PDF for Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013

Fall break pilgrimages deepen faith

Students sojourn to Canadian and Polish holy sites

By NICOLE McALEE news writer

w

hile many notre dame students headed home for fall break, a few spent last week as pilgrims, visiting holy sites in canada and poland as part of pilgrimages organized by the office of campus ministry.

a ndrew polaniecki, director of campus ministry at holy cross college, and Fr. stephen lacroix led 27 notre dame students and six holy cross students on a pilgrimage to the oratory of saint Joseph in montreal, Quebec, where the tomb of saint a ndre Bessette, the first saint from the congregation of holy cross, is

SMC students serve Peruvian communities

By HALEIGH EHMSEN news writer

saint mary’s campus ministry gave five students the opportunity to travel to peru on a pilgrimage over fall break.

upon their arrival in piura, peru, the saint mary’s pilgrimage group was greeted by staff from the santismo sacramento parish, assistant director of saint mary’s campus ministry regina wilson said.

“[The students] talked about feeling nervous, about what to expect, but being welcomed by smiling faces and a big sign communicated that there were people on that end happy to see

Latino poets end series on campus Coffee cart offers students sustenance in DeBartolo

By CHARLIE DUCEY news writer

as of this week, students with morning classes in deBartolo hall no longer need to get their coffee fix in another building and then rush across campus.

a brand new au Bon pain coffee cart opened in the middle of deBartolo hall on monday.

The coffee cart, located next to the 101 deBartolo auditorium in deBartolo hall, delivers on a campaign promise alex coccia and nancy Joyce made during their 2013 election bid.

The stand, known as the “deBart coffee cart,” is open monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and offers both hot beverages and pastries to students and staff on their way to and from deBartolo classes.

student government partnered with notre dame Food services to make the coffee cart a reality, student body president alex coccia said. coccia said he appreciates the support from Food services and other university departments.

“Food services has done a tremendous job putting together the coffee cart to ensure that it runs smoothly,” coccia said. “we cannot thank them and John affleck graves’ entire office enough for their service to the students.”

The manager of au Bon pain, christina ryan, said she was impressed with the success of the coffee cart so far.

“[Tuesday] is only the second day that the cart has been open for business, and we have already doubled the number of students

served. we served 171 yesterday, which was pretty amazing,” ryan said. “as expected, we have been going through a lot of coffee, six gallons after only a couple of hours today.”

ryan also said students have voiced their appreciation and she hopes to add to the menu in the future to best serve students.

“i’ve heard a lot of good feedback from students,” ryan said. “we’re here for the students.

By LESLEY STEVENSON news writer

“latino/a poetry now,” a poetry tour that has visited five universities over a span of two years, will conclude at notre dame with readings from four acclaimed latino poets.

The poetry reading will take place today at 7:30 p.m. in the eck visitors center auditorium and will feature visiting poets Blas Falconer, raina J. león, maria melendez and John murillo.

Jose limón, director of the institute of latino studies, said the poets’ visit would showcase a different facet of latino culture.

“at a time when latinos are much in the news for largely sociological and political reasons, we should also remember them as makers of poetry, as will be wonderfully exemplified by this gathering of prime poetic talent,” limón said.

Francisco a ragón, director of letras latinas and curator of the series, said a goal of the series is not just to raise awareness of latino poetry, but also to show

the variety of approaches and styles among latino poets.

“one of the things i hoped to accomplish with this initiative was to demonstrate the aesthetic diversity of contemporary latino poetry,” a ragón said.

a ragón said he edited “The wind shifts,” an anthology of modern latino poetry in 2009 and planned the tour “latino/a poetry now” to complement the anthology. he said he chose the 15 poets who participated in the series to demonstrate the diversity and experimentalism of new latino poetry.

The four poets who will be featured in today’s event exemplify this diversity, which is a reflection of the diversity within the overall latino community, a ragón said.

“i hope that what people will come away with is that the four poets that we’ll be presenting are very different,” a ragón said. “i think one of the things they’ll notice as well [is that] each poet is very different in their own

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Policies

Question of the Day:

Katy Harris-Forkner freshman regina hall

“a gigantic pumpkin.”

David Lee senior Fisher hall

“Full pumpkin suit.”

Maria Mueller freshman mccandless hall “pebbles.”

Have a question you want answered? Email

Tre Haskins senior morrissey manor “derrick rose.”

Samantha Kerper freshman holy cross hall

“Jesse p inkman of ‘Breaking Bad.’”

Troy Suter senior off-campus “e minem.”

The Snite Museum of Art currently houses California artist Jaime Guerrero’s glasswork exhibit “Torpor.” The exibition of handblown and sculpted glass sculptures will be on display until Dec. 8.

Wednesday

Lecture: “Irish Step Dancing as Cultural and Embodied Knowledge” Flanner Hall

12 p.m.-1 p.m.

Given by University of Limerick’s Dr. Foley.

Wellness Wednesday

South Quad

5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Mock tailgate with snacks.

Thursday

Notre Dame Award for International Human Development and Solidarity Hesburgh Center

4 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

Recognizes honoree Jacqueline Nonogratz.

Zen Meditation Coleman-Morse Center

5:15 p.m.-6:15 p.m. Meets in meditation room.

Friday

Workshop: “Cheating Lessons” Hesburgh Library

10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

James M. Lang will discuss his book about learning from academic dishonesty.

Glee Club Fall Concert DeBartolo Center 8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Family friendly show.

Saturday

Saturday Scholar Series

Snite Museum of Art 12 p.m.-1 p.m.

Discussion about the chapels of Notre Dame.

Black Image Washington Hall 8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Annual talent show.

Sunday

Notre Dame

Volleyball Joyce Center 2 pm.-4 p.m.

The Irish take on Pittsburgh in the Purcell Pavilion.

Rejoice! Mass Coleman-Morse Center 8 p.m.-9 p.m. Mass and choir practice.

nasa seeks help from notre dame physics professor

By EMILY McCONVILLE news writer

despite the government shut down, nasa’s search for inhabitable planets beyond our solar system goes on, and one notre dame professor has been asked to directly lend his expertise to the effort.

nasa has named notre dame assistant professor of physics Justin crepp as one of 11 kepler participating scientists, a role in which he will join the kepler mission’s search for extrasolar planets capable of supporting life.

crepp will study the readings of the kepler spacecraft, which detects possible planetary bodies orbiting stars thousands of lights years away and flags them as kepler objects of interest (kois).

crepp said kepler works by measuring the intensity of each stars’ light and detecting any changes. w hen a planet passes in front of a star, it creates a kind of “shadow” perceptible to the spacecraft. This process requires that kepler measure a large number of stars, he said.

crepp said such planets can only be detected under specific and fortunate circumstances.

“you have to be lucky in the sense that the planet has to be just at the right orientation that, relative to you, it’s blocking the star,” crepp said. “if it has a face-on orbit, then you’re never going to see it. so we figure out the geometry and the probability of a planet passing in front of a star, and it depends on the size of the planet and how far away

it is, et cetera et cetera. kepler finds those fortuitous events, we make a list of [kepler objects of interest] kois, and then we study those kois individually.”

each koi could be etiher a planet or a kind of “false positive,” such as a binary system in which two stars revolve around each other, crepp said.

crepp said his and notre dame’s access to the large Binocular Telescope in a rizona, which has been used to look at some of the thousands of kois that kepler detects and identify them as planets, helped him in his application to be a kepler participating scientist.

“my particular role is to do imaging follow-up of any stars that kepler seems to find as potentially interesting,” crepp said.

in addition to working with the kepler mission, crepp said he is working on a proposal to develop an instrument that detects planets orbiting small stars that are nearer to earth

— kepler can only detect those that are more than 1,000 lightyears away. he said the new instrument would use the doppler method to measure the “wobble” of stars as the stars’ and planets’ gravitational fields affect one another.

The ultimate goal of developing such a device is to find nearby planets with the right characteristics, including a sufficiently developed atmosphere, to support extraterrestrial life, crepp said.

Contact Emily McConville at emcconv1@nd.edu

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Experts debate benefits of nuclear disarmament

By KAYLA MULLEN news writer

more than 60 years after they were used in world war ii, nuclear weapons still play a crucial role in foreign policy and the issue of nuclear disarmament is increasingly becoming a topic of contention.

l ast night in the a ndrews auditorium of g eddes hall professors david cortwright and sebastian rosato faced off in a debate titled, “a nuclear e xchange: does the world need the Bomb?”

p rofessor cortwright, director of policy studies at notre dame’s k roc i nstitute for i nternational peace studies and former executive director of the committee for a sane nuclear policy, argued in favor of nuclear disarmament and p rofessor rosato, associate professor of political science and director of notre dame’s i nternational s ecurity p rogram, argued against nuclear disarmament.

i n the debate, each professor had 10 minutes to defend their position, followed by a threeminute rebuttal from the other professor. a fter this debate the floor was opened to the audience for questions.

cortwright began his argument by stating that disarmament would eliminate the threat of nuclear war. he

USC

also said disarming increases a country’s international standing.

“disarmament is good for security. Those who give up nuclear weapons increase their standing in the world,” cortwright said.

disarmament lessens political tensions, facilitates policy cooperation and diminishes the risk of nuclear war,

“Disarmament is the most sustainable form of peace.”

David Cortwright director of policy studies Kroc Institute

cortwright said. he said the concept of mutually assured destruction as a deterrence to war is invalid.

“nuclear deterrence did not prevent war nor will it in the future,” cortwright said.

The only completely guaranteed option the world has to maintain peace is to disarm all nuclear weapons, c ortwright said.

“disarmament is the most sustainable form of peace,” cortwright said.

This disarmament process would be long, but could be achieved by international cooperation, arms agreements and

strict inspections, c ortwright said. a crucial step will be the u s. agreeing to disarm.

“however, the united states cannot support disarmament while holding nuclear weapons; it is like preaching p rohibition from a bar stool,” cortwright said.

rosato began his defense by declaring that nuclear weapons are instruments of peace. he said nuclear weapons provide security to the nations that possess them.

“The core logic of nuclear weapons is security,” rosato said.

The possession of nuclear weapons by all creates peace through deterrence, rosato said. a country will not attack another country if they are aware of the consequences that will result from that attack. Thus, no one will attack a country with nuclear arms since the consequence would be mass destruction, rosato said.

“you introduce nukes, you end wars,” rosato said. other topics touched on in the debate included the possibility of accidental nuclear use, consequences of terroristic organizations obtaining nuclear weapons and the realistic chances of disarmament occurring in the world.

Contact Kayla Mullen at kmullen2@nd.edu

weekend deemed calm in spite of high attendance

By ANN MARIE JAKUBOWSKI news e ditor

notre dame’s oct. 19 matchup against usc under the lights brought season-high attendance for game day activities on campus, director of game day operations mike seamon said.

“it was a great weekend for the university,” seamon said. “as anticipated, it was a very active few days and nights on campus. This game was consistent with the two previous night games, usc [in] 2011 and michigan [in] 2012, in terms of activity and excitement of campus.”

That activity included more than 1,400 guests at the Friday Football luncheon, 4,765 guests

in the Friday stadium tunnel tour and more than 10,000 fans at the pep rally, he said. an estimated total of more than 110,000 guests flooded campus that saturday.

“it was great to see coach [Brian] kelly and the team welcome [former] coach [lou] holtz and the 1988 national championship team at the pep rally Friday evening,” seamon said. “having the two teams present underscored the significance of the nd-usc rivalry and how important the game is to our players and fans.”

seamon said they saw a “noticeable uptick in activity” once the morning rain cleared, with significantly more vehicles and visitors to campus.

phil Johnson, chief of police for

ndsp, said his team made two arrests at the stadium on game day, both for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. he said postgame traffic proved to be a significant factor for police.

“given the close score, fans stayed until the end of the game,” Johnson said. “and unlike afternoon games, when some fans remain on campus for mass, dinner, tailgating or to enjoy sites on campus, following a night game everyone leaves campus at the same time.

“area police agencies worked diligently to facilitate a safe traffic flow on area roadways. There were no reported traffic crashes,” he said.

despite the traffic congestion, seamon said the post-game exit went relatively smoothly.

“The post-game traffic was heavy,” he said. “everyone simply wanted to leave at once since it had been a long day. But thankfully everyone left safe and sound and there were no major postgame incidents.”

Contact Ann Marie Jakubowski at ajakubo1@nd.edu

Students contest suitable costume ideas

By THERESA SIVER news writer

The g ender and women’s studies program at saint mary’s college and the g ender studies program at notre dame came together monday to present “w hat does your halloween costume say about you?,” an event featuring monologues and skits designed to spark conversations about the cultural insensitivity of many popular costumes.

payton moore, a junior at saint mary’s, opened the night

with a skit showing the prevalence of culturally offensive costumes and the lack of realization that some costumes are inappropriate.

“it’s like if i accidentally punched nikki in the face, and said ‘oh sorry, but come on you’re just being too sensitive. it isn’t like i meant to punch you in the face.’ Fact of the matter is i still punched her in the face causing harm which is foul,” moore said.

she said she used this example to impress the point that just because there may be no

malintent behind a costume, there can still be offense.

a ngela Bird, a notre dame sophomore, followed moore’s skit with an anecdote in hopes of instilling a similar message. Bird recounted her experience with a “native a mericans and hoes” themed party and the effect of her standing up against the politically incorrect theme.

“i posted a picture of the ‘it’s not a costume, it’s a culture’ poster on the event wall. The picture was quickly taken down and i received a message from the hosts soon after,” Bird said.

The hosts told Bird that no one was hurt by politically incorrect theme parties and she was wasting her time by interfering because the party was ironic.

“satire is supposed to move upwards and hit the powerful, not those who are already vulnerable,” Bird said.

Jamie wagman, associate professor of history and gender and women’s studies at saint mary’s, said she hopes this event would inspire more events centered around open discussion.

“i see this as a starting point

… we have many people committed to keeping the conversation alive, but we need students to get involved,” wagman said. abby palko, director of undergraduate studies in the gender studies program at notre dame, expressed similar hopes. “i want students to realize they have a voice and can be heard,” palko said. “we need to keep the dialogue going between saint mary’s and notre dame women, especially.”

Contact Theresa Siver at tsiver01@saintmarys.edu

way, and yet they’re all under this banner of latino poetry.

“one of the messages that we try to convey is that the latino community, the latino population is not a homogenous population, it’s a very diverse population including its art making and its poetry.”

a ragón said students often experience poetry in a completely different way when they listen to a poet read rather than read the words silently to themselves.

“oftentimes when i teach a class and i ask, ‘w ho here has been to a poetry reading?’, very few hands go up,” he said. “we think of theatre as sort of a form of literature in performance but we don’t often think of poetry as being literature in performance, and oftentimes students have come up to me and said that hearing the poet read his or her work out loud gives them insights that they didn’t have when they were encountering the work just on the page.”

a ragón said the four poets visited two courses in romance languages and latino studies yesterday and would visit his own “latino/a poetry now” class this morning. he said the poets would likely appreciate the chance to talk with students who have read their work.

“my hope is that [the poets] will have an enriching time dialoguing with students who have been reading their work,” he said. “They’re going to be encountering people who have been reading and studying and writing about their work.”

a ragón said today’s poetry readings would be the culmination of more than four years of planning and executing “latino/a poetry now.”

“This particular initiative grew out of an event we did with the poetry society of a merica in los a ngeles in 2009,” he said. “we did what we called a ‘latino poets online’ roundtable discussion which we published on the website of the poetry society of a merica, and because that collaboration went really well … my counterpart at the poetry society of a merica pitched the idea of doing some programs at universities.”

The series kicked off at

harvard university in 2012 and toured to georgetown university, macalester college and the university of a rizona. poets visiting those schools visited classes and met with latino student groups, a ragón said.

Before each stop, the poets also read each other’s works and participated in an online discussion. a ragón said he posts the transcripts online and hopes to compile them into a book.

“our long term goal for those

roundtable discussions is for them to actually become a book with poetry samplings from each poet,” he said.

letras latinas, the literary program of the institute for latino studies, partnered with the poetry society of a merica to bring the event to campus, according to a university press release.

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Contact Lesley Stevenson at lsteven1@nd.edu

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maybe next fall we’ll be able to offer more.”

coccia said the “deBart cart” is the result of a simple idea but has the potential to help a lot of people.

“in our 2013 campaign, we promised to get hot caffeine in deBartolo hall,” coccia said. “we proposed something simple but that would serve the needs of students who have multiple classes a day in deBartolo and are stressed for time between them.”

student body vice president nancy Joyce said any future changes or expansion of the coffee cart would be based on the student response.

“This semester’s coffee cart is a pilot, which will be adjusted at the end of the semester to better suit the needs of students,” Joyce said.

Contact Charlie Ducey at cducey@nd.edu

Pilgrimage

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located.

“i think students get a close and personal encounter with a special man, saint andre Bessette,” polaniecki said. “no one who goes on this trip leaves without somehow being personally touched by this poor, humble, obedient servant of god.”

The pilgrims also visited the newman center community at the university of Toronto, the burial place of saint kateri

Tekakwitha at st. Francis Xavier church in kahnawake, Quebec, and other historic churches in montreal and niagara Falls.

senior Jeremy vercillo said he was surprised by the culture of French canada.

“[montreal] was very unlike any american city i had been to,” he said. “even though its population is bilingual, all of the street

signs, advertisements, menus and passing conversations were in French. people did not address you in english unless they knew you were visitors.”

Freshman Jim corcoran said he enjoyed the opportunity to grow spiritually and meet other students during the pilgrimage.

“Between the beautiful churches and the wonderful people who also went on this pilgrimage, this journey is going to be one that i remember for a long time, and one that will continue to bear fruit weeks, months, and even years after,” corcoran said. “i was the only person from old college who went this year, and i felt that as a result, i really had to branch out and meet new people. w hat a blessing.”

John paul lichon, assistant director for retreats, pilgrimages and spirituality at the office of campus ministry, led 23 notre dame students and one saint

Peru

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us arrive,” wilson said. “it was an important gesture of hospitality and helped put everyone a little more at ease.

sophomore a mbar varela said the people they met helped her and the other students feel at ease.

“no matter what their situation was all the peruvian people i met were welcoming and excited to meet our group,” varela said.

The group built a bamboo house for a peruvian family from the santismo sacramento parish, wilson said. They were helped by several men from the parish and completed the project in one morning.

Junior kristen millar said she felt the saint mary’s group developed a solidarity with the peruvian people.

“we had the opportunity to interact with peruvian workers and we were able to meet the family whose home we were building,”

mary’s college student on a weeklong pilgrimage through poland, the home country of pope John paul ii

“Because i share a name with our beloved Blessed John paul ii, i have always had a special connection with him, and i wanted to introduce students to his life and witness in faith,” lichon said.

The journey took students to several sites of importance to the life of John paul ii, including his birthplace of wadowice, wawel cathedral and pilgrimage sites that John paul ii visited during his life, including kalwaria Zebryzdowska, our lady of czestochowa and the sanctuary of divine mercy.

senior Tony oleck said he was surprised by both polish culture and the importance of the catholic church in poland.

“i was actually somewhat surprised at how rich the culture and

millar said.

wilson said working together as a group and working side-byside with peruvians was a rewarding experience.

“we were sharing our gifts with in concert with other peruvians who were serving too in a situation of need and we were providing someone with something that she needed. a nd we were working together as a group of pilgrims helping one another accomplish the work,” wilson said.

Fr. Joe uhen, a 1980 notre dame graduate, is the pastor at the parish, millar said. she said she was struck by one of his homilies during the week.

“in one of the homilies at mass [Fr. Joe] said, ‘because we have been given much, we have much to give,’” millar said. “here at saint mary’s i may not physically see the poor as i did in peru, but it is important to continue to educate myself on the realities of the world and to be conscious of what i can do for others.”

wilson said that the people

history of poland is. i wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but when we landed i was quickly confronted with a very rich culture,” oleck said. “i was also surprised at the vibrance of the catholic church in poland. i guess i expected people there to be excited about John paul ii’s canonization this spring and everything, but this was something else.”

senior marissa Bulso decided to go on the pilgrimage to grow closer to John paul ii and said her experience is “still beyond words.”

“i can tell you that it involved a great deal of prayer, a good deal of walking, and no small amount of group bonding,” Bulso said. “as i drew deeper into my own spiritual life, i also grew outward, learning from those around me and embracing my fellow pilgrims.”

Contact Nicole McAlee at nmcalee@nd.edu

they encountered were extremely poor, but it didn’t affect their faith.

“we were surrounded by prayer, simple prayer, but it was just part of life there, everywhere we went,” she said.

The group also visited the sisters of the holy cross in an archdiocese of lima, peru, wilson said. The sisters are currently serving in an area that has traditionally had little to no pastoral care due to their mountainous location.

millar said the work of the holy cross sisters and their joy in performing it was inspirational.

“The holy cross sisters were truly inspiring people devoted to caring for the peruvian people,” millar said. “There was an immense amount of joy everyone we met had in their work and service to the poor.”

The students experienced christ in the people they met, wilson said.

“i think most of all the students were impressed and moved by the warmth of everyone we met: the people, the pastoral staff at the parish, the sisters, ”wilson said. “The warmth of everyone from the poorest to the least poor person helped us make the journey with confidence because that hospitality was christ meeting us in a very real way.”

millar and varela both said that the pilgrimage was very humbling. varela said now that she has returned she has a greater appreciation for her situation and wants to enrich her own community.

“This trip had made me more conscious and appreciative of what i have here in the u s.,” valera said. “i hope to share my experience with saint mary’s students and others in hopes to raise awareness of what struggle people live with around the world. The pilgrimage has taught me that community is an important aspect for happiness and i want to take part in the joy of the community.”

Contact Haleigh Ehmsen at hehmse01@saintmarys.edu

homophobic media spree

it’s been a big couple of weeks for homophobia, apparently.

Two weeks ago, self-proclaimed rap god e minem’s recent pseudo-eponymous single, “rap g od,” came out, including lines calling other rappers “gay” and “f*gs.” Friday, “e nder’s game” will open in theaters nationwide, a science fiction film based on a 1985 novel written and produced by orson scott card, a loud and proud hater of all things homosexual.

a s a devoted fan of both e minem’s music and card’s novel since i first encountered the two in elementary school, but also as someone who doesn’t much care for homophobia, i find myself conflicted on how i’m supposed to react to e minem’s new song or the $110 million motion picture hitting theaters this weekend, for which card received a producer’s credit. e minem has gone out of his way in the past to try and demonstrate he’s not homophobic, despite what his lyrics over the years may imply. he famously performed his criticallyacclaimed “stan” at the 2001 grammy’s with legendary performer e lton John. he sat down with a nderson cooper in 2010 to discuss his lyrics, saying, “i don’t have any problem with nobody, you know what i mean.” a s a person, marshall mathers seems truly not to be a homophobe.

But the song is most definitely homophobic, and in a way i wouldn’t think possible in today’s world. a nd as much as i like e minem’s music, maybe if i turn my back on the song it might help stop future artists from resorting to homophobia for material.

at the same time, though, if i did buy the song, it’s not like i’d be supporting an actual living, breathing, hateful slimebag, as would be the case for buying a ticket to see “e nder’s game.” i n the novel though, there’s no mention of card’s warped ideas on sexual orientation or any underlying themes of sexual hatred whatsoever. it’s just a great story.

i’m not sure if i can watch the movie without feeling like i’m putting money in card’s pocket. But if we boycotted every piece of dirt that was art because of the artist’s actions and beliefs, i imagine this world would see a lot less art. u ltimately, i’m just not sure a symbolic and likely futile boycott of these artistic works is the best answer; it’s not a wrong answer, and if you feel moved to do it, i support you. maybe a better answer, though, is to simply continue to turn up our noses at homophobia and work to create a more tolerant and supportive environment in our own lives, where our efforts will almost definitely have more effect.

Contact Kevin Noonan at knoonan2@nd.edu

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

a catalogue of double rainbows

d uring one c andlelit m ass at p asquerilla e ast, Fr. Tom d oyle suddenly pulled out his i p ad during the homily. w ith excitement in his eyes, he told us group of gathered girls, “ you have to see this youTube video!”

h e pulled up the video clip

“ yosemitebear m ountain d ouble r ainbow 1-8-10.” The video is taped by a man sitting on top of a mountain, gazing out over beautiful trees and skies to a gorgeous double rainbow. For a full three-and-a-half minutes, the narrator’s excitement cannot be contained as he cries, “ w hoa that’s a full rainbow! d ouble rainbow! it’s a double rainbow all the way! it’s so intense! w hoa! w hoa, oh my g od, oh my g od! o h my g od! o h, oh, wow! woo! yeah! o h, look at that! d ouble rainbow — all the way across the sky! it’s so bright and vivid! it’s so beautiful!” it is the incarnation of pure, unadulterated excitement, fresh and innocent joy.

Fr. Tom laughed alongside all of us as we watched the video, infected by the contagious exhilaration and joy of the narrator. The video ended, and we sat in silence for a moment. Then, for a few minutes, Fr. Tom spoke about brilliance of the man’s wonder and how, in this beautiful world given to us by g od, we are called to respond to h im. i f only our excitement for g od could reach our excitement for double rainbows!

l ately, i ’ve struggled with my own faith. i ’ve struggled to muster up excitement, to really participate in the m ass and to reflect deeply upon the e ucharist. i find myself forgetting to pray, zoning out often and failing to look for g od’s living presence. i ’m wrapped up in my studies, which focus on violence, trauma, injustice and unequal power relations, making it difficult for me to look upon the face of the crucifix with joy when all i see is overwhelming suffering. l ike any other senior, i ’m anxious about the future and often feel as if time is slipping away too quickly.

This week over fall break, i was lucky enough to go for a second time to washington, d c ., with the s ustainable d evelopment seminar of the c enter for s ocial c oncerns.

Beside all of our meetings with government officials, policymakers, lobbyists and non-governmental organizations, there were a few special moments during that trip which rekindled tiny flames of wonder in my heart.

o ne day, we stopped by the Basilica of the national s hrine of the i mmaculate c onception — the biggest r oman c atholic c hurch in the united s tates. w hile wandering quietly through its vast, ornate chambers, i was struck by the poignant engraved quotes: “ s ee if any of you have suffered as i have,” “ i n these days i will pour out my spirit upon all mankind,” “ m ary, console the children of a land sprinkled with blood and tears,” “ m ay the peace of c hrist hold sway in your hearts.”

d warfed by this gigantic and beautiful church, elaborately built to catalyze wonder at the face of g od, i wanted to pray. i wanted to reflect and really pray for the first time in weeks.

i had flashbacks of other peaceful, awe-inducing moments in my life: trekking through p atagonia and seeing my first avalanche crashing and tumbling in the distance, feeling sharp sandstone upon my hands and hearing quiet shoes tapping while climbing in the r ed r iver g orge in k entucky, galloping on a horse in the desert of n orthern c hile and feeling vividly alive, laying on the grass next to s t. Joseph’s lake and staring at the vast blue sky and watching a tiny green caterpillar wiggle across a tree branch. a nd these are just a few examples from the incredibly privileged and blessed life i live.

i magine if every person shared their big and small moments of wonder. i magine if we put them into an archive of memories, continually growing and expanding, cataloguing our joys, experiences of excitement and double rainbows. h ow could we ever be unhappy? s o take five minutes for yourself, show a friend the double rainbow video, share a happy moment and spread a bit of wonder.

Lisa Taylor is a senior studying political science. She can be reached at ltaylo13@nd.edu

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

a s we approach the close of o ctober, we mark another year where we c atholics have attended more closely to the call for all people to value life, from its earliest moments until its natural ends. w hile p ope Francis has caught some negative feedback from parts of the church for not emphasizing key life issues as much as some would prefer, he could not be clearer in his support. “ e very baby who is not born, but is unjustly condemned to be aborted, has the face of Jesus c hrist,” he said last month to a group of gynecologists.

The pope has also amplified this theme, with urgent emphasis, in his call to respect the aged in our world. “The most serious of the evils that afflict the world these days are youth unemployment and the loneliness of the old. The old need care and companionship,” he said in his now-famous interview published in Jesuit publications throughout the world. Further, he has encouraged his flock to visit retired and infirm

Respect life, again

religious and priests, calling them “sanctuaries of holiness.”

c ertainly, our a merican culture values youth and beauty and energy. a nd, its emphasis on productivity could tempt us to identify ourselves and personal value with what we do, how much we accomplish or the wealth we earn. For older people, youth has passed, beauty may not be so obvious and income sources are static. n evertheless, their human dignity and respectability remain honorable beyond measure.

To help mark the r espect l ife month and a dimension of its multivalence, the parish where i regularly celebrate mass in d elaware invited its homebound and ill parishioners to one s unday mass where we prayed for them, anointing them in the s acrament of the s ick.

i t was a powerful experience for all, especially the young grandchildren of older parishioners. The youth appreciated the opportunity to “make a fuss” over their grandparents in church, “because they think that church is so important,” as one child said. i ndeed, the older

worshippers reveled in having their families bring them to church, wearing their s unday best with their hairdos to top off the care they put into their preparation. o ne octogenarian confessed she didn’t even feel sick that day because she got so dressed up.

n either this transgenerational experience of prayer at church nor the celebration of this sacrament at m ass is novel. h owever, it did mark a moment for us worshippers to realize respecting life is beyond any sort of political or ideological issue, or something to vote for or debate. m ore importantly, respecting life includes praying together, caring for one another, letting ourselves be cared for, being honest about vulnerability and trusting support will be available when needed — all as a community of faith.

a s we have seemingly privatized life issues — from abortion to eldercare and the numerous other relevant issues, i wonder whether we, at times, forget about the community’s responsibility to assert itself as a primary actor in helping to bring life to full term and to care for the dying and those on death row — and

to provide resources and support for those who love these people in need. we are born into a world and baptized into a network of relationships. w hile we must never forget this, we must also celebrate it. n ot just at one m ass or during one month in the year, but every day when we reach beyond ourselves to care for others in need: n o matter who they are or where their lives are found — in the womb, prison cell, hospital bed or at our nation’s borders. yes, each life is sacred, and so is the community who respects it.

Fr. Kevin Nadolski, a priest with the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, works for his community as director of development and communications. He has served the church as a Catholic high school teacher, campus minister and principal, as well as vocation and formation director for the Oblates. He lives with his community in Wilmington, Del., and can be reached at knadolski@oblates.org

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

seven ways to lower costs

Adam Newman s cientia potentia e st

i n my last article, i discussed the cost of a merican colleges and why they are overpriced. Below are some ideas specific to n otre d ame that could be used to lower costs without harming the quality of a n otre d ame education.

1. c hange food services

Few realize how expensive n otre d ame dining hall food is since students are shielded from viewing the cost every time they eat. a ccording to n otre d ame’s website, a purchase of 120 meals costs $11.38 per meal. This is outrageous, especially since most students do not eat this much food. The buffet style layout leads to high costs since all the food is “free.” i n order to better conserve resources, n otre d ame should serve food using an a-la carte method. This would allow students to pay for what they buy and realize the full cost of their eating habits.

2. Eliminate some majors and minors

w hile providing a broad array of majors and minors is important for any college, n otre d ame can afford to merge and eliminate some of them. i s a merican s tudies so vastly different from p olitical s cience, or a fricana s tudies from s ociology, that they need to be different programs?

a s for minors, the vast array of minors offered ( a rts and l etters offers 39 alone) makes little sense if a college is looking to lower costs.

3. t extbooks

The way textbooks are bought and sold through the nd bookstore is modern day usury. For example, i bought a new s panish textbook last year for over $200. h owever, i could not sell back my book at the end of the semester because i opened the online bar code that i needed to complete homework. This is just one example of textbook horror. a nother is the practice of forcing students to buy new editions of textbooks when the only change from a previous edition is the cover and practice problems. r ather, n otre d ame should loan students the most expensive textbooks for the year like high schools do.

4. s top building

c olleges love to build new buildings — many of which are not even related to academics. For example, the c ompton i ce a rena cost $50 million to build. w hile donations may have been secured to build it, this is money that could have been used to lower student tuition. u sually a large part of the construction costs are covered by donations, but the operating costs are most likely partially borne by the u niversity.

5. End administrative bloat o ne of the major increases in

costs is due to an increase in administrative staff, or people who do not teach students.

n ationally, the number of administrators increased from 60 percent from 1993, or 10 times the rate of growth of the tenured faculty, according to u s e ducation d epartment data. n otre d ame needs to examine non-faculty and analyze whether administrative positions can be eliminated.

6. o nline courses

This would probably be one of the most meaningful changes n otre d ame could make — to shift partially away from classes taught by professors in person toward those taught online.

m any colleges, including n otre d ame, are experimenting with offering classes that include online lectures from the best professors across the country. w hich provides more value — taking a real class from a w harton accounting professor for free, or taking a class from a n otre d ame professor for $5,000?

7. c hange the culture away from “more, more, more”

The current culture of college is geared towards “more” — whether it is hiring more administrators, building more buildings, etc. These decisions are largely made in a bubble since they do not mirror the economic realities of slow growth and wage stagnation. This

mentality has led to the systematic (and unnecessary) transfer of wealth from families and the government to higher education.

r ather, n otre d ame should tie its cost increases to inflation plus one percent or gdp plus one percent. This would force its cost increases to better reflect current economic conditions and lead to a concerted effort to provide greater value.

o ne of the things i love most about n otre d ame is its moral commitment to the common good, whether it be “expecting more of business” or “educating the mind and the heart.” But with the cost of a n otre d ame education over $60,000 and quickly rising, n otre d ame has a moral imperative to lower costs.

The good news is there are many solutions that can lower costs without hurting the overall quality of a n otre d ame education. The bad news is changes will be opposed by almost every college stakeholder. r egardless, it is time for n otre d ame to start acting like the “family” it claims to be and less like the bloated business it actually is.

Adam Newman is a senior studying political science. He can be reached at anewman3@nd.edu

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

By GABRIELA LESKUR

s cene writer

i’m here to set the record straight about The head and the heart’s new album, “let’s Be still.” w hen i saw that rolling stone had given miley cyrus’ new album “Bangerz” a higher rating than “let’s Be still,” i figured that the public deserved a better assessment.

a band of nomads, band members traveling from virginia and california, The head and The heart was brought together by luck and perhaps divine providence. in producing their second album, the band finally had the opportunity to make music together in a traditional studio environment — with varying results.

For the most part, the album is spot on, delivering a solid array of new songs while staying true to their musical roots. “let’s Be still” will quench old fans’ thirst for the band’s fresh folk rock feel while securing new fans with an expansion of the band’s identity as portrayed on their first album.

“let’s Be still” takes on a mellower feel than the debut album. originally i felt that many of the songs seemed to hover close to a breakthrough moment, but failed to surpass the threshold into true greatness. i will admit that, at first, i was disappointed. i found myself in search of a riff or vocal surprise that never came. But as i listened again to the album, i found that when i put aside my expectations, i was ultimately satisfied. old fans just have to go into the album with full knowledge that “let’s Be still” does not utilize the exact same formula for song-making as the first album: “let’s Be still” is truly an expansion

and evolution of the band.

w hile the album doesn’t offer many true thrills, except perhaps in the popular hit “shake,” most songs achieve head-bopping status with a fine mix of instrumental solos, impressive vocal talent, and thought-provoking lyrics.

echoing the energetic spirit of their first album, “my Friends” utilizes the stand-by format of a cheery piano accompanying fantastic harmonies, akin to the song “ghosts” on their first album. This lively tune may cause one to dance around their room in an inspired bout of procrastination, which is always welcomed and appreciated.

“a nother story” starts out with a piano ditty that calls up an image of a joyful little kid walking home from school, staring intently downwards so as not to step on the sidewalk cracks. Then the song welcomes in light guitar, bass, and a sassy little shaker. The mood brightens even more as all the instruments mix perfectly with the chorus-like sound. as the song comes into it’s own, the drums slowly add emotion to the soulful lyrics until the moment where a lone voice is heard—bringing out the vulnerability prevalent in the lyrics, “i see a world, a world turning in on itself. a re we just like hungry wolves howling in the night?”

new in this album are songs that feature only the vocal talent of charity rose Thielen, who usually sticks to playing the violin, adding to harmonies, and performing short breakthrough solos within larger songs. “springtime” and “summertime” put Thielen in the spotlight and the attention isn’t always great. in songs like “rivers and

roads” from their first album, charity’s solos are perfection and honestly make the songs. But part of Thielen’s charm is her ability to contrast with the male voices in the group, especially lead vocalists Josiah Johnson and Jonathan russell. without the foil of Johnson and russell in songs like “summertime,” the eerily angelic-yet-rough voice of Thielen becomes all too mortal.

The band’s lyrics maintain underlying continuity throughout the album. From the sadly orchestrated message of hope in “Josh mcBride” to the heart breaking longing for emotion in “Fire/Fear” to the honest reflection on leaving family for success in “10,000 weight in gold,” this new album possesses a diverse array of emotional masterpieces.

w hile the second album isn’t what i expected, it’s hard to deny that The head and The heart have made musical magic yet again. a nd yes, rolling stone, “let’s Be still” trumps miley cyrus’s “Bangerz.”

Contact Gabriela Leskur at gleskur@nd.edu

“Let’s

Be Still”

The Head and the Heart

Label: Sub Pop

Tracks: “My Friends,” “Shake”

If you like: The Lumineers, Mumford and Sons

By KEVIN NOONAN s cene e ditor

in opening a film with a prank of an 86-year-old man getting his genitalia stuck in a vending machine, the filmmakers behind “Bad grandpa” accomplish a few important and necessary tasks immediately.

First of all, as should be expected from a movie in any way associated with the Jackass franchise, the audience should prepare themselves for a good amount of inappropriate, borderline disgusting humor. secondly, the film will draw as much juice as possible out of the reactions of regular folk to Johnny k noxville’s old man antics in his disguise as irving Zisman, an aging, horny, boozing and all around hilarious octogenarian. Thirdly, and most importantly, if you find old people doing funny things and Jackass’s trademark penchant for the raunchy, you will find this film hilarious. i, for one, thought it was hilarious. Though the film’s narrow focus on Zisman prevents from being on the same level as the best of the Jackass films by the sheer fact that “Bad grandpa” couldn’t have featured irving Zisman on a see-saw desperately trying to avoid a raging bull or some of the other kinds of pranks that made those Jackass films memorable.

But k noxville and long time Jackass director Jeff Tremaine know that this movie is different, and they

don’t pretend like it is. instead, they introduce a storyline, the first of any Jackass film to do so.

Zisman must take his grandson, Billy, across country, from nebraska to north carolina, to his deadbeat absent father after the boy’s mother goes back to jail for drugs. Jackson nicoll as Billy is perfectly cast across k noxville’s Zisman; the chubby, innocent looking Billy is able to smile and cute his way into any number of hilarious conversations with real adults (especially women), which Zisman almost inevitably crashes and ruins.

There’s an odd sweetness to the relationship between Zisman and Billy that grounds the film and prevents it from devolving into a bunch of gross out pranks with an old man and a little kid (which, essentially, is what it is).

But by juxtaposing Zisman drunkenly making margaritas and drinking ink and playing bingo with Billy approaching men on the street and asking them if they will be his dad, and then insisting that they are in fact his real dad, the film establishes an underlying sadness in the situation. That’s not to say that this is a deep film; it’s not. But there’s a realness to it that carries the continued pranks on the public and creates a curiously sweet payoff in its conclusion.

as “little miss sunshine” showed, there are few more hilariously satisfying sequences than screwing with young children’s beauty pageants, and “Bad grandpa” honorably picks up that mantle and continues the

hollywood tradition of films throwing up sweet, irreverent middle fingers to the eccentricities involved in the contests.

w hen Billy finishes his performance, which anyone who’s seen the trailer can tell you involves a stripper pole and the song “cherry pie,” and he and his grandfather share a fishing trip in which they try to avoid the body of Zisman’s dead wife, which they’ve thrown in the water, the film accomplishes a combination of familial bonding and sweetness with irreverence and raunchiness that few have ever achieved.

it’s not a perfect film through and through, but the high points are high enough and the public reactions memorable enough to make this yet another solid entry in the Jackass franchise.

Contact Kevin Noonan at knoonan2@nd.edu

“Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa”

MTV Films

Director: Jeff Tremaine

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll, Greg Harris

By MATT McMAHON s cene writer

For my application to notre dame two years ago, one of the essays i wrote — answering the infamous “you have 150 words. Take a risk” prompt — was on my hatred of plastic bags. no, i was not a tree-hugging activist who worried that their overuse and overproduction was destroying the environment. i was merely an annoyed son in a family with a mother who made it impossible to escape the all-encompassing utility that plastic bags offer. a lthough, in my defense, i do believe my convictions hold just as much weight as the former’s. Through my 18 years of living in my house, i grew to hate nothing as much as plastic bags.

a nd now, i’m sharing this personal essay with you to give context, so appreciate it, cause reading over it again two years later i think it’s trash — but i did use it to get into this university, so there. my essay read:

“i hate any and all plastic bags and not simply because of the environmental impact. my mom’s overuse of grocery bags, storage bags accompanied by twist-ties and Ziploc sandwich and snack sized bags haunts me. stemming from her mother’s similar obsession with keeping food fresh — she does not trust grocery stores’ packaging of cold cuts — i am afraid that it runs in the family. my mom’s sister even individually bundles her

garbage and recycling in grocery store bags to keep it clean and sanitary for disposal!

“i feel as though i can never escape plastic bags. w hen i search through my pantry, the rustling of bags penetrates my ears sharper than nails on a chalkboard. if i find a box of cookies i am interested in, i might avoid them because of the daunting task of opening and then refastening the plastic bags that accompanies eating them. college cannot come too soon so i can flee this obsession with plastic bags. hopefully, like predicting hair loss, i get the likeliness to use plastic bags from my mother’s father; he still has a full head of hair and realizes the insanity of the women in the family.” in hindsight, i may have been a bit extreme, yet i had a purpose in my writing, a strong opinion i needed to air on the overlooked subject of plastic bags. getting to school though, as my mom sneakily packed away scores of various plastic bags, from single-zip sandwich to medium-sized trash, they slowly permeated my habits last year: this unfinished bag of salt and vinegar chips will go bad; i can’t afford that, better roll it up and stick it in a plastic bag. on rare occasions when i don’t eat the full $10 in weight of gummy bears i buy in one sitting, i calculatingly put that paper bag away in another bag to make sure they don’t harden. i even sometimes save plastic grocery bags i get from shopping to use for garbage later. These careful actions are not in line with the carefree lifestyle i saw myself living.

now, i have preferences — the garbage bags with the built in drawstrings over the ones with the four flaps that you need a twist-tie to fasten, the double-sealed, oversized Ziploc bags over the more finicky slider-variety bags. i resent who i’m becoming: my mother’s son, my grandmother’s grandson and my aunt’s nephew. my future, of painstakingly securing and tidying all of my perishables and trash alike, scares me to no end. i thought i would remove myself from the suffocation of plastic bags that surrounded me as i got to college; instead, i embraced it, becoming what i hate. perhaps i was simply rebellious in my youth, unable to appreciate or accept the technical beauty and elegant advantage of these obstacles that always stood in my way. or maybe i was just foolish and impatient, not realizing the rewards of delayed gratification that a little time spent fiddling with a plastic bag has to offer. either way, i have seen the light shining through the transparent material. i have become an endorser of plastic bag, a supporter of securing, a proponent of the worst thing ever. i still try to stick behind my original view, but i can’t deny their usefulness and functionality — and that destroys my spirit. i worry about what other significant changes in heart await my future.

Contact Matt McMahon at mmcmaho7@nd.edu

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

Seminoles easy to root for

Jack Hefferon sports writer

growing up in new york, i had kind of an odd connection to Florida state. my grandpa got me an Fsu sweatshirt on a trip one year, and it was pretty much the most comfortable piece of cotton ever sewn together. i wore it constantly, and as it got a reputation, i received other Florida state gear and people assumed i was a fan, although i never had a reason to root for the team. until now.

Florida state is ranked third in the Bcs standings this week; last week, the s eminoles were in second. voters and computers pushed o regon past the s eminoles over the weekend, with two main factors playing into the rankings change.

First, Fsu came out and imposed its will on north c arolina state, scoring four touchdowns in the first nine minutes and cruising to a 42-0 halftime lead over the wolfpack.

But then the ‘noles chose to call off the dogs for the second half, benching their starters and surrendering potential style points on the way to a comfortable 49-17 win. The second half shouldn’t change the quality of the win, but the final score seems to weigh on voters far more than it should.

a second reason for the s eminoles’ drop also has to do with voters, namely their head coach, Jimbo Fisher. Fisher receives a vote in the usa Today c oaches’ poll, but he did not put his undefeated team at no. 1 in his ballot this week, as he suggested that a labama’s dominance over the past years gives them claim to the honor of the top spot.

That modesty and restraint is a welcome change in college football, where the lack of a playoff system has motivated some teams to try and game the system for a shot at a title.

Fisher himself is a fun figure to root for. o ut of the

recent crop of fantastically named coaches at southern schools ( houston nutt, k liff k ingsbury and dabo swinney come to mind), it’s still hard to beat a guy named Jimbo Fisher.

he honed his craft under l es m iles at lsu before waiting out the retirement of legendary s eminoles coach

Bobby Bowden, and his teams are fun to watch. This year’s squad is particularly attention grabbing, as firstyear quarterback phenom Jameis w inston pushed himself to the forefront of the heisman race through his many highlight reel plays.

Florida state went on the road to play then-no. 3 c lemson in d eath valley 11 days ago and gave the Tigers a thorough undressing in a 51-14 primetime win. The s eminoles will have another chance to make a statement this weekend, when they host no. 7 m iami for their second top-10, c ollege g ameday-featured matchup in three weeks.

The hurricanes are also undefeated on the year, and Fisher gave credit to both teams’ success in a press conference earlier this week, saying, “ you ain’t undefeated for no reason.”

Fisher has earned my respect by coaching an entertaining team, and showing a restraint that is uncommon in today’s college sports world.

he’s won me over with one heck of a classic Florida panhandle name. plus, he’s playing the villainous m iami hurricanes this weekend, which is enough to make anyone a Florida state fan come s aturday night.

But pulling off the first triple negative i’ve ever seen in the e nglish language? That’s enough to send me searching the attic for a decade-old sweatshirt.

F su 37, m iami 17.

Contact Jack Hefferon at wheffero@nd.edu

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

purdue suspends hammons

Associated Press

p urdue center a .J. h ammons was suspended m onday for three games for violating team rules.

h ammons will miss two exhibition games and p urdue’s regular-season opener n ov. 8 against northern k entucky. c oach m att p ainter declined to elaborate on what rules were broken, other than the suspension for the 7-foot, 251-pound h ammons was related to “conduct” and not academics, legal trouble or ncaa rule violations.

“ i think one of these situations is that you learn a lot about the individual because when something like this happens, you let your teammates down but you’ve also let yourself down,” p ainter said. “ i f you have some pride, you know you’re not going to let it happen again.”

h ammons is expected to be a centerpiece in this

nFl

season’s restoration project at p urdue.

a year ago, p ainter’s team finished 16-17 and missed the ncaa tournament for the first time in seven years despite getting a strong freshman seasons from h ammons and point guard r onnie Johnson. h ammons averaged 10.6 points and 6.0 rebounds, and then showed up in better shape this season.

w ith h ammons out, p ainter will give 6-10 redshirt freshman Jay s impson and 6-9 senior Travis c arroll more playing time. i f they take advantage, it could earn them more minutes as the season goes along and create more depth along p urdue’s front line.

p ainter has seen it all work out before.

“ we had a situation at s outhern i llinois where a guy ended up getting in trouble and this other guy that really

keenum to start

Associated Press

c ase k eenum will start at quarterback in place of a healthy m att s chaub when the Texans host division foe i ndianapolis on s unday night.

c oach g ary k ubiak announced the decision m onday and said he had decided before the bye weekend to give k eenum a second straight start as the Texans try to end a five-game losing streak. k ubiak said the decision was not for the rest of the season, but is geared toward trying to keep the team going in the right direction following a close 17-16 loss to k ansas c ity in which k eenum played well.

“ i ’ve got to make decisions i think are best for the football team right now,” k ubiak said. “The decision i made was based on what i saw take place last week with c ase and him taking advantage of an opportunity. i want to see him move forward.”

k eenum saw the first game action of his two-year

struggled taking care of the basketball and wasn’t playing that much time, i was forced to play him,” p ainter said during a conference call with reporters. “That guy stayed in our rotation and helped us win games, ended up being one of the best defensive players in the country and first-team allleague. The other guy came back and never got in trouble again and i think went on to become academic all-league, so it all worked out well.” p ainter is hoping for a similar result in west l afayette. n ow it’s up to the Boilermakers to respond.

“This right here, i think if it happened right in the middle of Big Ten play, i think it would fit that category,” p ainter said when asked about the adversity of losing h ammons. “But since it’s at the beginning of the season, i think we can use it as a positive.”

for Texans

career in the loss to the c hiefs. Teammates pointed to the energy he brought to the field while going 15 for 25 for 271 yards and a touchdown.

“ i thought we went out and played better football and that’s why we had a chance to win in k ansas c ity,” k ubiak said. “ i thought ( k eenum) did some really good things. h e’s got to improve. This football team’s got to improve around him.”

k eenum said he needs to “get better in a lot of things,” including making reads and picking up the types of blitzes he saw in the fourth quarter against k ansas c ity.

“ i imagine we’ll see it again,” k eenum said of the pressure. “ you put it on film and people see it. s o correcting that is going to be big time.”

s chaub, a seven-year veteran who was handpicked by k ubiak to replace d avid c arr in 2007, got off to a rough start leading the team to a 2-4 record before

leaving a loss to the s t. l ouis r ams with an ankle injury.

“ i t’s obviously very disappointing with all we’ve been through here and all we’ve done, but i ’m part of the reason we’re in this situation as a football team,” s chaub said. “a s a player and a competitor, i don’t like it and i want to be out there. o bviously, i haven’t played up to my standards this year. i think that’s where it mostly stems from.”

s chaub was back at practice m onday, but k eenum will get the reins of the offense knowing that he’s starting not for injury reasons, but for his play on the field. n ow he will get the chance to show it in front of the hometown fans.

“ i imagine i ’ll have a few more goose bumps than i did last week,” said k eenum, who starred at the u niversity of h ouston. “To play in h ouston, to play at r eliant . i know s unday night’s going to be very special.”

seniors lead Belles to victory

Observer Staff Report

saint mary’s will look to sweep the season series over the comets when the Belles travel to olivet, mich. on wednesday.

The Belles (7-7-3, 5-5-3 miaa) are coming off a 1-0 senior day victory over a lbion on saturday. The Belles dominated in all facets of the game against the Britons, controlling possession throughout the game and compiling 19 total shots. conversely, the Belles defense, anchored by junior defenders mary kate hussey and kerry green, held a lbion to only one shot in the game. The Britons did not get a single shot off in the second half. despite the dominant performance, the Belles did not break the tie until the 53rd minute, when senior midfielder mollie valencia put a through ball down the middle of the field to sophomore forward maggie wenzel, who took a single touch before rocketing a shot past a lbion freshman goalkeeper mackenzie hurlburt for her second goal of the season.

Junior goalkeeper chanler rosenbaum picked up the shutout without recording a single save, and green led the Belles with three shots. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Belles. despite the win, the threegame losing streak eliminated

the Belles from the four-team miaa playoff, as the Belles now sit in sixth place in the miaa, 12 points behind fourth-place adrian.

The comets (7-9-0, 4-9-0) are coming off a win of their own, a 3-1 victory over Trine on saturday. olivet, which sits in seventh place in the miaa, is also eliminated from postseason contention.

olivet has seven players who have scored two goals apiece. senior midfielder lindsey winters leads the comets with five assists on the season. olivet sophomore goalkeeper deanna

Zolnoski has a 2.06 goalsagainst-average and has recorded four shutouts in 13 starts this season.

w hen the two teams met sept. 28, the Belles outshot the comets, 17-4, on the way to a 3-1 victory. sophomore defender lindsay r zepecki, freshman forward rosie Biehl and green all found the back of the net for the Belles. rosenbaum recorded two saves on three shots on goal in the win.

The Belles and comets take the pitch today at 4 p.m. at the cutler athletic complex in olivet, mich.

nd womEn’s GolF | 11Th

Irish tie for 11th place in N.C.

By COLE SCHIETINGER sports writer

n otre d ame concluded its fall season over the weekend by tying for 11th place at the l andfall Tradition at the c ountry c lub of l andfall in w ilmington, n c The i rish concluded the tournament, which ran from Friday to s unday, with a three-day score of 924.

The team shot a 314 on Friday and followed it by shooting a 305 both s aturday and s unday. o hio s tate and n orth c arolina tied the i rish in 11th place.

Junior captain a shley a rmstrong led the way for n otre d ame, shooting a 224 over three rounds to finish in 16th place. The tournament was one of a rmstrong’s most consistent of the season, as she started the weekend with a pair of 74s before ending with a 76.

i rish coach s usan h olt said she saw positives from her captain over the weekend.

“ i think the biggest thing for [ a rmstrong] is just consistency from day to day,” h olt said. “ s he had a 76 on s unday, but did the back [nine] closer to par.”

d espite a wrist injury early in the season, a rmstrong had an impressive fall, h olt said.

“[ a rmstrong] had the best season of all of the players,” h olt said. “ h er injury was just a weird thing where her wrist just flared up … she had some goals that she didn’t reach, but all things considered, she had one of the best semesters.”

Besides a rmstrong, freshman Jordan Ferreira also contributed a strong effort, finishing 32nd. i mproving

each day of the tournament, Ferreira finished the weekend with a 229 and had a one-over-par 73 in the final round, which was the 14th best score of the day in the 95-player field. The strong showing was the culmination of a promising debut season for the freshman, h olt said.

“ i think [Ferreira] had a pretty good semester,” h olt said. “[This past weekend], she was the only player to consistently improve with each round. s he’s smart like that, and i think that’ll continue to be the case in the spring.”

s enior k ristina n him, junior k elli o ride and sophomore Talia c ampbell rounded out the competitors for the i rish with a 236 and a pair of 238s, respectively. c ampbell and o ride matched each other throughout the weekend with scores of 81, 79, and 78, respectively.

w ith the fall season now over, the i rish will now take the offseason to improve and prepare for conference competition in the spring.

“ o verall, i think the fall was a little disappointing,” h olt said. “ w e certainly set some attainable goals as a team and just fell short. i try to put our kids against the top competition in the country, and hopefully in the spring we’ll be able to play more consistently against them. w e do have the talent; we just need to put it all together.”

The i rish will not play again until Feb. 14, when they will compete at the Florida s tate m atch- u p at the s outh w ood g olf c ourse in Tallahassee, Fla.

Contact Cole Schietinger at cschieti@nd.edu

Final-round woes sink i rish

By ISAAC LORTON

s ports w riter

The final round of The i nvitational at The o cean c ourse in k iawah i sland, s c ., proved to be an obstacle the i rish could not overcome. n otre d ame held fifth place after two rounds, but shot a field-worst 312 in Tuesday’s final round to drop into a tie for 11th place in the field of 14 teams. n o. 17 s outh Florida grabbed the top spot in the invitational with a team score of sevenover par 871 (281-295-285).

“ we struggled [Tuesday],” i rish coach Jim k ubinski. “ we played a really tough round. we struggled, really, in every area. we didn’t putt well; we didn’t have our short game. a nd uncharacteristically, we didn’t strike the ball well.”

The last round notwithstanding, k ubinski said the i rish appeared to be able to compete with top-10 teams, such as n o. 8 g eorgia. w ith an overall team score of 876 (296-297-293), g eorgia finished in a tie for third place with k entucky (288-293-295).

“a fter the first two rounds, we thought we could catch g eorgia,” k ubinski said. “ we were in fifth place and only four shots behind them [entering the final round], but they played well [Tuesday], and we probably had the worst round of the day.”

a lthough n otre d ame was on pace for one of its best finishes of the season, the i rish finished with a threeround score of 909, their second-worst outing of the fall season.

“ i don’t know what

Belles triumph in NYC

By SAMANTHA ZUBA

s ports w riter

The Belles swept a doubleheader against nonconference opponents m ontclair s tate and h unter c ollege in n ew york on s aturday.

s aint m ary’s defeated m ontclair s tate, 3-0, and triumphed over h unter, 3-1, at the h unter s portsplex.

Belles coach Toni e lyea said s aint m ary’s (11-14, 7-8 miaa ) enjoyed the trip and the competition from m ontclair s tate (15-9, 5-3 n J ac ), who is fourth in its conference, and h unter (1411, 6-1 cun ), who sits at third in its conference.

“The Belles had an amazing trip to n ew york c ity,” e lyea said. “ w e enjoyed the opportunities to meet some of our fellow alumnae and see the sights, as well as play some great competition.”

s aint m ary’s turned in one of its best hitting performances of the season against m ontclair s tate.

changed,” k ubinski said of the final round. “ we did everything the same way. we had the same approach as the first rounds. we were in good shape going into [Tuesday], but i ’m not sure why we didn’t perform very well. [ we] played so differently [Tuesday].”

Junior Tyler w ingo led the i rish, as he tied for 22nd place individually. h e shot a seven-over par 79 in the final round to finish the tournament with an eight-over par 224. w ingo dropped 15 spots in the final round, moving from seventh to 22nd overall.

s enior n iall p latt began the third round tied for 14th, but slid 19 spots to tie for 33rd with a three-round score of 227 (76-71-80).

k ubinski said he was unable to discern why n otre d ame’s play diminished in the final 18 holes of the tournament.

“ i thought we hit an enormous amount of greens in the first two rounds,” k ubinski said. “ w hether we got worn down or what, i don’t know. i t appeared we did, but it happens.”

The o cean c ourse was unforgiving to the i rish on Tuesday, k ubinski said.

“ i told the guys, even if you were a little bit off, the course penalized slight mistakes,” k ubinski said. “a nd it did.”

The i rish have now concluded their fall season and are on hiatus until they start the s an d iego i ntercollegiate at s an d iego c ountry c lub on m arch 10.

Contact Isaac Lorton at ilorton@nd.edu

h awks to a -.037 percentage behind the strength of 61 digs, six block assists and one solo block by k uczek.

e lyea said s aint m ary’s ran an efficient offense because its ball control provided the team with attack opportunities.

“ w e had great ball control over the weekend, which allowed our setters to run a faster offense,” e lyea said.

“ w e were able to swing with complete confidence this past weekend because of our defenders passing abilities.”

Freshman setter c lare m c m illan set up most of the Belles’ attacks, as she finished with 31 assists against the r ed h awks and 43 assists against h unter.

e lyea praised m c m illan’s composure and performance as a first-year starter.

kills, and junior defensive specialist s amantha g rady had 15 digs to lead the Belles to a win over h unter. s aint m ary’s hit for a .190 attacking percentage and held the h awks to .106 percentage, as the Belles recorded 68 digs, six block assists and six solo blocks, all by k uczek.

The Belles end their regular season against a drian on Friday at 7 p.m., in the a ngela a thletic c omplex.

Contact Samantha Zuba at szuba@nd.edu

The Belles posted a .252 attacking percentage for the match. s ophomore outside hitter k atie h ecklinski smashed 10 kills, while junior middle hitter m elanie k uczek added nine kills and had a .467 kill percentage. s aint m ary’s held the r ed

“ i am very proud of her and all that she has accomplished this season so far,” e lyea said. “ c lare is a very composed athlete, which allows her to play well no matter what point in the set we are on.”

h ecklinski benefited from m c m illan’s sets and pounded 15 kills against h unter.

Junior outside hitter k ati s chneider also posted 15

paid a dverT isemen T

Seven wins propel Irish past Air Force

By MARY GREEN sports writer

Before notre dame and a ir Force met on the gridiron on s aturday, the two schools met in the pool, with the i rish scoring a close 134-128 win over the Falcons on Friday at the usa Fa natatorium in c olorado springs, c olo.

The i rish (1-2) had a swimmer place in the top two spots in all but two events and notched victories in seven individual events and a relay against a ir Force (6-2).

“ we swam with great heart,” i rish coach Tim welsh said. “ we trained at altitude and then went up even higher to compete at the a ir Force academy, but we raced really well. across the meet,

the races were very good. a nd we won a lot of those races, especially in the first half of the meet, because i thought we just had great heart, great energy, great spirit and great competition. i was very happy with that meet.”

making its first trip to a ir Force in 11 years, notre dame opened the dual meet with a win in the 200-yard medley relay, completed by sophomore Bogac ayhan, junior c ameron m iller, senior Frank d yer and junior Zach stephens in 1:30.88.

s ophomore m ichael hudspith nabbed the first individual victory for the i rish, winning the 200-yard freestyle in 1:42.91. s enior c olin

Babcock and junior kevin hughes followed hudspith

in third and fourth place, respectively.

notre dame also placed three swimmers in the top four spots in the 100-yard breaststroke. stephens took first in 56.02, while m iller finished in 56.32 for second place, and junior pat olson seized fourth in 1:00.08.

“ we’re quite balanced in most of our events, and we have two, three or four guys who are swimming close to one another, which is a great competition factor,” welsh said. “But i think in the meets, one of the ways you can look at it is first place is offense; two, three, four, five are defense. a nd it matters to us to play good defense.

“a gainst a ir Force, more times than not, we had three of the five [scoring places], and across 16 events, that does make a difference.”

Freshman Tom a nderson earned his first collegiate win with a victory in the 200-yard backstroke, hitting the touchpad at 1:53.02. a nderson’s victory was the second individual win for any i rish freshman this season. Freshman diver Joe c oumos finished first in the 3-meter dive in a double-dual meet against auburn and m ichigan on oct. 12.

“Tom’s a very good swimmer, and we knew that coming in,” welsh said. “he’s a great trainer, he’s a great racer, and i think as his career advances here at notre dame, we’re going to count on him more and more and more.”

a lso finishing in the top spot for the i rish were ayhan in the 100-yard backstroke, junior John w illiamson in the 200-yard butterfly and d yer in the 50- and 500-yard freestyle events.

The win capped off notre dame’s weeklong fall break training trip to c olorado. They practiced at the u s olympic Training c enter in c olorado springs, where they trained in the long-course, 50-meter pool. The team also did some sightseeing in the rocky mountains and attended the i rish football game saturday, welsh said.

“The training trip was wonderful, and it was wonderful in every aspect,” welsh said. “The practices were spirited; they were good; they were hard; they were aggressive, so we were very happy with those. a nd everything you see on the grounds [of the u s olympic Training c enter] is very inspiring.”

w ith their first dual-meet win under their belts, the i rish will next dive into action against p urdue on Friday in west l afayette, i nd.

Contact Mary Green at mgreen8@nd.edu

played for the canadian national team, which won the silver medal at september’s F i Ba a mericas c hampionship in Xalapa, mexico.

“ we’ve got people we can rely on to score,” mc graw said. “ we’ve got people who have played big minutes in big games. i think k ayla mcBride is going to have a fantastic season. she should be up for [national] player of the year, certainly. i think she’s one of the best players in the country. natalie achonwa, coming off that silver medal down in mexico just recently, has got some great experience.”

at the team’s media day on oct. 8, mc graw said she expects continued production from sophomore guard Jewell l oyd, the reigning national Freshman of the year.

“i don’t really expect her role to change too much because we relied on her so heavily last year as our best defender,” mc graw said of l oyd. “she was one of the leading scorers on the team. she did so many good things for us … we’ll continue to use her as a defensive stopper.”

The i rish play an exhibition game against division ii opponent california university of pennsylvania tonight at p urcell pavilion. The exhibition will give the freshmen their first opportunity to experience a college basketball game day and play with the veterans in front

monaco

16

eric atkins are the undisputed leaders of the team and catalysts of the on-court attack. grant recorded 194 assists in 35 games (5.54 per game), while atkins tallied 193 in 35 contests (5.51 per game). There may be no better indication of notre dame’s balance and teamcentric approach than those numbers. The two best perimeter players — and two of the team’s best three players overall last season — led the squad in assists and had almost identical totals.

Junior guard/forward pat connaughton impressed in the Big east Tournament as a knockdown 3-point shooter. senior center garrick sherman propelled the irish offensively monday with 21 points, and his soft touch and nimble footwork could be crucial to notre dame’s frontline scoring. graduate student forward Tom k night logged important and productive minutes after scott martin’s injury last season, and k night’s mid-range game is unmatched on the team.

Factor in sophomore forwards Zach auguste and austin Burgett, the possibility of sophomore forward cam Biedscheid (if he doesn’t redshirt), freshman sensation

of a home crowd.

“[ wednesday night is] pretty much a practice game,” mc graw said. “it’s a dress rehearsal for the season. The biggest thing is for the freshmen to get acclimated to what game day is all about, get the jitters out and get the uniform on for the first time and play in front of the fans. defense is our main goal. we want work on our man-to-man defense. on offense, [we need to] just execute. we’ve learned a lot, so we just want to execute.”

a llen will receive her first start as point guard in the exhibition. notre dame’s strong veteran core should help a llen adjust quickly, mc graw said.

“we’ve got a freshman point guard, so this is a great first test,” mc graw said. “[a llen is] doing really well. she has picked things up really quickly, and with a veteran group around her, i think she’ll do well.”

even though the upperclassmen will lead this year’s team, the i rish freshmen have the potential to contribute, according to mc graw.

“i think we expect the vets to carry the load,” mc graw said. “i think the freshmen will contribute on both ends of the floor, especially the point guard. we have expectations for the entire freshman class.”

The i rish take the court wednesday at 7 p.m. against california ( pa.) at p urcell pavilion.

Contact Samantha Zuba at szuba@nd.edu

demetrius Jackson and fellow rookies steve vasturia and v.J. Beachem, and notre dame is deeper than perhaps it’s ever been in recent memory.

a nd the team culture that is perfect for this particular team and pervades the irish program figures to be successful.

But just how successful?

if grant and atkins can, at times, eschew the well-balanced offense and completely take over games in spurts, notre dame will be better off.

if sherman can, in bunches, heat up and provide bursts of scoring like he did against l ouisville when he dropped 17 points in 22 minutes, notre dame will be well-positioned to make a leap on the national scale.

if, when the team needs a lift, connaughton can rain multiple threes per half and ignite the offense momentarily, the irish will be better for it.

Team ball can carry notre dame, but only to a certain point.

it’s tough to make the next step as a program without exceptional moments from the individuals.

Contact Mike Monaco at jmonaco@nd.edu

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

“questionable.”

sophomore defensive lineman sheldon day is “probable” for navy, and kelly said day has been suffering from a bone bruise.

Junior linebacker ishaq w illiams will miss saturday’s game with a knee injury after leaving the a ir Force game early.

kelly said sophomore safety e lijah shumate was “moving around well” and that he’ll practice. shumate’s role has not been determined, according to kelly.

The i rish offensive line will look more like the unit that started the game saturday than the one that closed the win over a ir Force. graduate student left guard c hris watt was “probable,” kelly said, while sophomore right tackle ronnie stanley was supposed to practice Tuesday.

Golson talks to SI i n an interview with sports i llustrated’s a ndy staples, suspended i rish quarterback everett g olson said he was kicked out of notre dame because he cheated on a test.

g olson, who was suspended for the semester because of the transgression, said watching the i rish play without him has been a tough experience.

“i’ve never had so many mixed emotions in my life,” he said to staples. “i’m constantly watching the game and

getting excited. it’s still that sense of, well, you’re not there. seeing those guys just going out there and battling every week and me not being a part of that, that really kind of hurt me.”

g olson said notre dame’s losses were even tougher to deal with.

“i felt like i maybe could have been there, trying to do my best to help the team win so it hurts,” g olson said.

g olson has been working out in san diego with renowned quarterbacks coach g eorge w hitfield during his absence from school. he said the training has been “ridiculously good for me” and that people should expect a different g olson when he returns to south Bend in January.

“[ i’ll be] a more polished

paid a dverT isemen T

individual,” g olson said. “That goes for on and off the field. i know a lot of people are more focused on me actually getting on the field. i’m more so focused on getting back in the classroom since that’s where it happened.”

g olson said he did not choose to go to a junior college or even another school because he wanted to finish what he started at notre dame. “my heart was set on going back to notre dame, not necessarily to prove to anybody but really, just doing it for me,” he said. “That’s something that i started, and i didn’t want to run away from it and go to a J uco or go to another school. i was going to face it.”

Contact Matthew DeFranks at mdefrank@nd.edu

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Ben Foster, 33; gabrielle union, 41; winona ryder, 42; richard dreyfuss, 66.

Happy Birthday: detail, dedication and finishing what you start will take you to a place that allows you to expand your interests and incorporate what you learn into future goals. expanding your outlook and looking for obscure solutions to situations that arise will help you stand out and win the confidence of those you deal with. strive for perfection and for setting a high standard. your numbers are 6, 11, 18, 23, 32, 45, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): size up what is possible and what isn’t. you may feel restless and in need of change, but simple moves will ensure that you aren’t stuck with something you don’t want. love is on the horizon, but patience will be required.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): learn from the company you keep. engage in talks and new adventures that will take you into unfamiliar territory. Take a serious look at your past and make a commitment or promise to someone special. a partnership will enhance your life.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): handle work in a timely fashion. don’t let an emotional incident cost you. keep your temper in check and your ideas flowing. a relationship will take an interesting turn if you are honest about the way you feel.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): enjoy your friends, relatives and the pleasures that life brings you. look for information that will help you understand your roots and guide you in a direction that helps you use your skills fluently and to the benefit of others.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): don’t say too much if you want to avoid trouble. you will be criticized if you try to flex your muscles. adapt to whatever comes your way and make it work for you without getting wrapped up in the melodrama.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take charge and follow through with your plans. engage in intimate conversations and listen to the complaints your colleagues and clients make. your thoughtful actions will put you in a category that allows you to call the shots.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): show more interest in what others are doing and adapt something you used to be good at into your everyday routine. doubling up on what you can do may be tiresome, but it will also bring you added benefits.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): give whatever job you do your very best. pay close attention to detail and make whatever adjustments are necessary to finish what you start. an alternative lifestyle will suit you best and encourage you to develop your own brand or service.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Focus on home, family and making the right moves that will keep you out of trouble and everyone happy. don’t let an emotional matter escalate or you will face disillusionment and uncertainty. stick to the truth and keep life simple.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): exercise your right to follow your dreams. Take the unusual route and you will not be disappointed. a positive change in your finances can be expected. perfectionism plus hard work will result in a chance to enrich your life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): don’t trust anyone with your secrets. you are best to size up your situation and do what you can to help others, but don’t let anyone take advantage of your kindness. don’t let restlessness cost you. Think before you make a move.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): emotions will surface. don’t give in to anyone putting demands on you. it’s never too late to change your mind and opt for something less complicated. Follow the path that best suits your current situation. money is headed in your direction.

Birthday Baby: you are dynamic, inventive and complex. you are innovative and loyal.

Defend and contain

Defense improves after loss to Oklahoma; Nix status remains uncertain; Golson

By MATTHEW DeFRANKS a ssistant managing e ditor

since surrendering 35 points and 450 yards of offense in a loss to oklahoma on sept. 28, no. 25 notre dame’s defense has come alive.

i n wins over a rizona state, usc and a ir Force, the i rish defense forced six turnovers, picked up eight sacks and allowed less than 16 points per game. notre dame (6-2) has not given up a point in the third quarter during the three-game winning streak, and the Trojans and Falcons did not muster any second-half points.

a fter the oklahoma loss, i rish coach Brian kelly said the defense was solid despite its performance against the sooners.

“i think our defense is solid,” kelly said on oct. 2. “i don’t think they’re spectacular, but i think it’s a solid defense that we can win with. we uncharacteristically gave up two big plays that we’re not accustomed to giving up. we’re solid as a defense. we’re not spectacular,

nd womEn’s bAskEtbAll

but we’re solid.”

since then, the notre dame defense has contained three dynamic offenses that have each put up at least 40 points in a game this season.

kelly said the signs for a better defense were apparent to him.

“i felt the fundamentals were in place,” kelly said on Tuesday.

“i thought that we were beginning to play the kind of run defense necessary to keep us in every ballgame. a nd we were starting to get some really good play on the edge of our defense, which is so important to everything that we do in the 3 4 defense. so there were signs that were pointing in that direction. now you’ve got to put it all together. But i was very confident that the markers were there, and they were pointing in the right direction.”

The i rish will now look to slow down navy’s triple option a week after shutting down the Falcons. kelly said the m idshipmen (4-3) run a different system than a ir Force did.

By SAMANTHA ZUBA sports writer

talks to Sports Illustrated

“But navy runs the triple option better than anybody in the country,” kelly said. “i mean, it’s what they do. a nd they have so many variations off of it, just little variations that make a huge difference, splits, the

preciseness of how they run it may not to the untrained eye look like much, but it’s a real big difference.”

Injuries update

kelly said senior nose guard

l ouis nix’s status for saturday’s game is still up in the air. nix missed the a ir Force game with knee tendonitis. kelly said nix was “progressing” but still

Freshmen debut at Purcell i rish need more than depth

it will be more than life-after-diggins for the no. 2 i rish this season.

skylar diggins led notre dame at point guard for four years, but now a new class of leaders will take over for the i rish.

i rish coach muffet mc graw said the i rish upperclassmen would help the team find a unique identity as the season progresses.

“e ach team has its own identity, and it generally takes on the personality of the upperclassmen and the senior class,” mc graw said. “That identity is still forming. we’re not sure what it is yet, but we’re in good hands with the senior class.”

notre dame enters the 20132014 season with a promising crew of freshmen and an experienced senior class. The i rish will welcome freshmen guard l indsay a llen, forward k ristin nelson, forward Taya reimer and center diamond Thompson this season. Forwards natalie achonwa and a riel Braker and guard k ayla mcBride return as seniors for notre dame.

mc graw said she expects

contributions early from the freshmen, particularly a llen, who will replace diggins at point guard, and reimer, who will add a post presence to the roster.

The seniors have helped the freshmen settle onto the court, mc graw said.

“The seniors are doing a great job of helping the freshmen along in any way they

can,” mc graw said. “l indsay is going to start at point guard; reimer is going to play a lot in the post, and the others are improving every day.”

The i rish will count on mcBride and achonwa for consistent scoring because of their experience. achonwa, a native of guelph, ontario,

it’s tough not to be intrigued by notre dame’s depth.

it’s tough not to be captivated by the team-first, assist-dishing style of five players orchestrated as one.

a fter monday’s 95-69 exhibition beatdown of indianapolis, irish coach mike Brey loved how “everybody is getting involved,” how the team was “sharing the ball,” how the team posted 29 assists on 35 made field goals.

But to take the next step toward being a squad capable of a legitimate ncaa Tournament run, notre dame will need more than just a team effort. it will need the exceptional from its individuals.

it happens in moments like the ridiculous 12-point, 29-second stretch from senior guard Jerian grant, who singlehandedly brought out the defibrillator against l ouisville last season and resurrected notre dame’s chances to down the eventual national champion.

obviously, that’s an oncein-a-lifetime run of scoring by the senior, but it’s that type of exceptional play by individuals outstepping the bounds of team basketball that will be needed to carry notre dame to its first sweet 16 appearance since 2003.

The irish have been a successful regular-season and early-postseason unit in recent years, routinely notching 20-plus wins and reaching the semifinals of the Big east Tournament. But the next step is a deep(er) run in the ncaa Tournament, and, in certain spots, something more than efficient, equal-distribution basketball will be a necessity. don’t get me wrong. The typical display of terrific ball movement and touch passes that was exhibited monday is beautiful to watch and also highly successful. notre dame knows how to play together, and, on any given night, one of a handful of guys could lead the team in scoring. grant and fellow senior guard