless, the workers weren’t happy to be assigned to these rooms, Hubbard said “I would’ve been scared too,” she said. “At least give them a twent y-four hour notice. Let the kids move out. Don’t rush [cleaning staff ] in there.” Hubbard also mentioned how these cleaning workers were often not asked about health conditions before receiv ing assignments to clean the rooms. According to Hatfield, waiting periods are factored into cleaning schedules for quarantine, isolation and vacated residence hall rooms. Despite this, not ever yone on the cleaning staff thought the Universit y was prov iding proper transparency about how long the room had been unoccupied. Brow n responded regarding transparency. “We have worked w ith students in an effort to ensure that all rooms in both residence halls and Q&I facilities have been unoccupied for a minimum of four hours — and usually more — before cleaning personnel begin their work,” he said. “The safet y of staff, students, facult y and v isitors has been and always w ill be our top priorit y. The Universit y has encouraged ever yone on campus to speak up if they have a concern, and that is true now more than ever.” Even w ith added responsibilities, relatively low wages and a risk y work env ironment, some cleaning staff take great pride in their work. According to a recent article on NDWorks, Larr y Parker, a shift leader, is committed to keeping students safe and healthy. “I hate that COVID is getting to our students. I hate it,” Parker said in the article. “I take pride in what my crew and I do because now we are sav ing lives. You look at a doctor or a nurse or a firefighter or police, now we are sav ing lives too.” For students who want to thank the hard-working cleaning staff, Hatfield recommends a few simple measures. “Follow ing the rules regarding distancing, mask wearing and hand washing is being respectful of the custodians and other Universit y staff,”
ALYSA GUFFEY | The Observer
University signage placed around campus reminds students of COVID-19 protocols. Although the custodial staff is responsible for sanitization, the signs urge students to take a role in disinfecting.
Hatfield said. “Keeping your liv ing and working areas neat and clean is also appreciated and allows more time for disinfection
activ it y.” Hatfield added that “taking the time to smile and express appreciation to the custodians for their work is Paid Advertisement
always appreciated by the staff.” Contact Maggie Eastland at meastlan@nd.edu
News
Heritage Continued from page 1
United States began in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson. Twenty years later, President Ronald Reagan expanded it to a 30-day event spanning Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The start date was chosen because it coincided w ith the commemoration of the independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In the following days, the independence of other Latin A merican countries is celebrated too, such as Mex ico, Chile and Belize. About two or three years ago, Fraga said the ILS decided to “lead the Universit y” in recognizing this month. Since then, the ILS has organized a series of events bet ween mid-September and mid-October to celebrate Hispanic and Latin x heritage in Notre Dame and the United States. This year, the events hosted by the ILS had to be adapted to a v irtual platform due to the pandemic. Registration is required to attend most of these events. In them, alumni, professors and guest speakers from
Chompion Continued from page 1
two-sided marketplace,” Knapper said. “So restaurants are able to list their meal kits, and we’re helping them put together, and the customers are able to shop in from different providers. So when [customers] are making payments to us, we’re the ones distributing the money to all the restaurants.” Chompion currently has around 12 active restaurants on the platform at any given time. They hope to attract more restaurants to Chompion and eventually expand this platform to more cities across the country. “We’ll be adding more restaurants on the platform, and we’re adding more each week as we go. … We’re seeing more and more customers come on board finding their favorite restaurants on the platform,” Lawler said. “And we’re really trying to build a system that we can take and help our local restaurants that we care about here in South Bend, but also build a system that we could take into other cities and other markets.” Chompion brings a new source of revenue to local restaurants in addition to traditional dine-in meals. “For each of these restaurants, the great thing for them is that this is not revenue that they would have been making at dinner that
ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | The Observer
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different backgrounds w ill cover broad topics, from art and poetr y to gun v iolence and border issues. The ILS started their Hispanic Heritage Month event series w ith a v irtual table talk entitled “Latin x Voters in the 2020 Election,” hosted by Fraga and associate professor of political science Ricardo Ramirez. According to the Pew Research Center, a record 32 million Latinos are projected to be eligible to vote in 2020, up from 27.3 million in 2016. The talk is available on the v ideo-sharing platform of Panopto and on the ILS website. So far, the institute has also hosted a panel discussion Sept. 21 w ith Michael Nicolas Okinczyc-Cruz, executive director of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), and senior Kassandra Perez, who interned remotely at CSPL this summer. The panel, “Latin x Presence and Power: The 2020 Census and Overcoming the Politics of Erasure,” sought to discuss the significance of the census, the obstacles that Latino communities face and what can be done to ensure these communities are counted.
“There’s such a huge impact,” Perez said. “Especially in our Latin x communities, when we don’t fill out the census because the data affects us for the next 10 years.” Perez emphasized that government funding, the draw ing of congressional and state legislative districts, business decisions and seats in the House of Representatives are some of the big decisions made based on the census. The ILS also hosted a v irtual book launch Sept. 22 of “A Homegrow n Fair y tale,” co-authored by Notre Dame Master of Fine Arts alumna Suzi Garcia (‘15). The next ILS event for Hispanic Heritage Month w ill take place Wednesday at 4: 00 p.m. Associate professor of Romance languages and literature Marisel Moreno and professor of Romance languages and literature Thomas A nderson w ill lead a discussion on their online bilingual exhibit, “El Arte al Ser v icio del Pueblo,” which translates to “Art at the Ser v ice of the People.” The Hispanic A lumni Association (HA of ND) has also planned a panel for Oct. 15, Prisma Garcia (‘09), student relations assistant
director, said. The panel seeks to connect students w ith alumni currently working in fields such as business, nonprofit and academia who w ill “talk about their life as Latinos at Notre Dame and after,” Garcia said. “We didn’t want to compete w ith what [ILS] was already doing,” Garcia said, expressing HA of ND’s support for ILS programming. Outside of Hispanic Heritage Month, Garcia said HA of ND plans to offer a v irtual Spanish mass in the coming months to celebrate Day of the Dead on Nov. 1 and to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe on her feast day Dec. 12, even if v irtually. To celebrate this month, the Multicultural Student Programs and Ser v ices (MSPS) office has been posting on its Instagram, Facebook and Tw itter accounts “highlighting [L] atin x traditions and people who have contributed to our histor y that folks may or may not know about,” Yvette Rodriguez, assistant director of programming, said in an email to The Obser ver. Last week, MSPS also shared an opportunit y w ith students to attend
a SpeakOut webinar w ith Michael Benitez Jr. on Sept. 17, entitled “Examining Latinidad: At the Crossroads of Race, Culture and COVID-19.” MSPS is also co-sponsoring the Student Union Board’s Oct. 8 mov ie watch of “McFarland, USA.” “In general, though, we understand that there are many times other than just w ithin the heritage month that we could be celebrating,” Rodriguez said. “W hile the spotlight given to these narratives through heritage months is helpful, it is important to weave them in throughout our education, events and lives at other times too …,” Rodriguez said, “as well as acknowledge the educational opportunit y that heritage months offer.” According to Fraga, “Notre Dame’s original mission was to educate predominantly working-class, predominantly Catholic, immigrant and immigrant-origin” communities who could not get educated elsewhere. “In focusing on Latinos, Notre Dame is recommitting itself to its original mission,” Fraga said.
night,” Lawler said. “This is a separate new revenue that they’re able to prep during the day [and] they’re able to have people come and pick it up and prepare at home. So it’s not really competing with the people who are coming in to eat in the restaurant. We’re sort of bringing a different client that is looking for the at-home experience, rather than going out to eat,” Lawler said. Yet, Knapper said, the restaurants are not overwhelmed
by orders placed through Chompion. “Just like one or two evening rushes that you’d see [in restaurants] on a Friday or Saturday, we’re basically presenting a brand new deal of rush to these restaurants without [the restaurants] actually being any busier during those times,” Knapper said. The fun thing for customers ordering from Chompion is that they get a video clip of the chef putting their food
together which Lawler said also offers “a fun connection” to people. “We actually go and film the chef or the restaurant owner, creating the meal in their own kitchen. And then you can do that same thing at home and that way you know you did it right,” Lawler said. “You also get to know the chef or the restaurant owner a little better, and that allows them to share the stories, the inspiration behind their dishes.”
For Lawler, the name Chompion is a product of creativity. “Our business — and our customers — are champions for local restaurants and locally-produced food and drink,” Lawler said. “But of course, since we’re talking about food, we decided to tweak the name to incorporate ‘chomp’, which led us to Chompion.”
Contact Adriana Perez at aperez8@nd.edu
Contact Kayle Liao at xliao@nd.edu
KAYLE XIAO | The Observer
After watching restaurants struggle during the COVID-19 shutdown, Kevin Lawler and Matt Knapper (pictured here) created a business to help these establishments reach more customers. The system currently supports restaurants in the South Bend area, but may expand.
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The observer | Wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
And that’s on idolatry
Inside Column
Give out the Oscars 5 years later Jake Winningham Associate Scene Editor
With a year under my belt as Scene’s resident Oscars writer — check out my “Trophy Hunter” column if you have thus far been deprived — it’s time for my magnum opus. Freed from the confines of Scene and placed alongside the hallowed leggings and risk recalculations of Viewpoint, I now have the latitude and the confidence to proclaim my truth: we need to hold the Academy Awards five years after the fact. The history of the Oscars is littered with head-scratching decisions, especially in the Best Picture category: “Dances With Wolves” over “Goodfellas.” “Crash” over “Brokeback Mountain.” “How Green Was My Valley” over “Citizen Kane,” and that same race’s spiritual successor in “The King’s Speech” beating “The Social Network.” Those are just the tip of the iceberg (never forget, “The Lego Movie” wasn’t even nominated for Best Animated Feature.) The extent to which the Academy Awards matter is as a historical document — if somebody wants to know about filmmaking and filmgoing from a certain year (particularly of the American variety), the first place they’ll check is the Oscar results. The Academy, then, has a responsibility to present the best version of film history they can; the easiest way to do this is to delay each year’s ceremony. I recognize that part of the Oscars’ unique charm comes from the nominations’ of-the-moment nature — a movie that dominated the conversation for a particular year and then faded from the public memory should still be remembered. Take, for example, one of the most fascinating Oscar years in recent memory: the 2018 ceremony, whose Best Picture nominees included “Get Out,” “Lady Bird” and “Dunkirk.” All three are fantastic movies that continue to spark discussion among cinematic circles both critical and public; all three had no real shot at winning Best Picture in 2018. Instead, that race came down to “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” two films that dominated headlines and inspired thinkpieces all the way up to “Shape of Water”’s win before fading from the filmgoing consciousness. Say what you will about either movie — I was never a fan of “Three Billboard”’s Tupperware-Coens take on ingrained racism, but I’ll ride or die for “Shape of Water”’s mealy-mouthed, fish-sex-infused moralizing on the same subject — but if the Academy instead waited to have that year’s ceremony in 2023, one of those three aforementioned movies wins. “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards” still deserve to be part of the Oscars’ version of film history, though; what I propose is to continue the practice of nominating a year’s film at the end of that particular Oscar cycle. If my plan was implemented this year, nominations would still be announced in January, and the awards would be given out in March of 2026. That may seem inconveniently far away, but we have a fairly long cinematic memory. This year’s ceremony would’ve awarded movies released in 2014, meaning that ostensible winner “Birdman” would be up against better-aged movies like “Whiplash” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” — all of which have yet to leave the public consciousness. The Oscars aren’t solely a measure of quality, or of popularity. Instead, they exist in their own middle ground between the two poles, rewarding great movies and terrible movies, blockbusters and indie successes in equal measure. By awarding Oscars five years after the initial nominations, the Academy can at once create a record of a contemporary reaction to one year’s films and still reward the movies that hold up best over time. I hope that, against all odds, the Academy somehow finds and heeds this advice. I preemptively accept my 2026 Oscar for Best Original Idea. You can contact Jake at jwinning@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Ashton Weber Living Relig-ish
Oh my God. If you, like me, were raised with the Ten Commandments drilled into your head since elementary school, this statement may have caused you to think, “No, Ashton! You meant to say, ‘Oh my gosh.’ Thou shalt not take the Lord’s name in vain, remember?” For years, I corrected people with a similar refrain whenever they let a God slip instead of a gosh. When I return home now, my youngest sister does the same to me. So, am I going to spend the next four minutes of your life arguing that it’s okay to swear or that you should never do it again? Neither. Both would be a waste of our time because, truth is, I couldn’t care less about swearing. What I do care about is the manipulation of religious teachings so they can be used to justify behaviors and structures that are not in line with the true mission of Christianity. What I do care about is taking the Lord’s name in vain. If you don’t know me, you may be missing some of my context with the Catholic church. To summarize, I went to a conservative Catholic high school and was essentially taught that it’s impossible to be Catholic and fall on the left side of the political spectrum. As the 2016 election unfolded and I began to find feminism, I reached a crossroads: would I choose faith or would I choose feminism? I chose feminism and quickly rejected the institutionalized cisheteropatriarchy of the Catholic church. Since arriving at Notre Dame, however, I’ve realized that faith and feminism may not stand in such stark contrast. I’ve worked to reconstruct my image of God and now engage with theology through the lens of feminism. To kickstart this reconstruction, I read “She Who Is” by Elizabeth Johnson. Within the first two chapters, Johnson explained that the conception I previously had of God was actually a breach of the third commandment. On page 40 she writes, “Exclusive, literal patriarchal speech about God is both oppressive and idolatrous. It functions to justify social structures of dominance/subordination and an androcentric world view inimical to the genuine and equal human dignity of women, while it simultaneously restricts the mystery of God.” As the book continues, she explains that taking the Lord’s name in vain is not so much about saying things like, “Oh my God,” but more about using God as a justification for oppression. Last week, a response to my most recent column was published. It responded to my rhetorical question of “What would Jesus do?” with an explanation of things that the Catholic church, inspired by Jesus, is doing worldwide to alleviate poverty and suffering. The letter’s author uses these examples to justify her reasoning that the Catholic church does not deserve the criticism I subjected it to. While I would agree with her that the church has done great work in serving those in poverty across the globe, I would be ignoring immense institutional failure if I allowed good work to excuse Catholicism from criticism.
The unfortunate fact is that the Catholic church has been instrumental in the creation of an idolatrous image of God that upholds systems and structures which exacerbate poverty and suffering. For centuries, the Catholic church has been complicit in racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and colonialism. The intersection of these isms creates a world with a hierarchy of humanities, a system in which one way of being is better than another. In the words of Fr. Brian Massingale, “What makes the Church white and racist is the pervasive belief that European aesthetics, European music, European theology and European persons, and only these, are standard, normative, universal and truly Catholic. In other words, when we talk about what makes something Catholic, the default is always to the products that reflect a white cultural aesthetic. Everything else is seen as Catholic by exception, or Catholic by toleration.” Whiteness is not the only thing seen as Catholic by default. Consider the treatment of LGBTQ+ Catholics, most of whom participate in church spaces that do not affirm their gender identities in sexual orientation. Think about Catholics who identify as women, many of whom participate in church spaces that teach their reproductive organs are the most important part of their being. As Johnson explains earlier in “She Who Is,” a feminist academic approach considers the world from the margins and examines how the least represented people are being treated. Look at the margins of the Catholic church, and you’ll find that many who exist there are either blatantly excluded or merely tolerated by the church. My column was not solely addressing the need to reject personal wealth. Instead, I was arguing for a more intersectional approach to Christian thought. I was advocating for an imagining of Jesus so radical and inclusive that tolerance would no longer be the church’s approach to social justice. If we look at the people who lead the Church, we will see overwhelming representation of cisgender, heterosexual white men. From our knowledge of Catholic church leadership, it is not difficult to deduce that the best way of being a Catholic is to live up to this hegemonic Catholic identity. When we choose to defend or excuse this hegemony, we are actively taking God’s name in vain. This week, I challenge us to think more deeply about who God is and then go a step further. Consider what your image of God is rooted in. Who gave it to you? Who would feel affirmed by this image and who could it be used to oppress? How might you be justifying your own complicity in oppression with God’s name, and how is this a form of taking the Lord’s name in vain? This work will be uncomfortable, but it is necessary to build a church that is truly inclusive of all its members and to understand God in a way that is not idolatrous. Ashton Weber is a junior with lots of opinions. She is an econ major with a minor in sociology and she can often be found with her nose in a book. If you want to chat about intersectional feminism, baking blueberry scones, growing ZZ plants or anything else, she’d love to hear from you. Reach Ashton at aweber22@nd.edu or @awebz01 on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer
The observer | Wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
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The case for civic engagement on college campuses Riya Shah BridgeND
As the 2020 election looms and the first debate nears, many college students across the country are voting in a presidential race for the first time. While voting looks different this year due to COVID-19, it is crucial — perhaps more important that ever — to ensure we are still able to cast our ballots. For the longest time, young voters have made up a significant portion of the electorate and yet have made up only a sliver of actual votes cast. Too often this lack of turnout is attributed to stereotypes of young Americans as ignorant or disinterested; however, this couldn’t be further from the case. Take, for example, our social media feeds for the past several months; students are clearly interested in politics — we advocate for human rights, we ask our friends to call representatives and donate, we send around petitions. A large portion of college students today are activists in their own right. What prevents them from turning this interest and devotion to change into voter turnout are obstacles such as lack of knowledge on the registration process, difficulties with absentee ballot requesting or feeling as though they weren’t educated enough on
issues to be a good voter. This is where colleges and universities come into play. Universities need to make voting easy and accessible while also educating their students not only on their respective courses of study, but also what it means to be a civically engaged citizen. Hosting seminars on issues of importance to college-aged voters, conducting registration drives and encouraging student to make their voices heard via their ballot each November are important. Nonetheless, colleges need to do more. Based on NSLVE data from 2018, only 37% of the student body voted despite 80% being registered. Universities need to educate students on how to request their ballots, empower student organizations that facilitate voter education and readily provide envelopes and stamps for students to send their absentee applications and ballots in. They need to work towards depolarization by encouraging students to engage in civil discourse and understand where their peers’ beliefs and values may come from without trying to convince them to change their minds. These principles of access, engagement and discourse are central to the health and integrity of modern American democracy. As a reminder, this week is Student Government’s Civic Engagement Week here at the University of
Notre Dame. We applaud the efforts of both the Ingal-Galbenski Administration and Office of the President in making national engagement at the forefront of conversation and activity on campus and hope that other universities do the same. Students, we hope you take this week to educate yourself on the platforms of not only President Trump and Vice President Biden, but also the platforms of your state and local representatives; often times they are the ones with t he power to effect change on policies and issues closest to your heart. Finally, we’d like to urge everyone reading this article to not only register to vote, but to actually send in your ballot request and make your voice heard. We have the determination and numbers to make a difference, so get out and vote! Riya Shah is a member of BridgeND, a multi-partisan political club committed to bridging the partisan divide through respectful and productive discourse. It meets on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in the McNeill Room of LaFortune Student Center to learn about and discuss current political issues, and can be reached at bridgend@nd.edu or @bridge_ND on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Talk of war, football and COVID-19 Talk of war surrounds discussion of the COVID-19 pandemic. When University of Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins announced only inperson classes for fall, he invoked comparisons to the risks of war and called for courage. Thereafter, legendary ND Football Coach Lou Holtz told Fox News that colleges should play football while invoking memories of heroes who stormed Normandy’s Nazi-held beaches during World War II. While some scholars have criticized militarized COVID-19 rhetoric, use of military analogies has merit. However, this Domer, U.S. Army veteran and college faculty member thinks militarized rhetoric should inspire caution. In The Washington Post’s “Monkey Cage” blog, professors Jessica Blankshain and Danielle Lupton claim warlike analogies were problematic. At ND, professor Susan Cannon Harris also laments warlike rhetoric. I contend military frameworks are warranted for several reasons. First, when Fr. Jenkins initially used militarized rhetoric, we had nearly twice as many COVID-19 fatalities as U.S. combat deaths from the Vietnam War. Before long we will likely surpass the U.S. Civil War’s approximately 215,000 total combat deaths. Second, COVID-19 makes normality very difficult, embodying the “friction,” which Carl Von Clausewitz claimed was inherent in combat when writing “On War” roughly 200 years ago. Third, tracking a mutating virus with testing and contact tracing resembles the intelligence challenges of stalking a wartime adversary. Holtz’s use of military analogies was unsurprising. He was a history major at Kent State University and an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Moreover, some Buckeyes do not fall far from the tree. His coaching mentor, Ohio State’s Woody Hayes, had great interest in military history. I argued in the Journal of Global Security Studies this spring that Hayes was one of several noteworthy coaches who argued that football was essential to American military power. Such coaches justifying their status this way are one leg of a gridiron triangle that, along with members of the media and government officials going back to Theodore Roosevelt, have woven football into American culture. Cumulatively, they
infused hyper-militarism/patriotism into the sport that made it easier for fans to demonize protesters not standing for the national anthem, despite their critically important message. Although I find militarized rhetoric applicable, ND’s professor Richard Williams argues it did not suggest only in-person classes. Similarly, the Normandy invasion was delayed because of weather until General Eisenhower’s forces finally moved, and then only against a totalitarian threat rather than the specter of online courses. ND’s professor Michael Desch explained that opening battles rarely go well, and certainly there were American losses to Germany early in World War II. However, ND’s COVID-19 setback begs the question whether the administration learned sufficiently from what appears to have been a fiasco. How else could one explain Fr. Jenkins’ unwillingness to “Face the Nation” on CBS several Sundays ago? When I served a stressful year-long tour within artillery range of the North Korean Army in the 1990s, I benefitted from effective leaders. If campus leaders do not demonstrate the willingness to take media questions, how can they expect courage from students, parents and workers? Holtz used an example of a successful military operation that seemingly justifies risk-taking. Yet there are countless examples where wishful thinking ended tragically: Lee at Gettysburg, German and British leaders at different times in the First World War and when the Allies tried to go “a bridge too far” in the Second World War. Similarly, General “Lightning Joe” Collins’ warnings against a potential quagmire in Vietnam were forgotten. Alternatively, cautious adaptation can yield victories. During the American Revolution, General George Washington avoided irrevocable mistakes and lured the British into the Carolina backwoods where they became exhausted and vulnerable subsequently to defeat. Holtz should understand the merit of caution. Miami Hurricane Coach Jimmy Johnson provided Holtz’s Fighting Irish with an inside track to the national championship when Johnson gambled for a win instead of a tie on Notre Dame Stadium’s unfriendly terrain in 1988.
Johnson lost that battle and the war, a mistake Ara Parseghian did not make in 1966 when his Irish settled for a tie against Michigan State and became national champions. ND professor Patrick Griffin argues COVID-19 presents opportunities for sharing in the world’s suffering while demonstrating virtues, like humility. However, the humbler response would be to deviate from the norm of only in-person classes, which is the sacrificial reality of many schools today. Do not we who are Catholic expect young women faced with unplanned pregnancies to radically deviate from their routines and put the lives of their children ahead of their own plans? Notre Dame’s choice looks more like “my will be done” than “thy will be done.” Inflexibility flowing from status and hubris has precedence. University leaders fired our first and only African-American head football coach based on apparent overconfidence about attracting Urban Meyer as his replacement, which never materialized. The result was an apparently good man and role model was fired, and ND paid Charlie Weiss for several years after his departure. ND’s pandemic response reminds me of a resort near my hometown. During World War II, it only turned off its exterior nighttime lights to safeguard ships from predatory U-boats after being embarrassed by radio broadcaster Walter Winchell. Now that the football season has kicked-off, I pray everyone shows good judgement in how they gather. My criticism of Griffin’s position notwithstanding, Domers should embrace suffering when justifiable. They can volunteer with the Peace Corps or various religiously-affiliated or secular non-profits. They can even sign up with Uncle Sam if they want an authentic military experience. However, justifying only on-campus classes to benefit the local economy ignores the financial capacity of the University to cushion such blows, the risks to campus and the greater risks of community transmission. Paul Vasquez class of 2009 Sept. 16
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The observer | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
We need a flex point stock market Ella Wisniewski Consider This
W hat’s the deal w ith f lex points? They’re not f lex ible, and they’re not points. Their market value is just far too low, and they can’t get you any where in this economy! We need an innovation, and fast. We need entrepreneurship. We need big ideas. We need a f lex point stock market. The rules of this market honestly w rite themselves. Instead of the Dow Jones, the index w ill be called the Dow Jenkins. A ll bonds w ill be issued, obv iously, at Bond Hall. Trading hours w ill be the same as parietals. Off-campus students w ill, unfortunately, not be able to participate. A ll entities on campus w ill henceforth become corporations in which students can invest. From restaurants to dorms to academic buildings, the sk y is the limit when putting together your new f lex portfolio. Additionally, each corporation w ill get its ow n ticker for trading purposes. For instance, students could buy shares of ME AT (Subway), BAGL (Einstein Bros.), or W R AP (Cafe de Grasta). W hat better way for students to practice their financial literacy or discover the joys of late-stage capitalism? The f lex market w ill allow them to express their passions through
investment. Imagine a world where you hear less “I’m going to get a coffee from ABP” and more “I’m going to short my Pizza Pi stock.” Incredible ! The f lex market w ill also allow students to sell their ow n stock to fund new business endeavors. The possibilities for entrepreneurship are endless. A ll you need is a bright idea, a good pitch, and a w illing group of f lex shareholders. I, for one, am going to launch a start-up that aims to harness the power of the SDH bees. One of the best impacts of the f lex market is that it w ill put into motion many much-needed business combinations. Let’s face it—there are too many places on campus w ith the same name ! It would be much simpler if they became a single entit y w ith multiple locations. Duncan Hall should acquire the Duncan Student Center and become Duncan 2. Pasquerilla West, Pasquerilla East, and the Pasquerilla Center should all merge into one big Pasquerilla Corporation. And it’s only right that the Eck Baseball Stadium, Eck Hall of Law, Eck Tennis Pav ilion and Eck Visitors Center merge to become the Eckstravaganza. Think of all the positive externalities ! We could finally get a concrete answer on the North Dining Hall vs South Dining Hall debate, depending on which stock is more valuable. We could buy a bunch of stock in the Radiation
Building and collectively demand to know what goes on in there. We could invest in a memorial fund for Clashmore Mike and save up enough to bring him back. Inspiring. The best part of the f lex market? Flex points aren’t even real money, so you don’t have to feel bad if you accidentally exploit anyone. Now get out there, and start your investing!
KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer
Ella Wisniewski is a junior studying English and economics. She tries her best not to take herself too seriously. You can reach her at ewisnie2@nd.edu or @ellawisn on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
A reason for faith Andrew Sveda Church and State
Does God exist? Thinking about this can feel so abstract and pointless when we’re doing our best just to fight off sleep in class or cram for tomorrow’s exam, but no question could possibly be more important. Indeed, it is the most fundamental and inescapable question. Once genuinely asked, it cannot simply be put off. It demands an answer. So I examine the arguments, but with great caution. I am acutely aware of Freud’s theory of wish fulfillment but have come to realize that the sword cuts both ways. Disgust at the idea of a God that knows our thoughts, presents us with moral duties and is worthy of our worship and obedience may be accused of pushing people to embrace atheism (Aldous Huxley and Thomas Nagel could be considered possible examples) just as much as another’s desire for love and meaning could be accused of driving them to affirm theism. The accusation of wish fulfillment could be used against disbelief and belief alike, yet one of them must be true. This makes the journey even more treacherous, but I press on. I take up the Moral Argument, which commonly goes something like this: If God does not exist, objective moral values and duties do not exist. Objective moral values and duties do exist. Conclusion: Therefore, God exists. The first premise appears correct. If our morals are merely the product of sociobiological evolution, how could they possibly be objective? If we were to turn back the evolutionary clock, surely different morals would have developed (we probably wouldn’t have evolved at all though). Things abhorrent to us now may very well have been considered “right” and things thought righteous and compassionate scorned as “wrong.” Darwin points this out in “The Descent of Man.” Consider also the Aristotelian idea that something is good if it fulfills its intended purpose or function well. But if we are but the product of a
mindless, unguided process, then we have no design or intended function at all. Who, then, is to say that my actions are good or bad if there’s no purpose to refer to that’s not just based on your, or many people’s, subjective opinion? It is this ominous question — what atheist Arthur Leff of Yale Law School called “the grand seez [sic] who” — which haunts a secular universe. But what about the second premise? How could it possibly be false? When we look at the atrocities of history and the present, we cry out that there is no excuse for it, that it is wrong, not just according to me or to my society, but objectively so. Indeed, we can only call such evil out in any meaningful sense if we believe in objective moral values and duties. But, remembering Freud, I hesitate. Affirming premise two would be extremely comforting, but isn’t this just an unjustified leap to satisfy my wishes? Of course, it may be the fact that my intuitions and desires were correct, but suppose I am wrong and don’t fully consider the question because I’m afraid I won’t like the answer. This is the very definition of willful ignorance, and that is too high of an intellectual price tag to pay. I must, in the spirit of all genuine philosophical inquiry, follow the evidence, wherever it may lead. But wait a second. Was I really about to reject premise two by appealing to my intellectual obligation to think logically and follow the evidence no matter its conclusion? Wasn’t I using my conviction that the pursuit of Truth and obedience to logical thinking are objectively good things that ought to be done to question the very existence of such objective moral values and duties? Any attempt, then, to deny the premise quickly collapses upon itself, for in denying it, one must implicitly assert the primacy of Truth and the obligation of pursuing it, thus using the very premise which they hope to debunk! Premise two must therefore be true, for to meaningfully question or reject it is to implicitly affirm it. Of course, some may accuse my reasoning of being circular, as I am assuming the objective good and moral duty of thoughtful, rational inquiry to
demonstrate that premise two is correct. But let us consider the alternative: That the pursuit of Truth is not an objective good or moral duty but merely subjective. This would mean that truth is only important because I think it to be so, that it’s just my personal preference. Someone may just as well prefer peddling dangerous lies to gain power and inf luence, but why should they listen to my demands for them to be truthful? It’s just my preference against theirs. In other words, why would saying someone else is wrong be of any significance if there is nothing objectively wrong with being wrong? What would be the point, then, of intellectual debates, persuasive arguments (including this column), the news, or any learning whatsoever? To deny the objective moral good of pursuing Truth and rational thought, if followed to its logical conclusions, would be to usher in a final and most catastrophic dark age. Philosophy, all intellectual pursuits, even Truth itself, for all intents and purposes, would be dead, and we, even if we remain in the lowest sense “alive,” with it. So what does this all mean? It means that we are rationally obliged to affirm premise two, which means, as the argument is valid, that the conclusion must necessarily follow: God exists. But, remembering premise one, the argument also suggests something else: that the pursuit of Truth and logical thinking are only (objectively) morally good and demanded of us if and only if God exists. This means that at the foundation of all philosophy and knowledge, we find the eternal Logos, the Word made f lesh. Beautiful or frightening, that is for you to decide. But a claim like this deserves a column of its own, one I hope to write next time. Andrew Sveda is a sophomore at Notre Dame from Pittsburgh majoring in political science. In his free time, he enjoys writing (obviously), reading and playing the piano. He can be reached at asveda@nd.edu or @SvedaAndrew on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
By NICOLE BILYAK Scene Writer
The weather has become cooler, which signals the start of fall. Fall is the season for pumpkin spice lattes, Halloween and the changing of the leaves. While you curl up by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate, you don’t really think about songs that signify the fall. However, there are a multitude of songs that make you and I think of fall. One of these songs is “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire. The name of this 1978 tune makes sense why it would be considered a fall song. Even though there are no references to the crisp season we all love, the song does have a reference to the homecoming season which high schoolers look forward to around late September, early October. I personally think this song is an absolute classic. Another song that comes to mind is Green Day’s hit “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” Released in 2004, this ballad brings a tear to everyone’s eye, due to the melancholic
By JAKE WINNINGHAM Associate Scene Editor
Earlier this week, I wrote a Viewpoint column where I argued for the Academy Awards to be given out five years after the fact. Here, I put that theory into practice as I take the nominees from five years ago — the 2015 ceremony, honoring the best movies of 2014 — and reassert, repick and (in one egregious case) renominate the Oscars’ original picks. Here are the picks.
Best Picture Nominees: “American Sniper,” “Birdman,” “Boyhood,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Imitation Game,” “Selma,” “The Theory of Everything,” “Whiplash” 2015 Winner: “Birdman” 2020 Winner: “Whiplash” Right off the bat, here’s one of the hardest categories to relitigate. Alejandro Inarritu’s Broadway-set satire of the star system drew accolades at the time for its all-inone-take gimmick and its comeback turn for Michael Keaton. Five years removed, though, “Birdman” reads more as a cinematographic curio than the best movie of 2014. Choosing a replacement was near-impossible — “Selma” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” both came exceedingly close — but Damien Chazelle’s debut gets the edge by announcing the arrival of one of the decade’s most exciting new directing talents. A technically astounding tale of obsession, “Whiplash” overcomes the dual challenges of a tiny budget and a lead performance from Miles Teller to create a tightly-wound downward spiral into utter self-destruction — offering up some amazing drum solos and one-liners along the way.
Best Director Nominees: Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel;” Alejandro G. Inarritu, “Birdman;” Richard Linklater, “Boyhood;” Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher;” Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game” 2015 Winner: Alejandro G. Inarritu 2020 Winner: Richard Linklater What do you think is more impressive? Orchestrating a faux-“oner” that is wholly dependent on the immense
themes. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong wrote it in honor of his late father and this song has become synonymous for playing after the events of both 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. As a Green Day fan, I put this song up in the top three spots by them. Guns N’ Roses also released a fall-esque song in 1991 called “November Rain.” This song is considered a hard-rock power ballad and it clearly shows. It is one of the most beautiful songs Axl Rose has ever written and recorded. Not only is the song about fall, but it is all about change — which is what fall is about. I personally love how just every season we go through, there are always songs we can immediately think of because of a certain holiday. And in the fall, we have the spookiest time of the year: Halloween. We can all think of very recognizable themes from horror movies such as “Halloween,” “The Exorcist” and “Psycho.” However, we do not think about songs that have been written in reference to Halloween itself.
Songs like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” Rihanna’s “Disturbia” and the ever-famous “Monster Mash” all have creepy elements that just scream Halloween. Fall is not just about sitting close to the fire and watching the leaves fall and change color. It’s all about change within ourselves. We all change whether we like it or not. It is just a part of human evolution. The world is also changing as well. With the COVID-19 pandemic, our leaders are constantly changing rules and regulations about how we should live our daily lives. We all just need to adapt, and that is not an option. Overall, these songs are just a snippet of what fall has to offer. There are many other songs that relate to fall, but these are just the songs that just stand out to me as songs that make fall one of the most beautiful seasons Mother Nature has to offer mankind.
charms of its leading man to even work, or an opus 15 years in the making, a full-bodied triumph of filmmaking that takes on no less than an entire life and shows someone coming of age in real-time? Yeah, me too.
Stone, “Birdman;” Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods” 2015 Winner: Patricia Arquette 2020 Winner: Patricia Arquette
Contact Nicole Bilyak at nbilyak01@saintmarys.edu
Best Original Screenplay Best Actor Nominees: Steve Carrell, “Foxcatcher;” Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper;” Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game;” Michael Keaton, “Birdman;” Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything” 2015 Winner: Eddie Redmayne 2020 Winner: Michael Keaton
Nominees: “Birdman,” “Boyhood,” “Foxcatcher,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Nightcrawler” 2015 Winner: “Birdman” 2020 Winner: “The Grand Budapest Hotel” “You see? There are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. Indeed, that’s what we provide in our own modest, humble, insignificant…”
Best Actress Nominees: Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night;” Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything;” Julianne Moore, “Still Alice;” Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl;” Reese Witherspoon, “Wild” 2015 Winner: Julianne Moore 2020 Winner: Rosamund Pike Part of my inspiration in advocating for the five-yearslater rule is avoiding the Oscars’ annual practice of disguising lifetime achievement awards as competitive ones. Rather than give Moore an “it’s time” trophy for a perfectly fine turn in a movie that no one has watched since the weeks immediately before and after the 2015 Oscars, I’m rewarding Pike for one of the most legitimately unhinged performances I’ve ever seen — and, hopefully, avoiding a gimme trophy for her in 20 years.
Best Adapted Screenplay Nominees: “American Sniper,” “The Imitation Game,” “Inherent Vice,” “The Theory of Everything,” “Whiplash” 2015 Winner: “The Imitation Game” 2020 Winner: “Inherent Vice” There’s some accounting for degree of difficulty here; rather than the staid biography-to-biopic route of “American Sniper,” “Imitation Game” and “Theory of Everything,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaptation of one of Thomas Pynchon’s most labyrinthine novels takes the author’s nigh-inoperable prose and makes it not only comprehensible, but compelling.
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees: “Big Hero 6,” “The Boxtrolls,” “How To Train Your Dragon 2,” “Song of the Sea,” “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” 2015 Winner: “Big Hero 6” 2020 Winner: “The Lego Movie” I know I said in my original piece that the original nominations can’t be altered five years later; that doing so would remove the Oscars’ status as a snapshot of a year in cinematic history. I lied. It is baffling that “The Lego Movie” — not only the best animated movie of 2014, but the best one of the decade — wasn’t even nominated. Everything isn’t awesome, but “The Lego Movie” is.
Nominees: Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood;” Laura Dern, “Wild;” Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game;” Emma
Contact Jake Winningham at jwinning@nd.edu
Best Supporting Actor Nominees: Robert Duvall, “The Judge;” Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood;” Edward Norton, “Birdman;” Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher;” J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash” 2015 Winner: J.K. Simmons 2020 Winner: J.K. Simmons If the Oscars gave out awards pro-wrestling-style, Simmons would have the Supporting Actor title belt for the foreseeable future. I’ll just leave this here.
ELLIS RIOJAS | The Observer
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The observer | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
By COLLEEN FISCHER Scene Writer
Bechdel test? Who is she? “Unpregnant” is a film in which two female friends talk about everything other than boys. This film handles the most contentious issue facing the tri-campus community with realistic comedy and grace, humanizing women who get abortions in the process. “Unpregnant” features a 17-year-old protagonist, Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson), who has, thus far, lived up to her Catholic parents’ expectations in every way. Although she is a diligent condom user, Veronica somehow finds herself pregnant while underage and living in Missouri. Her boyfriend is displayed as sweet, supportive and suffocating — at first. However, he quickly becomes intolerable as his motives grow obvious. Veronica, in need of an abortion without parental consent, relies on her estranged best friend, Bailey (Barbie Ferreira), to drive her across state lines to Albuquerque, New Mexico. “Unpregnant” makes use of classic movie tropes, such as road trips and buddy girl films, in order to fit complex issues and striking character development into the script. Like every good road trip movie, this movie has a fantastic soundtrack that features the Clash, the Regrettes and Kelly Clarkson at high volume. The soundtrack changes genre with who’s driving, immersing the viewer in the film while adding depth to the characters. The script never feels the need to explain itself. Instead, it relies on
By AIDAN O’MALLEY Scene Writer
“The Devil All the Time” is bad. But boy, is it the best kind of bad! Worse than a bad movie, in my opinion, is a forgettable one. You know the kind I’m talking about — those movies that exit your brain the second the credits have rolled, the kind you see on cable a year or two later and realize halfway through that you’ve seen it before. But “The Devil All the Time” is different. It is memorably bad, a movie that dares to leave an impression, no matter how foul the stench may be. Alright, I’m exaggerating. I mean, with a cast like that, how bad could it be? Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Jason Clarke, Sebastian Stan, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough, Mia Wasikowska, Haley Bennett, Eliza Scanlen — I’m out of breath! And that Netflix money, come on. Surely a film of this stature isn’t without some merit. And you would be right. “The Devil All the Time” has production value for days. It’s perfectly paced, and its menagerie of A-list actors are all charismatic as hell. (Does that count as a pun?) But it’s no “Mudbound,” or even “Lawless.” It’s two hours and 18 minutes of hollow hand wringing, a nihilistic movie about the cycle of violence that is but itself another stop in Hollywood’s cycle of multigenerational melodramas.
the viewer to infer and be okay with not being omniscient. The film uses its medium intelligently and intentionally. It often employs color grading and cinematography to reflect Veronica’s emotions, adding meaning to the dialogue. Religion is never directly addressed, but its presence is still felt. Pope Francis hangs over her family’s fireplace, and a saint medal hangs around her neck the entire film. Establishing shots feature roadside crosses, “crosses” formed by telephone poles and other images subtly revealing Veronica’s feelings about religion. But let’s talk about what the movie was really about — choice. Veronica’s choice to have an abortion is made with certainty at the beginning of the film; from there, factors like legislation, family loyalty, money and people simply get in the way. In the end, then, this one choice is seemingly less significant to her than all the choices she and her friend make along the way. Choices such as who to be friends with, who to trust and who to be. People never really seem to be sources of conflict in “Unpregnant.” Even when she is being chased by well-intentioned pro-life individuals, it seems as if their rhetoric is the problem, not them. The way that Goldenberg — the film’s director — opts for abstract antagonists like bureaucracy and belief instead of direct human enemies allows for a strong representation of the human community that is inviting and encouraging, especially following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The film humanizes not only a girl who receives an abortion but also all the people who support her along the way,
from libertarians and race car drivers to pawnshop owners. Although the film’s subjects sometimes become caricatures, this use of archetypes allows for almost universal relatability, meaning that the majority of viewers will be able to relate to at least one character; this forces viewers to realize that girls who need abortions look more like our daughters, our friends and ourselves than we sometimes like to think. In the end, the film’s central narrative asks us to contend with an important reality: the way we discuss abortion directly impacts whether young girls will feel comfortable asking for help, or hitchhike across three states instead. The greatest frustration in this film is how alone the teenagers feel, presumably because of unsentimental political discussions they have overheard and participated in throughout their lives. It makes me wonder about the invisible damage the toxic dialogue around abortion creates.
At least it’s entertaining! You’ll never be bored — that’s a Scene guarantee. “The Devil All the Time” is the kind of movie where the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen, at any given moment, is exactly what occurs. I was giggling by the end of it; I couldn’t help myself. The whole affair is so brooding, so grisly and so mean that laughter becomes a coping mechanism. The film follows an ensemble cast of characters in southern Ohio and northern West Virginia whose lives crisscross during the period between the end of WWII and the start of the Vietnam War. On one path, you have Arvin (Holland), a young man who spars with a corrupt new preacher (Pattinson). On another is his father, Willard (Skarsgård), who returns from the South Pacific with a heavy cross to bear, and who turns to the Cross itself for comfort. And the third path is followed by Carl and Sandy Penderson (Clarke and Keough), a deranged, serial killer couple whose pulpy side story is ripped from the pages of what feels like a different kind of novel. Speaking of books, the film is narrated by Donald Ray Pollock, the author of the 2011 bestseller on which the movie is based. Again, the cast is stacked, and they do good work in spite of the offensively underwritten female characters. But for a movie about the American South, it’s a little distracting how few of them are actually American — and that’s just the tip of the miscasting iceberg. Well below the water lurks Robert Pattinson, whose sing-song Southern twang has been much
maligned on Twitter, especially once it was revealed he refused to work with a dialect coach. Say what you will, but I couldn’t look away! Combine that cast with cinematographer Lol Crawley’s 35mm film, Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans’ creaking score and authentic costume and production design, and you’ve got the fittings of an Oscar contender. But the heart of “The Devil All the Time” is pitch black, and not in an insightful or illuminating way. Director Antonio Campos (“Christine”) ruminates on Christian dogma, free will and the legacy of violence, but to what end? For what purpose? I agree, bad things are bad — but “The Devil All the Time” is among them.
Contact Colleen Fischer at cfischer01@saintmarys.edu
“Unpregnant” Director: Rachel Lee Goldenberg Staring: Barbie Ferreira, Haley Lu Richardson, Alex MacNicol If you like: “Booksmart,” “Lady Bird,” “The Edge of Seventeen”
Contact Aidan O’Malley at aomalle2@nd.edu
“The Devil All the Time” Director: Antonio Campos Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgård If you like: “Mudbound,” “Lawless”
MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer
Classifieds
ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | The Observer
Crossword | Will Shortz
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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Being smart with your money will be essential this year. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something you cannot afford. Helping others out of your heart’s goodness is an admirable gesture, but not at the expense of causing personal problems or financial difficulties. Make positive changes that stabilize and secure a better future with less stress. Your numbers are 8, 17, 23, 25, 31, 37, 48. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Listen to your inner voice when dealing with controversial issues. Keep your opinions to yourself, and someone will offer you enough information to make the best decision regarding your lifestyle and the path to follow. Romance is featured. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A diligent approach to better health and fitness is encouraged. Taking an unnecessary gamble will lead to anxiety. Focus on what you can do without jeopardizing your health. You’ll discover a smart way to live up to your obligations without risk. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Stick to the facts, and refuse to let anyone entice you to do something detrimental to your status, reputation or a meaningful relationship. Someone will offer a false impression as to how well a person is doing emotionally or financially. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put greater emphasis on how you handle your responsibilities. Doing a job to the best of your ability will alleviate criticism. Don’t argue with someone who is trying to make you look bad. Take the high road, and be discreet. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Do what comes naturally, and don’t stop until you reach your destination. How you handle situations will dictate the results. Use your charm, and give a friendly nudge to someone you need in order to complete your journey. Romance is on the rise. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A change at home will relieve tension. Keep your finances in order, and refuse to get involved in joint ventures that have a risk factor. A hasty decision will lead to repercussions. When in doubt, you are best to sit tight. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll be motivated to make changes in your life where relationships and personal goals are concerned. Don’t back down because someone is enticing you to indulge or is using manipulative tactics to change your mind. Romance is on the rise. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): How you present yourself and your ideas will matter. Leave nothing to chance, pay close attention to detail and be prepared to make last-minute changes as you move forward. Don’t take risks with your health or reputation. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Taking on a mental or physical challenge will pump you up and encourage you to make a lifestyle change. Listen to your heart when it comes to love and romance, and plan to spend quality time with someone special. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You can do things your way as long as you stick to basic rules and regulations. If you exaggerate or make promises you cannot keep, you can expect repercussions. A change at home will affect your finances. Don’t spend impulsively. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): An opportunity to use your skills, talents and experience to increase your income looks promising. Be open with someone you love, and you’ll come up with a plan that will allow you to spend more time together. Romance is in the stars. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Stick to facts, do whatever it takes to keep the peace and avoid getting involved in matters that don’t concern you. You can be a good listener without meddling. If you offer suggestions, you’ll be the one blamed if things don’t work out. Birthday Baby: You are empathetic, proactive and creative. You are ambitious and charismatic.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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The observer | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Sports Authority
Sports Authority
NFL Picks Week 3: Predictions for every game
MLB season will be a crazy show
Thomas A. Zwiller Sports Writer
My current record picking games this NFL season is 10-6 in Week 1 and 13-3 in Week 2. Hopefully, Week 3 goes just as well because 23-9 is a clip I would ver y much like to keep going at. I don’t really know if it’s sustainable, but here goes nothing.
Dolphins @ Jaguars The Dolphins are 0-2 ,albeit to prett y good teams. However, the Jaguars are 1-1, also against good teams. It’ll be a close game, but I think quarterback play w ill be the difference. Fitzmagic hasn’t been all that magical this year, so I’ll take the Jaguars and Gardner Minshew.
Panthers @ Chargers The Chargers just held the Chiefs to 23 and barely lost in an OT. The Panthers lost CMC to a high ank le sprain in the loss to the Buccaneers, and he was the one silver lining this year for the Panthers. Give me the ‘bolts.
Bears @ Falcons The Bears 2-0 is pretty much a mirage winning against weak teams. They had a comeback win because the Lions remembered they’re Detroit and they can’t have anything nice, and a win over the Giants. The Falcons proved they can score at the very least, so Falcons.
Rams @ Bills The Rams won a tough game against the Cowboys and a less tough game against the Eagles, while the Bills beat up on the Jets and the Dolphins. I think the Rams take this one, but it’ll be a close one and a good one.
Washington @ Browns Cleveland seemed to rebound beating the Bengals, even if the Bengals aren’t that good. Washington has an inconsistent offense, and Dway ne Haskins has had some struggles. I think the Brow ns can w in this one, and I’m not sure it’ll be super close.
Titans @ Vikings Ryan Tannehill has been playing at a good level, and Derrick Henry has been able to pick up the yards for the Titans. Kirk Cousins has
been playing terribly for the Vikings, throwing four interceptions in just two games. I’ll take the Titans in this one.
Raiders @ Patriots The Patriots come off of a close loss to the Seahawks, but Cam New ton has been play ing at a high level that reminds me of his MV P run w ith Carolina. The Raiders come off of a good w in vs. the Saints, but I think the Pats are better than any team the Raiders have played. The Patriots beat the Raiders in a good game.
49ers @ Giants The 49ers lost Raheem Mostert, Nick Bosa, Jimmy Garoppolo, Solomon Thomas and George Kittle — to name a few. That being said, the Giants lost Saquon Bark ley and w ill be rely ing on Daniel Jones to get them through the rest of the season. I think it’ll be the 49ers, but it’ll be an ugly game.
Bengals @ Eagles Carson Wentz and his Eagles haven’t been playing ver y well. The Eagles defense leaves something to de desired, and Carson has been play ing prett y poorly, posting 4 interceptions in two games. The Bengals, who have yet to w in a game, saw a great performance out of Joe Burrow against the Brow ns. I think it could be close, but this is the week the Eagles bounce back.
Texans @ Steelers The Texans lost to both the Chiefs and the Ravens in two tough games but kept it reasonably close. The Steelers w ins come from beating the Giants and Broncos in fairly close games. I think this game w ill be more or less the same, a close game that the Steelers w in. The Texans just don’t have an adequate offense, and the Steelers defense is play ing as good as they did last year.
Buccaneers @ Broncos While the Buccaneers win against the Panthers wasn’t the most convincing, it did show that Tampa can score and move the ball, largely thanks to Leonard Fournette and his 100 yards and 2 TDs. The Broncos narrowly lost both of their games but lost Drew Lock to injury and will be signing Blake Bortles. I’m giving this one to Tom Brady and his Bucs.
Lions @ Cardinals Kyler Murray is really coming into his ow n this season, especially w ith weapons like DeAndre Hopkins and Larr y Fitzgerald. The Lions have now lost back-to-back games in which they held a double-digit lead. I’ll take the Cards as the Lions sink to a dismal 0-3.
Cowboys @ Seahawks The Cowboys got a w in not really through merit, but because the Falcons had a truly unique collapse. The Seahawks have Russell Wilson, who in my opinion is the clear MV P frontrunner. Using a head-to-head comparison, the Seahawks beat the Falcons by 13, whereas the Cowboys won by 1. I think the Seahawks w in this one, thanks to Russell Wilson, of course.
Packers @ Saints Aaron Rodgers continues to look much improved, meanwhile the Saints come off a tough loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Saints may be at home, but Drew Brees seems to be showing his age. His accuracy and QBR have dropped off a cliff. Give me the Pack.
Chiefs @ Ravens These teams are ridiculously skilled, and I think we w ill see these t wo battle it out for the AFC crow n on Championship Sunday. That being said, w ith the Ravens at home and the Chiefs coming off a shak y w in vs. the Chargers, Big Truss.
Jets @ Colts The Jets are 0-2, losing to the Bills and 49ers, and looking pretty unimpressive. Sam Darnold isn’t playing well, and with Le’Veon Bell injured, the Jets simply don’t have an offense. The Colts offense is mediocre thanks to an inconsistent Phillip Rivers, but a good defensive performance against the Vikings makes me think the Colts can win.
Week 2 Losses: Raiders vs. Saints (I had the Saints), Vikings vs. Colts (I had the Vikings), Patriots vs. Seahawks (I had the Patriots). Contact Thomas A. Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Nate Moller Sports Writer
The 2020 MLB regular season is coming to an end soon, which means that the postseason is just around the corner. The regular season has been any thing but normal, and it appears that the postseason w ill be just as cra zy as well. The format for the 2020 postseason is ver y different compared to a normal season. Ty pically, there are only five teams in each league allowed into the playoffs (div ision w inner plus t wo w ildcards). This year, however, there w ill be a total of eight teams from each league (top t wo in each div ision plus t wo w ild cards). To make matters even cra zier, the opening round of the playoffs w ill be only the best of three series. This expanded field and three-game series could allow lower-seeded teams w ith strong starting pitchers to upset higher-seeded teams. Consider a team like the Cleveland Indians. A lthough Cleveland hasn’t officially clinched a spot in the playoffs yet, it appears that the Indians w ill be the number seven seed and w ill play one of the div ision w inners. The Indians w ill surely pitch Shane Bieber in the first game. Bieber has arguably had one of the most dominant seasons for a starting pitcher in the last decade, and he is basically a lock for the Cy Young Award this season. On the year, Bieber has a 1.74 ER A and is averaging an absurd 13.9 strikeouts per nine innings as of Sunday. Additionally out of his eleven starts on the year, Bieber has an 8-1 record. If you’re not a baseball stats person, this means that a w in is practically guaranteed when Bieber is on the mound. In addition to Bieber, the Indians have Zach Plesac and Carlos Carrasco in their starting rotations. W hile neither of them have been near the dominance of Bieber, both of them are proven starters who w ill keep the Indians in the game at the ver y least. The point that I am making w ith the Indians is that while they are a team
w ith a below-average offense (27th in MLB in runs scored and 24th in batting average), their dangerous starting rotation gives them the abilit y to beat any team in baseball in a three-game series. There are other teams who — like the Indians — look like they are going to make the playoffs as a lower seed, but have a strong ace on their pitching staff that could prove v ital in a three-game series. Some examples include the Saint Louis Cardinals and their ace Adam Wainw right and the Cincinnati Reds w ith their ace Trevor Bauer. One of these teams may match up w ith the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round, and although the Dodgers have been the best team in baseball throughout the year, facing either of these aces in the first round could put them on upset alert. Another interesting aspect of the first round is that all three games w ill be played at the higher seed’s home ballpark. Without fans, that doesn’t seem like a huge deal, but for some teams, home-field advantage has still been ver y important this year. Look at the Minnesota Tw ins, for example. The Tw ins have been v irtually unbeatable when play ing at Target field this year, and they currently boast a leaguebest 21-5 home record. On the road, however, the Tw ins have been less than stellar and have a record of 12-17. The Tw ins are likely looking at the four or five seed, and this last week of the season w ill be ver y important if they want to be in a good position to break their abysmal 16-game playoff losing streak. Looking past the first round, the playoff format w ill look similar to what it has been in the past. The second round w ill consist of a best of five series that is played in San Diego and Los Angeles for the American League and Houston and Arlington for the National League. The League Championships w ill be a seven-game series in San Diego for the AL and Arlington for the NL. The World Series w ill then be a seven-game series in Arlington. I think most of the upsets that occur this postseason see MOLLER PAGE 15
sports
ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | The Observer
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Fantasy Football Week 3: Start them or sit them Gavin Aitken, Jamison Cook, Elizaeth Gasiorowski, Andrew McGuiness, Justice Mory and Sam Ouhaj Sports Writers
Week 2 of the NFL was filled with great comebacks, questionable play calls and unfortunately, a vast amount of injuries. In just Week 2 alone, there was a record-setting seven ACL tears in one day and a vast amount of other injuries. These injuries affected the likes of star running backs Christian McCaffery and Saquon Barkley, as well as last year’s defensive rookie of the year Nick Bosa. While Bosa is not a standalone fantasy player like CMC and Barkley, these injuries are significant for fantasy owners, as everyone who was injured during Week 2 had a significant impact on the field in terms of production. Today at Fantasy Corner, we will give you a player to sit and a player to start, as well as who to pick up with the number of injuries that have plagued the league.
Sam Ouhaj Must Play — Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts Jonathan Taylor had an amazing showing against the Minnesota Vikings in his first career start, in which
he rushed for 101 yards on 26 attempts and a touchdown. After Marlon Mack went down with an Achilles tear in Week 1, many were interested to see how the rookie out of Wisconsin would perform, and let me just say he did not disappoint. Now Taylor is set to face one of the worst run defenses in the league against the New York Jets. Last week, The New York Jets let Raheem Mosert rush for 92 yards on 8 attempts and a touchdown before he would be sidelined with an ankle injury. The injuries did not stop there, as later on the 49ers number two back Tevin Coleman would also be injured. Even though the 49ers lost their number one and two backs, Jerrick McKinnon came right in and picked up the slack by rushing 3 times for 77 yards and a touchdown. The Jets seem to have no identity and look lost on the field, which gives me hope for Taylor this Sunday. Must Sit — Deshaun Watson, QB, Texans Ever since Bill O’Brien decided to trade one of the best wide receivers in the league, DeAndre Hopkins, for an aging running back and a couple of picks, it feels that the Texans have little to no offense. Yes, the Texans do have Deshaun Watson, who many consider being a top 10 quarterback in the league, but Paid Advertisement
Coach O’Brien has done nothing to help him. Last week against the Ravens, Watson got eaten alive for five sacks and had little to no time to throw. The Texans’ offensive line has been notorious for being terrible, but has always been bailed out by Watson — a magician in the pocket. However, I just cannot see it going anywhere this year, and that is mainly due to the weapons Watson has around him. DeAndre Hopkins demands attention on the field which opens up space for the likes of Will Fuller V and Kenny Stills, but do you honestly think Brandon Cooks, the Texans’ “replacement” for DeAndre Hopkins, does the same? The Texans are set to face the Steelers’ defense who have been on a tear these last two weeks. In both weeks alone, the Steelers have the most pressures on the quarterback and have been racking up sacks left and right. This Sunday is not going to look good for Watson, and I would avoid him at all costs. Who to pick up? Devonta Freeman, RB, FA Mike Brown, RB, Panthers
Jamison Cook Must play — Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills Stefon Diggs was traded to the Bills in the offseason and seemed to slide on many draft
boards due to questions about how this would affect his productivity. Just two weeks into the season and Diggs has blown these reservations out of the water. He has caught eight passes in both of the Bills first two contests, and was targeted a whopping 13 times in Week 2. Diggs has become the favorite target of QB Josh Allen, who is the leader in passing yards through two weeks. With the Bills offense clicking, scoring 27 and 31 points in Weeks 1 and 2, Diggs is a surefire starter at this point in the fantasy season. They face another highflying offense in the Rams on Sunday, so make sure Diggs is in your lineup as this should be a high scoring contest. Must sit — T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts Hilton has been a disappointment thus far this season, especially with the Colts offseason addition of QB Philip Rivers. Rivers and Hilton have not developed any chemistry yet, connecting just seven times in the first two weeks of the season. This was even more frustrating for Hilton owners this past week as the Colts put on a solid offensive showing against a good Vikings defense, but Hilton was relatively absent from the box score. The Colts play the Jets this week, and since New York is a sorry excuse for a football team, this game likely won’t be close. That will mean a lot of rushing attempts for Colts’ RBs Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines, and even less targets for Hilton. Who to pick up? Jerick McKinnon, RB, 49ers Russell Gage, WR, Falcons
Elizabeth Gasiorowski Must Play — Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz filled the shoes of TE Blake Jarwin, who suffered an ACL tear in Week 1, incredibly well this past Sunday’s comeback win over the Falcons. Schultz had a career high nine catches with one TD for 88 yards for the Cowboys, and isn’t going to stop any time soon. Jarwin’s injury, while sadly season-ending, will provide TE 1 Schultz with the opportunity to more targets from Dak Prescott. Schultz has already stepped up his game only one week after Jarwin’s injury, so he could really settle into his role in Prescott’s offense and become a huge asset for the Cowboys in the weeks to come. Must Sit — Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints To start the season, Saints QB Drew Brees has just been pretty average in comparison to his typical outstanding performances. Brees has had two middle
of the road performances for the first two weeks of the season, falling short of his projected points for both of those games, and landing him at a QB ranking of 23rd. Brees did complete 312 pass yards this week, his sole touchdown and soft interception held his fantasy point totals back immensely. After Monday’s loss to the Raiders, Brees himself even admitted that his offense isn’t remotely close to being in sync, and I wouldn’t bet that they can turn it around so quickly against the 2-0 Packers this week. If his success in seasons past has proven anything, it’s that Drew Brees is definitely a player to keep an eye on, but until the Saints offense can really click, there are much better options at QB. Who to pick up? Mike Davis, RB, Carolina Panthers
Andrew McGuinness Must Play — James Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars Take advice from the guy who sat Tyler Higbee for his three touchdown performance last week with a grain of salt (even if I did still win by 25 points), but everything seems to be working in Robinson’s favor this week. He’s got a four-star matchup with Miami and has figured into Jacksonville’s passing game while contributing over 160 yards on the ground over his first two games, including his first touchdown of the year last week. Jaguars offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said he would be a “big part” of their gameplan in Week 2, and after a strong performance, there’s little reason to expect that would change against the Dolphins. Must Sit — Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings With Stefon Diggs traded to Buffalo over the offseason, there was a chance for Jefferson to hit the ground running in Minnesota’s offense, potentially emerging as a number two threat at receiver behind Adam Theilen. But Jefferson has only been targeted six times in Minnesota’s first two games, and though he led the Vikings in receiving yards last week, he did so with just a paltry 44 yards, actually nearly doubling his Week 1 total. In spite of that improvement, Jefferson just hasn’t proven to be a big enough focal point in Minnesota’s offense to justify a start this week. Who to pick up? TE Logan Thomas, Washington
Gavin Aitken Must Play — David see FANTASY PAGE 15
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The observer | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Kelly Continued from page 16
a team that’s physical, that utilizes our tight ends as part of our weapons we can be in spread as well.” A lthough the game has since been postponed, Coach Kelly also discussed how the team has prepared for Wake Forest. “[We’re] certainly excited about our w in last weekend,” Kelly said. “Now we get back to ACC play and a team that we’re familiar w ith in Wake Forest.” He went on to praise head coach Dave Clawson and the consistently w inning program he has put together over the years, hav ing been to four consecutive bowl games. “Their kids know how to w in,” Kelly said. “And he’s got some dy namic players. He’s got a first-round draft pick in [redshirt senior defensive lineman] Carlos Basham [Jr]. He’s going to be a guy that we’re going have to game plan for and we always know about their prolific offense and really really impressed w ith [sophomore quarterback] Sam Hartman. I mean, he’s a guy that we saw a little bit of a couple years ago and he got injured and [redshirt junior quarterback Jamie] New man came in and took over for him but he’s a ver y talented quarterback. He’s got arm talent. He’s got the host of receivers that can, as they always have at Wake Forest, a ver y ver y good passing game, and a breakaway back. “You know I think [sophomore running back Kenneth] Walker [III] is
an outstanding back he showed that against North Carolina State in particular. And [redshirt junior Christian] Biel-Smith is a one-two punch, so talented in the backfield. … Wide receivers that always even though they had one of their top guys not play this year, in [Sage] Surratt, they still continue to line up ver y talented players. Three starters back on the offensive line and then again, as I mentioned, veterans, on the defensive side of the ball. I know they’re probably not happy w ith w ith giv ing up the points they gave up but this is a defense that has a lot of experience play ing a lot of ACC games.” Kelly then broke dow n how some of Notre Dame’s talent w ill factor into their game against the Demon Deacons, beginning w ith graduate student quarterback Ian Book — who w ill be facing the team against whom he had his first start — for the first time since then. “Like any quarterback, he’s got the battle scars, plus the success, you know, 22-3, I believe, as a starter,” Kelly said. “That’s prett y good resume. If we knew that, we should’ve probably put him in sooner. He’s had a great run since going in there, so where has he grow n — obv iously leadership, knowledge of the offense. You just can’t duplicate experience, so I think just all those games that he’s played led us to v ictories and — from our standpoint — just that consistent leadership and consistent w inning when you’re 22-3.” Experience is key to senior defensive lineman
OBServer file photo
Irish graduate student quarterback Ian Book rolls out during Notre Dame’s 66-14 victory over New Mexico on Sept. 14, 2019 at home.
My ron Tagovailoa-Amosa and graduate student w ide reciever Javon McKinley as well, Kelly said. “It’s the natural development of a guy that not only has the physical tools but awareness,” Kelly said. “[Tagovailoa-Amosa is] a guy that you can’t throw a screen against because he recognizes that certainly his athleticism shows itself, but recognition of blocking schemes. Just that awareness that you get w ith experience so again I think we’re talking in terms of guys that are now play ing a lot of football, that going into this year now My ron has a great sense of what they’re tr ying to do to him, and he can defeat blocking schemes, whether it’s a run game or sav v y enough to understand whether it’s a screen or drop back pass, he’s got a complete game.” This experience comes in handy w ith their leadership, too, Kelly said. “W hen you have a guy that’s been around as a fifth year that is setting that kind of standard and model it rubs off on all the other guys,” Kelly said. “So, you know, [McKinley is] inf luencing [freshman w ide receivers] Jordan [Johnson] and Xav ier [Watts] and setting a great example, and we just got to continue to do that w ith ever ybody, and then we got to continue to get him involved in the offense as well.” Junior w ide receiver Braden Lenzy is back in action, and Kelly said the offense gains vertical stretch and speed w ith him on the field. “He’s still a guy that you have to respect because
we’ve seen what he can do w ith that kind of speed,” Kelly said. “He’s going to have to continue to stay on the field, stay healthy so he can build that consistency w ith Ian [Book] in terms of … running routes and being part of our offense, but he’s getting healthy. I think this w ill be a great week for him to kind of continue to build on that relationship w ith Ian.” Regarding the difficult y of gaining experience w ithout hav ing the experience needed to play, Kelly discussed how the Irish have adopted a “next-man-in” mentalit y and utilized it throughout the off-season up until now. “You come here w ith an expectation to play,” Kelly said. “So, first and foremost is that our players come here w ith the expectation that they’re going to come here and compete, and so we make certain that all of our players are prepared so offseason, weight room, conditioning … we’re making sure that all those guys are understanding that their number might be called. We hold the standard and develop a standard that requires all those players to be alert and be ready. There’s no coasting — you don’t take the year off and just kind of, say, ‘Well, I’m not gonna play.’ We keep ever ybody alert and … the new rule going in last year really helped a lot. Quite frank ly, when they got four games to play w ithout losing eligibilit y — and certainly this year where they don’t lose any eligibilit y — it’s kept ever ybody sharp and alert, so those t wo things are really working for you this year, as well where
these guys are really engaged and know that they can be called upon at any time.” This past weekend, for example, sophomore cornerback Cam Hart had 44 snaps at corner while graduate transfer cornerback Nick McCloud had 14. “We wanted Cam to get as many reps — he needs a lot of work out there,” Kelly said. “This was a great opportunity for him to get that kind of work. He’s coming off for shoulder surgery last year, didn’t have spring ball. This was a great opportunity for him to get those reps in, and Nick … had been getting a lot of work. So it was a great opportunity to kind of dial him back a little bit.” Sophomore linebacker Jack Kiser also saw success this weekend. “He’s gonna Wally-Pipp guys on offense, as far as I’m concerned,” Kelly said. “It was fun to watch him. He’s a good player. We’ve got a lot of good players that when given the opportunity will Wally-Pipp you … and that’s a great thing — it’s a tribute to him and being prepared. His preparation is outstanding. But we’ve got some other guys like that, too. … You look at [freshman defensive lineman] Alex Ehrensberger when he gets in there, he was playing nose guard all week on the scout team. And he gets in their defensive end and runs a great stunt, technically sound. We’ve got some guys that have been very impressive really locked in and happy for for Jack [Kiser], and there’ll be other guys. They’ll get their opportunity, too, and they’ll shine.” Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu
OBSERVER FILE PHOTO
Irish graduate student wide reciever Javon McKinley evades a swarm of defenders during Notre Dame’s 66-14 victory over New Mexico on Sept. 14, 2019 at Notre Dame Stadium. McKinley broke for a 65 yard TD.
sports
MBball Continued from page 16
coordinator since July 2019. The ver y next day, Tom Noie of the South Bend
ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | The Observer
Tribune was the first to report that current Notre Dame junior guard Robby Carmody has suffered a broken kneecap and underwent surger y Tuesday. This is the third major injur y of
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Carmody’s career, after suffering a torn labrum nine games into his freshman season and a torn ACL seven games into last year. His earliest expected return date is December.
Connery Mcfadden | The Observer
NOLA WALLACE | The Observer
Irish junior guard Dane Goodwin attacks the defense during Notre Dame’s 67-56 victory over Duquesne on Nov. 20 at Purcell Pavillion. Goodwin recorded eight points, two blocks, two boards and two assists.
Irish junior guard Prentiss Hubb passes the ball during Notre Dame’s 64-62 overtime victory over Toledo on Nov. 21 at Purcell Pavilion.
Fantasy
Moller
Continued from page 13
Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears David Montgomery has so far staked his claim as the top RB in a Bears offense that will want to rely heavily on runs with their shaky QB situation. He is so far the 17th ranked RB in fantasy football, and that should continue to go up if he continues to take more of Tarik Cohen’s share of the carries. He goes up against the Atlanta Falcons this week, who are a team in complete disarray after blowing a 20 point first-half lead against the Dallas Cowboys in embarrassing fashion. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons are unable to mentally overcome what happened last Sunday, and Montgomery should be the primary beneficiary of that weakness. Must Sit — JuJu SmithSchuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers Quite frankly, SmithSchuster’s first couple of weeks has me worried about his fantasy prospects
going forward this season. Although he currently ranks 14th at the WR position through two weeks, those points primarily come from two red-zone touchdowns off of three targets in the area. His yards per reception is a measly 9.0, miles behind teammates Dionte Johnson and Chase Claypool, and he’s currently not getting the targets to make up for this lack of distance. This could just be an early-season anomaly that will even out as the season goes on, but for now, I’d be keeping a close eye on how the offense uses him going forward. Who to pick up? Gardner Minshew, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars Myles Gaskin, RB, Miami Dolphins
Justice Mory Must Play — Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson is playing lights out, and against a questionable Cowboys secondary, Tyler Lockett will have a great opportunity to keep up his momentum, with back to back weeks of 7+ catches and 17+
Write Sports. Email Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu
fantasy points. Lockett has been quietly one of the most efficient players in the league, catching 15 of 16 targets in two weeks. Must Sit — Emmanuel Sanders, WR, New Orleans Saints With Michael Thomas out last week, some thought Emmanuel Sanders could step into that role; however, the 33-year-old receiver just did not click with Drew Brees, catching one pass on only three targets. He cannot be trusted in your fantasy lineups, regardless of the health of Michael Thomas. Who to pick up? Corey Davis, WR, Tennessee Titans Russell Gage, WR, Atlanta Falcons Contact Gavin Aitken at gaitken@nd.edu, Jamison Cook at jcook22@nd.edu, Elizabeth Gasiorowski at egasioro@nd.edu, Andrew McGuiness at amcquinn@ nd.edu, Justice Mory at jmory@ nd.edu and Sam Ouhaj The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Continued from page 12
w ill occur in the first round because of the shortened series, and then after that, I expect the top teams to dominate for the most part. W hile I think it is good to create a bubble for the later rounds of the playoffs, it could be a disadvantage for teams like the Tw ins who have played significantly better at home this year. With all this talk about the playoff format, you are probably wondering who I think has a good chance to w in the World Series title. A lot of this w ill depend on the matchups in the first round, but I’d like the Yankees and Dodgers to meet in the World Series. This was the matchup that ever yone anticipated when the season began, and it is looking more and more likely w ith the Yankees finally hitting their stride over the last t wo weeks. In my opinion, the Dodgers are the clear favorite in the National League,
and the American League is more w ide open. Other than the Yankees, I could see the Rays, W hite Sox or Tw ins being in the mix if things play out right. The Rays arguably have one of the most balanced teams in baseball, the W hite Sox have a solid rotation w ith a young, dangerous lineup and the Tw ins have finally gotten their potent lineup healthy. The Athletics have also been great this year, but the loss of third basemen Matt Chapman has hurt them greatly as of late. A lthough this postseason might be one of the cra ziest baseball has ever seen, I am ver y excited about it. I’m a big proponent of allow ing extra teams in the playoffs, and I’m excited to see what baseball looks like under this expanded format. Let the October Madness begin. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | wednesday, september 23, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Football
Notre Dame-Wake Forest game postponed Observer Sports Staff
Notre Dame’s away game against Wake Forest, previously scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed after seven players tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday. All football activities have been paused until further notice, according to a press release from the Notre Dame football’s PR team. Ninety-four tests were given to members of the Notre Dame football team Monday, of which seven returned positive results, according to a press release sent to media outlets. There are currently 10 football studentathletes in quarantine and 13 in isolation, the release said. With regard to football, Notre Dame announced prior to Saturday’s matchup with South Florida that eight players would be out, with the only previously announced one being sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton, who suffered a sprained ankle the previous week against Duke. The Notre Dame PR team released their weekly testing numbers Monday saying that, out of 232 administered, four
athletes tested positive for COVID-19 and six more were in quarantine due to contact tracing. None of those ten players competed against South Florida. Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports then reported the following day that Notre Dame would not be practicing Tuesday. Soon after Notre Dame’s PR team announced that, following 94 tests administered Monday, seven more athletes tested positive. The Irish now have 13 players in isolation and 10 in quarantine. Though Saturday’s contest against Wake Forest has been postponed indefinitely, the statement said both universities have begun taking steps to reschedule. Both the Irish and the Demon Deacons have a bye scheduled for Oct. 3 and could theoretically delay the matchup a week in that instance. Brian Kelly previously said in a press conference with the media that it would be a tall order for a team to play a Saturday football game if they were forced to miss Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday practices.
ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
Irish senior linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah during Notre Dame’s 35-20 victory over Virginia on Sept. 28 at Notre Dame Stadium. Owusu-Koramoah led the team in tackles in the game with seven total.
Football
nd Men’s Basketball
Irish lose Ryan Ayers; Carmody breaks kneecap Observer Sports Staff
The Notre Dame men’s basketball team lost two key pieces early this week. First, Notre Dame Athletics Communications put out a t weet Monday w ith the news that former Irish guard and current men’s basketball assistant coach Ryan Ayers would be leav ing the program. The statement was vague, w ith the only explanation for Ayers’ departure being that he is “pursuing other opportunities.” After graduating in 2009 follow ing four years w ith the Irish, Ayers was an assistant for another four seasons follow ing a brief stint as an assistant coach at Bucknell, where his brother played. He w ill be replaced by newly named interim assistant coach and former Irish/Valparaiso guard Scott Martin, who had been ser ving as the program’s development and recruiting see MBBALL PAGE 15
Kelly talks victory over Bulls By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Writer
OBSERVER FILE PHOTO
Irish junior guard Dane Goodwin drives to the paint during Notre Dame’s 80-72 win over Georgia Tech on Feb. 1 at Purcell Pavillion.
Notre Dame football head coach Brian Kelly took to Zoom again Monday to answer questions from the press about Saturday’s 52-0, shut out w in over the South Florida Bulls, the outcome Kelly had been hoping for. As he said at half time, he was tired of being “the nice guy.” “First of all, I didn’t know that that was going to go public. If I knew it was public I probably would have articulated it a little bit differently. But hav ing said that, what I meant is, first of all we respect our opponents in ever y thing that we do,” Kelly said. “So this this had nothing to do w ith not respecting our opponents. This had ever y thing to do w ith us, in terms of how I wanted our team. We have a way of looking at four quarters of football. We didn’t start fast and we did in this game. But I wanted to make
sure we finished strong. And so the comments were really about finishing strong and emphasizing that regardless of what the score was, I didn’t want any let up. I wanted our guys to have a mindset that we have to do so many things to get to Saturday. It’s really hard w ith all that’s going on that I didn’t want our guys to get distracted at any time. I wanted them to stay locked in, stay focused and get after it for four quarters. Again, great respect for our opponent regardless of who it was, I could have said that against team. It was centered squarely on how I wanted our team to perform and finish what we started.” The Irish did not let their foot off the gas in the second half against the Bulls. “You have seen a lot of t wo tight end sets, you’ve seen three tight end sets,” Kelly said. “We’re deep there at that position. We want to be see KELLY PAGE 14