Print Edition of The Observer for Thursday, November 3, 2016
students intern in nation’s capital
Program offers classroom, workforce experience for group of students with diverse interests
By JUSTINE WANG news writer
washing T on — The
n otre d ame washington
p rogram is n otre d ame’s only off-campus academic program located in the u nited s tates. e very semester, a fresh cohort of 15 students with diverse interests and majors finds themselves immersed in the cultural and political life of washington, d c s tudents in the program live in d upont c ircle, just minutes away from the w hite h ouse and a vast array of shops and restaurants.
b esides taking a required core seminar and two
consortium-offered electives, students apply for and participate in an internship of their choice, for a total of 15 credits. a s a supplement to the core seminar, students attend weekly “public policy visits” for which they have toured c apitol h ill, attended a briefing at the u s d epartment of s tate and met with n otre d ame alumni who work in journalism, lobbying, law and government.
“ i n addition to taking advantage of the ability to connect what they learn in the classroom with practical experience at their internship, students in the washington
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Irish broadcaster analyzes election
LoVOI | The Observer
Students walk down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial onto the National Mall while studying in Washington, D.C. Fifteen students are participating in this semester’s program.
pemco
to premiere
‘merrily we roll a long’
By COURTNEY BECKER news writer
The pasquerilla east musical company (pemco) will roll out its production of stephen sondheim’s “merrily we roll along” on Thursday night in washington hall. senior pemco producer Tommy Favorite, who plays charlie Kringas in the show, said the production team chose this musical largely due to how relevant it is for college students.
“The story is a lot about growing up and finding out what you want to do and what’s important to you and how to compromise, change and evolve without losing yourself,” Favorite said. “although it was a lesser-known story, it was one that we could find a lot of truth in for ourselves.”
Junior meghan cain, who plays beth in the show, said she hopes students will see themselves in the characters at the end of the show,
which is told in reverse-chronological order, beginning at the height of the main character’s career as a composer.
“it’s super relevant in the sense that the show ends in an apartment college students are moving into,” cain said. “[it] ends on this hopeful note of, ‘This is what i want to do with my life, it’s my time to follow my dreams.’ i think that’s
By LUCAS MASIN-MOYER news writer
last week, irish political commentator george hook backed his bags and headed off to the closest thing america has to ireland itself: the university of notre dame. hook will be broadcasting his show from notre dame’s campus all throughout the week in a lead up to election day coverage.
First, however, hook spoke on the 2016 united states political election as it is viewed by those in
ireland on wednesday afternoon in geddes hall.
hook said irish citizens have always had a particular interest in united states politics due to certain connections to america.
“every irish person at this point has a relative in america and our economy is kept going by remittances from america,” he said.
“The average guy in a pub can tell you that new hampshire is the first primary and about super Tuesday.”
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Feminist speaker puts forth pro-life message
By STEPHANIE SNYDER news writer
Feminist for life advocate Joyce mccauley-benner spoke at saint mary’s on wednesday night as part of respect life week. The talk, sponsored by belles for life, focused on how women can be both feminist and pro-life.
“i thought you couldn’t be feminist and pro life,” mccauleybenner said. “but feminism
changed my life.”
“ ... i became pregnant in college. i didn’t know if it was my rapist’s, or — i had been in a loving relationship — if it was my boyfriend’s.” when she went to her college’s wellness center and found out the pregnancy test was positive, mccauley-benner said she considered an abortion, even though she grew up in a pro-life household.
“i begged [the nurse] to tell me what to do,” she said. “she told me to take prenatal vitamins, find a doctor and be on my way. she didn’t tell me to go get an abortion [but] a lot of nurses will.
“did i think about abortion? sure. i didn’t have a clue as to how to take care of myself during a pregnancy.”
mccauley-benner said her best
liFe weeK PaGe 5
ROSIE
Irish radio broadcaster, George Hook, speaks on the 2016 U.S. presidential election Wednesday in Geddes Hall.
Policies The observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the university of notre dame du lac and saint mary’s college. editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either institution. The observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content.
The news is reported as
Question of the Day:
Have a question you want answered? Email
If you could be any fruit or vegetable, what would you be?
Noah Wilson junior dillon
“Tomato — you get both.”
Morgan Seidler sophomore mcglinn hall “strawberry.”
Ethan Donnelly sophomore Fisher hall “spinach.”
t he next f ive D ays:
Thursday
Yoga in The Galleries Snite Museum of Art
4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Free and open to the public; RecSports will provide mats.
Student Standups: Any Questions?
Legends
9 p.m.
Event is free. Humor Artists will follow.
Friday
Boardroom Insights Lecture Series Mendoza College of Business
10:40 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. Victor Dodig speaks.
Higgins Labor Cafe Geddes Hall
5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Gather to discuss contemporary issues; coffee will be served.
Mariah Vetter sophomore mcglinn hall “a raspberry.”
Veronica Marquez sophomore lewis hall “broccoli.”
David Kalamarides sophomore alumni hall “apple, for sure.”
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Saturday
Fall 2016 Freebie Classes: Bootcamp Rolfs Sports Recreation Center
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Space is limited.
Seminar in American Religion McKenna Hall
9 a.m. - noon Discussion on “History and Presence.”
Sunday
Mass at the Basilica Basilica of the Sacred Heart
11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. With music from the Notre Dame Folk Choir.
Vespers Basilica of the Sacred Heart
7:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
The celebration of evening prayer.
Monday
Workshop: Getting Started in Research in the College of Science Brownson Hall
4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Film and Discussion: “Do Not Resist” Geddes Hall
6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Free and open to the public.
Group examines sustainability
By DEVON HARFORD news writer
The notre dame student senate heard a number of reports from various departments wednesday evening.
The first presentation came from marc burdell and consuela wilson, director and inclusion specialist of the office of student enrichment, respectively. They presented their pilot program, the Fighting irish scholars program, designed to give financial support and social enrichment to students who are, as wilson said, “high achieving and under resourced.”
in its first year, the program will invite 60 students — 12 upperclassmen and 43 freshmen — to engage in peer mentoring, financial literacy workshops and networking workshops, among others.
Corrections
The observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. we do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. i f we have made a mistake, please contact us at (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.
“we will open these workshops to all students as well, although only students within the program would receive financial resources. This first year is really to test the program and see what works and what we can improve,” wilson said.
The office is also taking over the rector’s Fund and hopes to rename it to the student experience Fund, as well as change the low socioeconomic status
(lses) Fund to the opportunity Fund.
“we want to better reflect how we can help high-achieving and under-resourced students best, through both notre dame experiences, like attending football games and retreats, and through other areas, like laptop repair and emergency travel expenses,” wilson said. “we are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for notre dame students.”
The senate sustainability committee — consisting of duncan senator Zach huber, cavanaugh senator brittany benninger, lewis senator a llison young and pasquerilla east senator samantha berley — presented a proposed revision of the comprehensive sustainability strategy.
“we should get on board with this [sustainability] movement more in student government,” young said.
The group proposed new ideas for student government to tackle, including encouraging composting, and lending more support for south bend initiatives.
“current efforts are applaudable, but there are places where notre dame could take more of a stance,” benninger said.
Four percent of notre dame’s 10 billion dollar endowment is invested in fossil fuel, according to benninger.
“we think it is wrong to profit from this market,” benninger said. “we also want to revisit the current goal of 25% renewable energy by 2050 and start a conversation about improving it.”
she said the university needs to do more research on their own carbon footprint.
“notre dame hasn’t even done a feasibility study; from there, we could find more realistic and ambitious numbers,” benninger said.
other senators, including stanford senator connor green, suggested asking for a feasibility study.
“is it premature to say that the number needs to be higher when no concrete information has been gathered?” green said.
st. edward’s senator corey gayheart said senate should push for that research to be conducted.
“we should be pushing for an investigation to get those numbers, and this resolution leaves the administration open to involve students, but it also puts a student senate push behind more student involvement in this,” he said.
Contact Devon Harford at dharford@nd.edu
sTudenT senaTe
Radio host explores ‘otherness’
BY SYDNEY DOYLE news writer
verge “brother sage” gillam, former radio show host on wbsT and a well-known member of the african-american community in south bend, spoke at saint mary’s on wednesday on “The value of otherness. ” sage, who is a “griot,” or storyteller, displayed the titler otherness though examples of his own family.
gillam said his ancestors were slaves from ghana who were brought to virginia. as an african american man, he said his story is very different from that of a white person, as 91 percent of african-americans in the united states are here because of slavery, not because they were trying to escape oppression, he said.
“we didn’t have a choice in the matter — we were out of luck,” gillam said gillam said he loves traveling
to different schools and other places to share his unique story and the otherness of his family.
“i love engaging people,” he said. “The basis for all of us is our families.”
gillam was raised by his mother alone and didn’t get to know his father until he was 13 years old, he said. his father passed away in 2006.
“i miss him because that is who i am,” he said. “i am here and i am thankful.”
gillam was proud of his mom, who went back to school after she had her kids and got her degree when he was 16, he said. Times we tough during that period of time.
“we were proud of her, even though sometimes i didn’t know where my next glass of milk was coming from, unless i did something about it,” he said.
his mom pushed him to get his education and embraced the
“otherness factor,” gillam said.
“The otherness factor: you have to better yourself,” he said.
with three children and nine grandchildren, gillam said he wants his family to carry on the legacy of his family who were in slaves in virginia all those years ago. he said his grandchildren will be the fourth generation of his family to get their degrees.
“once you have an education, it will carry you far,” he said.
an example of otherness is having a rare opportunity to talk with an african american man about his story, gillam said. he said that often time we can not understand otherness and embrace it because we want what is the same.
“we want what is similar,” he said. “we want what is comfortable.”
being open to otherness is most important because once you’re open to otherness, the
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world will be open to you, according to gillam.
“The world is constantly changing,” he said. “not being open to understanding will limit your learning.”
The best thing one can do is to immerse themselves in different conversations with different people, to read different books and to watch different movies, because then you will be able to utilize the value of otherness, gillam said.
“otherness, you grow; sameness, you drown,” he said.
being well rounded is crucial in being able to understand otherness; in everyday life, we should be open to learning and forming new ideas in this changing world, gillam said.
“The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts,” he said.
Contact Sydney Doyle at sdoyle01@stmarys.edu
e lection
con T inued F rom page 1
in addition to these connections, hook also cited the election of president John F. Kennedy as being especially important for irish interest in a merican politics.
“not only was the president of a merica a catholic, but he was real irish,” he said. “he was the real mccoy. we’re a long way away but we are inextricably connected with a mericans.”
w hile there is high interest in a merican politics in ireland, hook said that public opinion is almost universally in favor of the democratic party.
“my father ... explained to me the difference between democrats and republicans: the democrats were the good guys — they tax and spend and they look after the weaker people in society,” he said.
This favoring of the democratic party, hook argued, was due to the opportunities it gave irish immigrants when they first came to a merica.
“w here the irish ultimately came through in a merica was through politics and through the democratic party,” he said.
This bias towards liberal ideas was reflected in irish media, hook said.
“our media is completely different than a merican media,” he said. “There is no l imbaugh, no Fox news, all our media ... is uniformly liberal and, therefore, supporting the democratic party, by and large.”
hook attributed the almost universal support of democratic nominee, hillary clinton, to the emergence of feminism in ireland.
“i believe that ireland is now the most radically feminized country in the globe — radical feminism has taken over ireland and it has particularly taken over in our media,” he said. “w hat has happened therefore is that [in] the media ... the columnists are feminists and are going to vote for hillary and they’re going to vote for her because she’s a woman. That’s the only reason they’re going to do it.”
despite what he saw as bias in the coverage of the election, hook said he believed that this election could still be looked at from the irish perspective as one of the worst in history. he said he believes this downward spiral of a merican politics began in 1968.
“From 1968 onward, i think you begin to see a polarization of a merican politics of which the nadir has been reached in 2016,” he said.
hook said this polarization has lowered the level of political discourse in the united states.
“w hat makes [this election] really different — in my opinion looking at it from abroad — is that the debate is conducted in the most underhand and low way,” he said.
Contact Lucas Masin-Moyer at lmasinmo@nd.edu
p rogram are immersed in the epicenter of politics and policy,” c laudia a newalt, manager of the w ashington p rogram and director of the h esburgh p rogram in p ublic s ervice, said. “This combination provides students interested in policy and government-related fields an unparalleled foundation to jump-start their careers.”
s tudents intern in a number of different industries: media, lobbying, advocacy, law, government and think tank organizations. This year’s group has internships at congressional offices, the naacp, the u s d epartment of s tate, b usiness e xecutives for n ational s ecurity and the c enter for a merican p rogress.
“ h aving grown up in the city of c hicago, it’s nice to be back in an urban area with so many fun things to do and see — and public transit to get you there,” junior Kathleen r ocks said. “ i have loved exploring the different neighborhoods of d c There’s a lot of character in this city and getting to know each part has been really interesting.”
r ocks is interning at the g eorgetown l aw c riminal Justice c linic, a small public defender office, where she helps investigate the cases of low-income clients.
“ e very day might be different,” r ocks said. “ i might be tracking down a government witness to get a statement, trying to convince police officers to talk to me, canvassing a scene for witnesses and video footage or even testifying in court about my investigation in the field.”
“ i t has been a really interesting look at the criminal justice system,” she added. “a nd i have had the opportunities to help out clients and to work with the clinic attorneys to address injustices in our legal system first-hand.”
This semester, students attending the program also find themselves at the center of the political scene, as the nation awaits the election of its 45th president.
“ b eing in d c . for yet another historic election is an opportunity i am so grateful to be a part of,” junior Kathryne r obinson said. “The possibility of having our first female president is so super exciting, [and] being able to vote in my first presidential election for what could be the first ‘ m adam p resident’ is the best feeling ever.”
For a public policy visit, n otre d ame students met with n otre d ame alumnus m att s chlapp, who previously served as p resident g eorge w b ush’s deputy assistant and is now chairman of the a merican
c onservative u nion. o ver a luncheon, s chlapp talked about his concurrent role serving on presidential candidate d onald Trump’s c atholic a dvisory b oard and shared his perspectives on the election as a c atholic and a r epublican.
“ o ne of the best moments of the year came when we got to sit down with m att s chlapp,” junior Julio s alazar said. “ h e shared his thoughts on the election [and] the candidates, and offered insight into his support of the r epublican presidential candidate. g ood discussion and challenging ideas were brought up, and i believe everyone left having learned something about the other side.”
s alazar, an intern at cbs n ews, said it’s certainly an exciting time to be living in the nation’s capital.
“ l iving in w ashington d c during the most contentious presidential election since 1800 has been a whirlwind of an experience,” he said. “ w orking at cbs mandates that i be plugged into the election at all times. i have watched more Trump and c linton rallies than anyone should ever have to.”
s o many, he added, that he claims to have a Trump impression to rival a lec b aldwin.
“ i t’s really special to be living in the nation’s capital in the midst of a transition of power,” s alazar said.
The w ashington p rogram is now accepting applications for the 2017-2018 academic year, and is open to sophomores and juniors of any major. s tudents can find more information online at http://rooneycenter.nd.edu/ washington-program/.
Contact Justine Wang at jwang27@nd.edu
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kind of where we all … right now.”
senior pemco producer amanda bartolini said the producers and director had a large pool of talented students to choose from when casting the show.
“i think it still rings true that we have such a talented pool of singers, actors and dancers — triple threats — out there,” bartolini said. “i think every year they just get stronger.”
The cast and production crew have to give up huge amounts of
a
time — which bartolini considers worthwhile.
“it’s a commitment, and it’s a sacrifice for our actors and our production team,” she said. “but it’s something that i think when you see the final product you realize … at the end of the day, what we get to put onstage makes it all worth it.”
much of the time the cast puts in takes place outside of rehearsals, cain said.
“in addition to your physical presence you also have to be super emotionally present,” she said. “so it’s going to rehearsals for about two
a
hours a night … but then, in addition to running all that stuff, it’s sitting with your character, it’s doing your homework.”
This work has paid off for cain. Favorite pointed to one of cain’s character’s songs as his favorite moment of the show because of the raw emotion cain expresses.
“it’s just sheer resign[ation],” she said. “i think that’s something we’ve all experienced at some point. learning about my character and kind of the whole unwrapping of that scene has been one of the better learning experiences i’ve had as an actress and as a performer.”
in addition to the main characters, bartolini said, the ensemble
cast members are critical to the show’s story.
“i think the ensemble’s role is very important,” she said. “They’re the ones translating the story from the lead and their own lives to making it a universal theme that the audience can understand.”
cain said the transitions the ensemble lead between scenes are crucial for the audience to pay attention to.
“i would encourage our audience to really pay attention to the transitions, really pay attention to the lines that are said and remember that it is happening in reverse,” cain said. “and really try and put yourself in the characters’ shoes because we’re
easy, she said.
friend changed her perspective on abortion.
“she said, ‘Joyce, i know you’re feeling really overwhelmed right now, but i want you to know: no one feeling lasts forever — an abortion will,’” she said. “while i did not know who the father of this pregnancy was, i did know who the mother was.”
mccauley-benner then moved back home with her parents and gave birth to her baby boy.
“my boyfriend didn’t sign the paternity papers because we didn’t know who the father was, but it didn’t matter to me as much anymore,” she said. “i was not going to be transformed from a woman to a mother. rather, my experience of womanhood was expanding.”
life as a single mother was not
there, right now. we’re living it.”
Favorite said the story being told retrospectively makes the production worth seeing a second time to catch all of the hints dropped throughout the show.
“one of the cool things about the show is that everything in the show that is foreshadowing is also technically a callback,” Favorite said. “Frankly, i think it’s a terrific show to see twice.”
performances will take place Thursday, Friday and saturday at 7 p.m. and tickets are on sale at the laFortune box office.
Contact Courtney Becker at cbecker3@nd.edu
“Take the most stressful week in a semester — that was my daily life as a parent,” mccauley-benner said. “everyday life was a struggle for me.”
she said society tells women they can’t handle having a child and going to schoo,l or even have a child and be successful. Feminists for life’s goal is to get rid of this mindset.
“The status quo will tell us that we can’t do it, we shouldn’t do it or that we have to choose between motherhood and womanhood,” she said. “i’m here to tell you that we deserve better. i said no to the status quo. i said that you can heal from rape and bear a child. i am victorious over the violence committee against me.”
mccauley-benner went on to graduate with her bachelor’s degree and, later, a master’s degree. after having her son, she realized that abortion is not a free choice, but an injustice.
she defined free as, “not to be compelled by circumstance.”
“women who endure domestic violence, rape, incest, abuse and trafficking — all of that lead to situations where you are not free,” mccauley-benner said. “at Feminists for life, we are feminist first, but we also believe women deserve better than abortion. This doesn’t have to be a religious issue, it doesn’t have to be a political issue — this is a women’s justice issue.”
Feminists for life create pregnancy resource forums for women who undergo unplanned pregnancies. additionally, they discuss what resources are available on college campuses and work to solve other issues such as housing, child care, classes, health care and financial aid.
“we come together with administrators to work on resources for women,” she said. “when i was in college, i thought i was all alone. i thought that the only way to be strong was by doing it by myself, but my real strength came through finding resources for support.
“you shouldn’t have to terminate your education in order to keep a baby.”
other women who became pregnant by rape ask her how she managed to heal, mccauley-benner said.
“it’s still a very scary night,” she said. “but women who experience unplanned pregnancy also experience unplanned joy. we are more powerful and creative than we have ever been told, and that is how we can heal.” according to mccauley-benner,
the number one reason for abortion is the lack of resources and support for women.
“doing a medical procedure that is not good for your body is not good enough for me; it’s also disempowering,” she said. “There are other choices.” when an abortion is recommended, usually medical personnel tell the woman who is pregnant that they can take care of the problem for them, mccauley-benner said, but that is not the problem.
“we need to understand how powerful we are,” she said. “if women heard that more from our sisters our best friends, our roommates, our brothers and our boyfriends — whatever the crisis may be — the more you hear that, the easier it is to say ‘i’ve got this.’ To me, that’s what’s missing.”
mccauley said providing help and support is key to empowering pregnant women, but our society resorts to shame.
“how do our communities, our schools, our churches treat women who have an unplanned pregnancy?” she said. “we need to stop the shame. every women is a gift; every women is beautiful.”
president of belles for life Katherine dunn said being pro-life and being feminist goes hand in hand, and she hopes mccauleybenner helped to spread that message to other belles.
“i hope that it gets people thinking who are pro-life and prochoice,” she said. “i also want it to raise awareness for what resources saint mary’s has for its parenting students.
“being pregnant doesn’t have to change your goals as a college student. saint mary’s supports you [and] belles for life supports you.”
Junior emily lambert said she thinks mccauley-benner’s message is essential on saint mary’s campus.
“i think it’s good to be informed on this because we are an all women’s campus,” she said. “sometimes it’s hard to be both pro-life and prowomen. i think it was important for people to understand how we can be both.”
Junior leah buck agreed with lambert and mccauley-benner’s message.
“[being pregnant] isn’t the end of a woman’s life,” she said. “women are powerful enough to deal with unforeseen circumstances and to be successful.”
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god, country, notre dame
no matter how tough the week is, how difficult midterms went, how good or bad things are going at home, i’ve always found a sense of peace from one of the highlights of the week: dorm mass on sunday night. st. e lizabeth a nn seton chapel in Knott hall is no majestic wonder of church architecture, but there is a sense of homeliness and closeness that i have yet to experience in another church setting. a nd on sunday nights, the small room fills with people who come from all different backgrounds and walks of life, but are all there for the same reason: to grow closer to g od.
coming to a school like notre dame from going to catholic school my whole life, i think in many ways i took for granted the fact that i would be surrounded by a catholic environment. however, after over a year, i am extremely grateful that notre dame is a place with dozens of chapels, masses every day and a grotto which, in many ways, is the heart and soul of campus. w hile not everyone is catholic, nor is every catholic practicing, i have realized that having that overwhelming presence is such a great opportunity to explore and deepen my faith. meeting people who share the same goals is not to be taken for granted.
For while notre dame is a place of faith, it also is one of community, and sunday night mass blends them both into an incredible atmosphere. i n Knott, thanks to a number of very talented individuals, the music is amazing, and the a powerful aspect of the experience comes alive when everyone joins hands for the sign of peace and the whole room swells with the singing of the o ur Father. For not only am i there with c hrist, i’m there with my brother and sisters, in a community in which people truly care for one another. seeing so many of my friends and dormmates all together in one place to celebrate as a family is a testimony to the bonds that notre dame creates, with faith at its center. w hile there are many things that separate notre dame from the other elite institutions of higher education, this is the biggest. notre dame isn’t solely about getting an education: it’s about growing as a person, and faith is an area where one can always grow. w hether it’s in Knott, dillon or any other dorm on campus, mass in a community where everyone comes together as big family creates the environment to truly grow. Those times are amongst the ones i value most, and it’s a privilege to call myself part of a university that makes it possible.
i remember seeing an admissions video before i came to notre dame, titled “a ny given day,” and among the number of different facets of i rish life that they highlighted, one was a dorm mass. There was a quote that said, “That’s a moment where you know on a sunday, you know you may have had a bad week … but that’s a moment when you’re able to stop and say, ‘you know, i’m going to be okay.’”
i couldn’t have said it better myself.
Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
How to think about bravery
l ike any self-respecting h arry p otter connoisseur, i have taken many a s orting h at quiz to best determine which h ogwarts house i belong in. a fter the p ottermore quiz (created by J.K. r owling herself) designated me as a g ryffindor, i finally accepted my place. For those unfamiliar with the h ogwarts houses, g ryffindors are notorious for their bravery — courage so strong that causes them make stupid decisions for the sake of their friends’ safety. Fictional dormitories aside, this quiz got me thinking — am i a brave person? h ow can someone as untested and unchallenged as myself really know whether or not they are truly courageous? w ith an abundance of examples to choose from, it should be relatively easy to decide what exactly bravery means, and whether or not the term applies to your character. b ravery has been a theme in the arts for as long as people have been telling stories, and history provides us with even more examples. b ards wrote songs professing the king’s fortitude under fire, the knights of early fairytales won the hearts of princesses by slaying the mighty dragon, Jack forsakes his spot on the plank instead choosing certain death in the frigid waters to ensure the safety of r ose. Tales of sacrifice and bravery are told time and time again, and not just in stories and songs. we learn the meaning of courage under fire in history class you read about the deeds of soldiers. we are all familiar of the courage it took to shelter Jews in n azi e urope, and the phrase “standing up for your beliefs” is epitomized by r osa p arks when she refused to take a seat in the back of the bus. u pon further examination, however, one common thread throughout the heroes of fiction and history is missing in my own life, and the lives of many college students: a challenge so daunting or dangerous as to require an act of true courage. i have lived a lucky life in that i have been relatively untested so far. The biggest obstacles i have had to overcome involve schoolwork and friendships — not necessarily the stuff you read about in heroic novels. h ow can i possibly call myself brave — and equate myself with
g ryffindor — if i have never been tested? s ure, i like to think that, should the moment arise where i am asked to sacrifice myself for a friend, or run into a burning building to save a child, i would not hesitate. b ut as i —thankfully — have not been faced with any life-or-death struggles, i am left with an unsatisfying “what if?” that i long to have answered. The fact of the matter is, if you are unwilling to view bravery as anything other than the knight-in-shining-armor ideal, it is difficult to truly convince us of our own fortitude until we have been truly tried and tested. p erhaps there are small character traits, noticeable in everyday actions, which make it possible to determine who, if the moment arose, would lead a charge into battle. m aybe it’s the people who confidently thrust their hands up first in class, willing to answer a tough question, or the person who exemplifies the desire to serve others by volunteering during his or her busy weekends. i f we can approach the concept of true courage as having the strength to stand up for what is right, to defend a friend or classmate against cruelty or to participate in just causes, it becomes a more manageable, tangible effort.
i t is easy to see why h arry is a g ryffindor — after all, he fights a dark lord at age 11. i t is when we examine the other members of g ryffindor where we can find examples for our own lives, whether we look to n eville l ongbottom, standing up for what he believes is right against his own friends, or to h ermione g ranger, who leads a petition to win more rights for the oppressed house-elves. we hold up the heroic protagonists of our favorite stories on pedestals of nobility, but we should be searching for the smaller acts of courage within these stories, and within our own lives, to serve as models of bravery for ourselves.
Aside from incessantly quoting “Hamilton” and other perfect works of theater/film, Lucy Collins majors in economics and history, is a sophomore at Notre Dame and is often found trying to balance her hopeless romanticism and nearly constant cynicism. Please direct comments to lcollin8@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Lucy Collins stuck in the m iddle
Tobias Hoonhout sports writer
The easy way out
it is an unfortunate reality that in a number of countries, mentally ill individuals are legally allowed to pursue euthanasia to end their lives. i n nations including the netherlands, b elgium, s witzerland, l uxembourg, c olombia and possibly soon in c anada, persons diagnosed with mental or behavioral disorders may choose to end their lives through physician-assisted suicide irrespective of whether they have any physical impairment. d octor-assisted dying for “unbearable” suffering with no prospect of improvement is all that need be established.
e ven more alarming is that last week, the netherlands announced plans to propose legislation to expand the concept of assisted suicide to those individuals who have decided that they have “completed life” and wish to die irrespective of the existence of any demonstrable physical or mental health issues. d utch health m inister e dith s hippers remarked that the proposed legislation is necessary to address the needs of “older people who do not have the possibility of continuing life in a meaningful way, or struggling with the loss of independence and reduced mobility, and who have a sense of loneliness, partly because of the loss of loved ones, and who are burdened by general fatigue, deterioration and loss of personal dignity.” under the proposed legislation, all one claiming to be “suffering unbearably” needs to do is put in writing their desire to die and obtain approval from a physician. we should be alarmed that supposed world leaders have now defined life as so meaningless and invaluable that the phrase “bored to death” has become literally true.
e
The expansion of euthanasia rights to the mentally ill is distressing. i n countries recognizing the right, patients with mental illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, p T sd, autism, bipolar disorder and anorexia can now “choose” to discontinue life and end their suffering in what is presumed to be a humane fashion. yet, this process is remarkably defective in that the mentally ill in many, if not most, cases are incapable of rationally making life and death decisions. Those governments, which permit this practice, ignore the fact that those individuals may be extremely unhappy and may have horrifically low self-esteem, which distorts their judgment as to the worth of their own lives. These governments, which endorse, if not promote, euthanasia for the mentally ill or for those who believe that they have “completed life,” are hiding behind the façade of “humane treatment” while actually making decisions to eliminate from their societies those who desperately require medical and mental health care and support. a re we really prepared as a global community to embrace a kill rather than treat mentality for those suffering from mental illness?
s ince allowing the mentally ill to take their own lives, the number of people who have taken advantage of the process has continued to rise. b elgium has had a similar experience where, in the past two years, physician-assisted suicides have taken the lives of 594 non-terminal patients. i n 2014 and 2015 alone, the b elgium medical system has administered lethal injections upon the request of five nonterminally ill individuals with schizophrenia, five with autism, eight with bipolar disorder, 39 with depression and 29 with dementia.
we cannot stand idly by and allow our friends and family to take their own lives under these circumstances. it is well proven that very few people
are capable of making a rationale decision to commit suicide. s tudies have shown that approximately 93% of those committing suicide suffer from some identifiable mental condition such as depression or bipolar disorder, conditions which impair judgment and preclude rational decision-making. d r. b arron l erner, an expert in medical ethics from the d epartment of medicine and p opulation health at nyu, in commenting upon the legalization of euthanasia for the mentally ill stated that, “a high percentage of people with unsuccessful suicides regret having tried to take their lives. To the degree that this process is facilitating people making mistakes, it needs to be revisited.” s tatistics bear out d r. l erner’s conclusions. For example, in one united s tates study, it was determined that less than 4% of suicide attempters actually went on to take their own lives in the five years following their initial attempts. w hat if those individuals had been permitted to end their lives through a governmentsanctioned practice?
we cannot allow our mentally ill or aging population to simply give up on themselves. it is incumbent upon us to intervene with the mentally ill and those who have lost the ability to recognize their self-worth and encourage them to get professional psychological assistance. we must assist and support, rather than validate the distorted judgments and hopeless feelings of these individuals. it is a measure of our humanity that we not give ourselves or these tortured individuals such an easy way out.
Jordan Ryan, junior resident of Lyons Hall, is a major in political science and peace studies and minors in Constitutional studies. She can be reached at jryan15@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
ight tips for a first year student
dear first year student, you made it. you’re in college! now what? you’re living in a dorm with 200+ people, eating dining hall food every day and trying to balance classes with the exciting responsibility of finally living away from your parents. a lso, you’re at notre dame. so add to that an intense football tradition, sometimes overwhelming irish catholicism, a competitive “work hard, play hard” mentality and rigorous academics that include an additional moreau First year experience course that you may not be too fond of. how are you going to manage it all? here are eight tips that might help you adjust to the oftentimes crazy but undeniably rewarding college experience that is the university of notre dame. one. be friendly and say hello. The first few weeks of college are filled with meeting new people and typical “name, dorm, major” exchanges. however, now you know six Katies and five patricks — all from chicago — and smile awkwardly in passing at the people you met at domerfest but never spoke to again. you may feel like you met so many amazing people at the start, but now that it’s after fall break, everyone seems reluctant to make new friends. This is usually the furthest thing from the truth, but often you don’t know how to continue meeting new people after the forced interactions of welcome weekend subside. my advice is to continue to be friendly and say hi when you see them in passing or class. remembering their name can go a long way, but even if you don’t, a simple “hello” can make their day. Two. Think a little deeper about the moreau prompts. it’s sometimes easier to give a generic response for the weekly assignment. but i challenge you to see how you can incorporate what might seem like superficial or forced connections into various aspects of your life. get creative and you might surprise yourself with how much you enjoy a particular assignment or reflection.
Three. don’t knock it until you try it. you’re in college
and there are so many new people, things, and activities that it can be overwhelming how much “new” there is. but don’t assume you won’t enjoy a new experience or activity just because it’s not what you’re used to. college is all about discovering yourself and as cliché as that sounds, you won’t know you enjoy something until you try it.
Four. have more than one group of friends. believe it or not, having only one group of friends that you hang out with all the time doesn’t mean you’re going to feel like you belong or that you’re happy. college is a time of drastic personal growth and transformation, especially during your first year. not only are you going to change, but so are the people you are friends with. you will meet people from all different aspects of campus life, and you should be open to getting to know new people as your classes, interests and activities change. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make deeper connections with your current friends, but also don’t limit yourself and your friendships to the five to 10 people you randomly met on welcome weekend or happened to live next to. a nd more importantly, all your friends don’t have to be friends with each other! There is a campus of over 8,000 undergraduates. chances you found the ultimate group of friends within the first few months are next to zero.
Five. you need sleep. no amount of caffeine can substitute for a couple hours of rest. life in college moves quickly and can be stressful. There will be all-nighters, and i can that promise high school didn’t prepare you for finals week on a college campus. but regularly getting enough sleep will make a world of difference in the end.
six. don’t skip class. if you decided to forgo tip number five but still have gen chem lecture at 8:20 am, i understand the temptation to skip the long walk to Jordan in favor of an extra hour of sleep. w hether you’re an avid napper like me who can sleep through
three alarms with surprising consistency or just don’t care about that 200-person lecture for a university requirement, establishing a weekly routine can help you organize your homework, courses and daily tasks. it may seem like missing one or two lectures isn’t a big deal, but when midterms roll around and missing one lecture has turned into missing a gen chem lecture every week, you may regret some of your choices. establishing a routine is important not only to passing your classes and managing your time effectively, but also to creating a home away from home at notre dame.
seven. Find what works for you. This applies to study habits, social life, sleeping schedules and basically everything else. despite the deceiving appearance of homogeneity amongst the nd student population, everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. your experience in college is what you make of it, but you have to figure out how you function best.
eight. you’re at notre dame to get an education, and this means more than a diploma after four years. yes, you want to do well in your courses and eventually get a job after college, but don’t make the mistake of thinking the only things you’ll learn at notre dame will be in the classroom. once you graduate, life doesn’t have a gpa or an honor society or extra credit assignment. you’re the only one who can define who you are, but first you have to learn who you want to be.
may the luck of the irish be with you as you enter one of the most exciting times of your life. notre dame will change you in ways you can’t imagine, but i hope that you can also change notre dame for the better.
Emily Ragan sophomore
LeTTer To The edITor
Jordan Ryan words of w isdome
By ADAM RAMOS s cene writer
l egends nightclub: a place you may or may not exclusively associate with sweat and the one time you were dragged to hip-hop night. i f you forgot that l egends also hosts concerts, i forgive you. however, the good people of wv F i radio, notre dame’s studentrun i nternet radio station, teamed up with l egends to bring “folk rapper” r aury to notre dame, an artist worth making the short trip to l egends for. atlanta, g eorgia native r aury deshawn Tullis, or simply raury as his stage name, first gained attention in the summer of 2014 with his debut mixtape, “i ndigo c hild.” e xperimental, subtle but contagiously joyous, whatever the short mixtape lacked in substance it more than made up for in promise. The next year, raury would continue to harness his eclectic blend of hip-hop, folk and soul on his debut album, “a ll we
need,” an ambitiously sprawling album featuring a diverse group of guests, including r Z a and Tom morello. Though it’s never easy to categorize an artist within a particular genre, r aury presents a particular challenge. i n raury’s music, a breezy falsetto chorus dancing behind a spanish guitar can make way for a biting rap verse. a nd while that may not sound pleasing, raury’s vast musical acumen allows him to seamlessly weave through multiple genres. lyrically, the youngster never shies away from heavy or provoking topics, and while he may come up short with the answers, his spunk and insightful perspectives are often refreshing. at just 20 years old, raury is off to an impressive start in the industry. i n the past year alone, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has performed at a diverse group of festivals, including sasquatch!, north coast, l ightning in a bottle and even the highly celebrated newport Folk Festival — a testament to r aury folk sensibility. The executive producer of newport
Folk Festival, Jay sweet, even claimed to a ll songs considered’s bob boilen that he watched r aury’s 2015 colbert performance and “didn’t make it through the entire clip before i was on the phone making an offer.”
Jay sweet isn’t alone in his assessment, as c hance the rapper, noname, gucci mane and Joey bada$$ have all requested recent collaborations with r aury. even if r aury has yet to fully flesh out his wideranging sound, everything he does points up kudos to l egends and wv F i for recognizing that. w hether it’s hip-hop, folk, soul, rock or pop, saturday’s show will offer something for everyone, as well as chance to catch a rising talent in relatively intimate set. l et’s make l egends great again.
The show will take place on saturday at 10 p.m. notre dame student rapper, l adibree, will open. admission is free with student id
Contact Adam Ramos at aramos6@nd.edu
By ADRIAN MARK LORE s cene writer
The plunderphonics group negativland is not known for producing great music. Their albums are not sophisticated, their tracks are not enjoyable and their themes are just plain strange. yet to grade their highly experimental recordings using the same rubric of traditional “music” would be mistaken. Theirs is not great music — it’s great anti-music.
Their satirical prowess is unmatched by any group with their level of technical dexterity. Their breakthrough record “e scape From noise” (1987) was a comical expose of traditional suburban values. b y featuring intact clips of rock-fearing middle-class mothers and the pseudo-religious proselytizing of paranoid anti-communists, the group sticks out its tongue at these individuals in manifestly dadaist fashion. a t the same time, by juxtaposing an eclectic variety of skillfully “chopped and screwed” sounds with these ostensibly ludicrous sentiments, negativland injects substance into the satire. similarly, the group pokes fun at soft drink corporations on their unsubtle “d ispepsi” (1997) through the manipulation of primetime advertisements, tribal music rituals, court testimonies and other mass media snippets.
The group’s latest release is much different from these past recordings, however. it is the ninth installment of a series of mock radio broadcasts, collectively named “o ver the e dge,” whose most recent issue was released well over two decades prior. w hile the release is divided into many discrete tracks, the entire record flows seamlessly like a podcast. yet it is not simply the opinionated chatter of self-centered individuals; it is a mashup of disjointed yet memorable
stories that swell into a mercilessly satirical cultural statement.
The setting is s ausalito, c alifornia, the headquarters of a fictional shopping program – The c hopping c hannel – that seems extracted from a dystopian film. your host is bud c hoke, a consummate sycophant who gathers a colorful cast of fictional characters to comment on various issues and sell their bizarre products on the airwaves, telling their stories amid a gaudily arranged salad of sounds that ingeniously drive the entire narrative forward. The project sounds insufferable on paper, but in practice the record is quite innovative and comical, mirroring the humor of satirical media like The o nion.
The guests on the show are its most memorable features. First, r aymond bien joins to testify about the state of his shady institution, g eneral i njectables and signals i ncorporated, which has “the modest goal of translating the world’s various governments, religions and ethical belief systems into various kinds of money.” The character is a clear stab at the faceless figures who manipulate the world around them for their own profit, and perhaps at the failures of globalization and capitalism altogether.
Then comes man of the world, an individual of ambiguous identity who evasively claims to be from “all over the world.” c hoke is unsatisfied by this introduction, later asking, “but what country are you really from?” w hen man of the world repeats his usual answer, c hoke retorts, “a re we bombing your country yet? i certainly hope so, because i don’t know why we’re putting up with this.” it is horribly poignant — and relevant — how sincerely c hoke appears to suggest that the united states ought to be bombing “all over the world.” This is one of the more piercing
moments of the record.
There are other characters and topics, too, like the middle-aged velma who seems to know very little about anything at all, yet insists on making ignorant comments about race. not long after, a nameless salesperson spews: “now, if you’re white, why wouldn’t you want to go native with one of our worldbrand ethnic prosthetics?” These moments come across as jabbing indictments of cultural appropriation in western society.
o n “o ver the e dge vol 9: The c hopping c hannel,” negativland delivers their most pointed statements since the years of “e scape From noise” and “d ispepsi,” with powerful commentary on a variety of subjects from cannibalism to spirit animals to human trafficking. o verall, the mock podcast is an intelligent and genuinely humorous statement against the ubiquitous assumptions of western supremacy that pervade mass media and consumerist culture.
Contact Adrian Mark Lore at asanch11@nd.edu
“Negativland Presents Over the Edge Vol. 9: The Chopping Channel”
Negativland
Label: Seeland Records
Track: “Food and Water”
If you like: The Onion, John Oswald, Stephen Colbert
By MATTHEW MACKE s cene writer
“10 h idden a dult Jokes in c hildren’s movies,” “27 d irty Jokes you never noticed in d isney movies.” a quick look at some of the clickbait ads you can find around the internet will let you know that children’s movies almost always slip in some kind of mature content. Typically, these allusions are used as a subtle shout-out to the parents in the audience — something to reward their responsible parenting. They can, however, go beyond simple innuendo to something more substantial.
d isney’s recently released movie “Queen of Katwe” walks the line delicately between pg -rated family entertainment and something more haunting. This is ostensibly a kid’s movie, but includes whispers of the issues that make up the heart of r-rated dramas. The story follows the main character phiona mutesi, portrayed by cinematic newcomer m adina nalwanga, as she deals with the struggles of growing up in poverty in uganda. she stumbles upon a chess club run by robert Katende ( david o yelowo), and, before long, establishes herself as its best player, much to the chagrin of her male teammates. d espite the untraditional setting and atypical game, “Queen of Katwe” is, at its heart, a fairly traditional sports movie. w here director m ira nair’s production wades into deeper waters is in its careful representation of the
severe poverty experienced by phiona and her family. l ed by their mother and matriarch nakku h arriet ( l upita n yong’o), phiona and her brother work to sell maize, meaning neither attends school. her older sister night leaves their home early in the narrative to stay with a man who rides around the slums on his motorcycle hoping to impress women.“my bike is worth more than your whole house,” he says when nakku tries to get him away from her daughters. night occasionally returns wearing glamorous clothes and always sporting a stylish new haircut, but, by the end of the film, she has moved back home alone and pregnant. night’s brief foray into wealth is juxtaposed with phiona’s success.
a s phiona becomes a more important figure in the world of chess, she takes part in competitions that earn her money and respect. The players that she and her teammates face are always of a higher social class, physically manifesting the children’s fight against their economic conditions. a t her lowest point, phiona struggles to accept her situation, and wonders why her life can’t look more like those of her opponents. she approaches robert asking if she can stay with him, questioning whether she needs to find some kind of concrete success before boys start seeking her out, like they did night.
i n this conversation, phiona shows impressive understanding of her tenuous position in ugandan society. her own mother, to the consternation of her
landlord, has resisted remarrying, but begins to fear that her morals are hurting her children. a ccording to girls, not brides, almost one of every two girls in uganda will be married before adulthood, so p hiona’s trials are hardly the work of hollywood.
“Queen of Katwe” is a film that could easily be much more jarring than it is — i haven’t even addressed the fact that robert’s parents died in the war when he was young. d ue to its pg rating, however, it is unable to say precisely what it means. This makes it an impressive children’s film, but one that feels incomplete. unfortunately, because of the overruling chess plot, most of these topics aren’t addressed in a way that might engender discussion among families. a s it stands now, “Queen of Katwe” is a heartwarming movie, but it’s hard not to wonder exactly what the actors, especially n yong’o and o yelowo, could have done if this script were untethered from its pg guidelines. That could take the movie from sweet with mature undertones to powerful and moving. c ompared to the adult content alluded to in internet ads, however, “Queen of Katwe” is an acrobat smoothly swinging from light-hearted to serious without plummeting downward into something more dangerous, even if most people come to the show for the danger.
Contact Matthew Macke at mmacke@nd.edu
Weeke ND AT A GLANC e
THURSDAY
What: student Comedy
When: 9 p.m.
Where: Legends
how much: Free with student Id
The student standups and humor a rtists team up for a night of comedy. i n their respective productions “a ny Questions?” and “ha lection 2016,” notre dame’s funniest bring fresh material to the stage and show off the survival skills necessary post-next Tuesday.
FRIDAY
What: The onion, Live!
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Jordan auditorium in mendoza how much: Free
a lthough we thought the Facebook announcement was satire on the state of notre dame campus events, The onion really is coming to mendoza. ha! marnie shure, deputy managing editor, and Katy yeiser, staff writer, will speak on the importance of satire and how their content gets created.
a fter the lecture, head to l egends for “folk rapper” raury, pals with c hance the rapper and Kanye west. read our preview of the event on page 8.
SATURDAY
What: PemCo
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Washington hall how much: $7 for students
pemco presents “merrily we roll a long” this Thursday through saturday. The musical chronicles Franklin shepard’s career as a composer in reverse, unraveling how he achieved success. c heck back with us tomorrow for caelin m iltko’s review.
Happy Birthday: now is the time to make your move. This year is about change, diversity and not falling short because you let emotional matters slow you down or get in your way. evaluate your situation and make the choices you long to make. l et your creative imagination take you where you long to be, and everything else will fall into place. your numbers are 4, 10, 21, 25, 32, 44, 47.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): a n opportunity to get ahead is within reach. negotiate on your own behalf to avoid unexpected interference. d on’t leave any room for error and you will be able to have a celebration late in the day with someone you love.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): a n opportunity may not turn out to be as good as you had hoped. Keep track of your assets and don’t jeopardize your position. Take care of responsibilities quickly and efficiently to avoid setbacks. d on’t make snap decisions.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): l ove is on the rise and romance is featured, but before you jump in, make sure your motives are admirable. a n open discussion will help you get a better idea of where you stand and whether you have enough resources to proceed.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): a change in your regular routine will leave you feeling uncertain about your position or your future. using your common sense and working to find innovative solutions will help you get your way.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): say less and do more. your actions will make others take notice. you don’t have to spend money to get someone’s attention. Just be yourself and have fun. socializing, networking and romance are encouraged.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): d on’t neglect domestic problems. l etting an issue fester will add to your agony and increase the time it takes to make things right. speak from the heart and do what’s required to stop matters from escalating. uncertainty will set you back.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Time spent with friends or family at a reunion will allow you to catch up and find out what everyone is up to. w hat you discover will help you make personal changes that encourage you to achieve a better quality of life.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): indulge in events and activities that challenge you mentally. your keen awareness and knowledge will help you rise to the top and show everyone what you can do. a work-related change will benefit you if you are patient.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): d on’t trust your personal information with anyone who may want to pry into your affairs. g et important projects out of the way and make personal changes that will boost your confidence and help you take advantage of an interesting opportunity.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): you’ve got the right idea and the means to pull off your plan. Keep it simple and within your means and complete your work with pride. you’ll impress the people you work with and position yourself for advancement.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): l ook for the less obvious pitfalls and you will discover someone is trying to sneak something by you. c heck documents thoroughly and listen carefully when dealing with institutions or government agencies. gathering knowledge will give you an edge.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Keep a low profile. you don’t want to end up being discussed negatively by your peers or colleagues. concentrate on updating your financial papers as well as going over any pending contracts or settlements.
Birthday Baby: you are playful, imaginative and adventuresome. you are a dreamer.
JumbLe | david hoyT and JeFF KnureK
sudoku | The mepham group
Pitching could deserve MVP nod
Marek Mazurek sports e ditor
i t’s definitely been one heck of an o ctober c lassic, even if it finished up in n ovember.
unfortunately, i had to write this column ahead of g ame 7 between the c ubs and the i ndians, so the outcome is unknown to me.
e ither way, though, it was a hard-fought series with enough drama to air on b ravo or s tarz.
d espite not knowing the outcome of the decisive g ame 7, i thought i ’d go ahead and make my cases for the world s eries mvp for each team.
For the i ndians, most people seem to flock to c orey Kluber as the odds-on favorite to win the mvp award.
h e’s been lights out in the g ame 1 and g ame 4 and he pitched g ame 7 on short rest.
i f Kluber goes for just four or five innings and gives up only one or two runs, i think he should get the award.
The c ubs can’t hit him, and they might be the best offensive team in baseball.
i n g ame 1, the right-hander pitched six shutout innings, giving up only four hits and recording nine strikeouts. n ine strikeouts. a dd that to what Kluber accomplished in g ame 4: another six innings with only one earned run allowed and another six strikeouts.
That’s certainly mvp material, especially if he pitches well in g ame 7. m adison b umgarner did it two years ago, and he was rewarded with the hardware. i can even see Kluber getting the mvp if the i ndians lose, but he still pitches well. That’s how good he is. h owever, a different name that’s currently flying under the radar is Jason Kipnis. Kipnis is currently hitting .308 in the world s eries.
That’s a solid average for facing some of the best pitchers in the world. Kipnis has also scored five runs, hit two home runs and driven in four rbi s.
Two home runs and an average over .300 should certainly put Kipnis in the mvp conversation. h is two home runs are tied for the most in the series and his play at second base has been solid even when other facets of the i ndians defense have fallen apart.
unfortunately for Kipnis, one of his home runs came in the last half of a blowout in g ame 5, and it didn’t have an impact on the outcome of the game. h e’s perhaps not the sexiest choice for mvp, but he’s certainly been one of the i ndians most consistent hitters all series.
i f the c ubs win, there’s a little bit more uncertainty as to who takes home the mvp award. Jake a rrieta pitched two solid outings in g ames 2 and 6, but the c ubs offense gave him a seven-run lead on Tuesday night and there wasn’t much pressure. a rrieta told reporters he was ready to pitch tonight if need be, and it may take a dramatic turn like that for a rrieta to win.
a nother c ubs’ pitcher, however, does look to be the frontrunner: reliever a roldis c hapman.
c hapman throws just one pitch, but he throws that pitch really, really, really, really, really fast. l ike 105 miles per hour fast. a nd so far, c leveland hasn’t quite figured out how to hit that or his mid-90s slider.
Talk of c hapman for mvp started after he pitched an eight-out save in g ame 5 at w rigley and all the pressure and expectations that come with closing out a game in front of home fans who haven’t won a world s eries in 108 years. c hapman had never thrown an eight-out save before and if going above and beyond is something the mvp voters take into account, c hapman should be the c ubs representative.
Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu
The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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Canadiens pull out win despite poor play
Associated Press
mon T real —
d efenseman n athan
b eaulieu believes m ontreal’s victory over vancouver on wednesday night should act as a wake-up call.
Though flat for long stretches and outshot 42-21, the c anadiens did enough to beat the c anucks 3-0 for their eighth straight victory.
“ i t’s probably the worst game we’ve played this year,” said b eaulieu, who scored the winner in the second period. “ we definitely got away with one. we just weren’t sharp. we were on our heels. we sat back and didn’t dictate the game. i t’s a lesson tonight.
“ i t’s the best kind of wakeup call to get, one where you get the win. Tough game for us. b ack to the drawing board.”
The nhl -best c anadiens relied heavily on goalie c arey p rice to keep the winning streak alive. p rice made 42 saves for his first shutout and sixth consecutive win of the season. h e has 37 career shutouts.
“ we’re not going to play perfectly every game, that’s
nba | celTics 107, bulls 100
just a fact,” p rice said. “ we definitely can’t let ourselves get content. we’re going to come out next game and try to get off to a better start.”
Torrey m itchell and a lexander r adulov, into an empty net, also scored for m ontreal. a t 9-0-1, the c anadiens are the only undefeated nhl team in regulation time this season. a lex g alchenyuk and b rendan g allagher each had two assists.
r yan m iller made 19 saves for the c anucks. They are winless in five games and 4-5-1 overall.
“The first half of the game we deserved a better fate,” c anucks coach w illie d esjardins said. “ m aybe the guys were shooting a little too fine, knowing who was in net. They thought they had to be perfect on their shots. h e’s a good goalie, we knew that coming in. we had a good effort today creating shots. i believe if we play like that every night, we’ll win our share of games.”
p rice kept m ontreal in the game to start the second period, robbing winger s ven b aertschi from close range. The visitors led 24-3 in shots
before the c anadiens struck midway through the second. Following sustained pressure by vancouver, b eaulieu scored on a fast break for m ontreal. The defenseman cashed in a rebound at 12:22 after b rendan g allagher’s shot from a tight angle bounced off m iller and landed in the crease. The goal was b eaulieu’s first of the season and it came on m ontreal’s 11th shot. The h abs doubled their lead in the last minute of the second period on m itchell’s team-high fifth goal of the year. m itchell came storming down the wing on a 2 on 1 with p hillip d anault, who found his streaking teammate with a cross-crease pass. m iller, who was playing the shot, had no chance on the goal.
n otes
The c anadiens are 7-01 in their last eight home games against vancouver. m ontreal has scored first in 8 of 10 games this season. .. The c anucks are on a sixgame trip. ... m ontreal recalled d aniel c arr and Joel h anley from the ahl’s s t. John’s i ce c aps.
celtics hang on to lead to take down bulls
Associated Press
bos T on — The b oston c eltics played without new addition a l horford for the first time this season on wednesday night.
Thanks to i saiah Thomas and a mir Johnson, they didn’t miss a beat.
Thomas had 23 points and 10 assists, Johnson finished 23 points — including a career-high four 3-pointers — and the b oston c eltics handed the c hicago b ulls their first loss of the season, 107-100.
b oston avenged its lone setback of the season despite being without horford, who was placed in the concussion protocol Tuesday after exhibiting concussive symptoms during practice.
Johnson was active from all over the court, scoring 16 points in the third quarter.
The b ulls managed just 18 points in the period, their lowest scoring quarter of the season.
“i just made the first one and my confidence got a little higher,” Johnson said of his 3-point performance.
“ w hen i knocked down the fourth one, i don’t even think i even saw the basket.”
The b ulls cut into what had been a 16-point b oston lead in the fourth quarter and tied it at 100 on two free throws by n ikola m irotic.
b ut b oston regained the lead 101-100, then went up five on a driving layup by Thomas and a basket by m arcus s mart.
Jimmy b utler led c hicago with 23 points and nine rebounds.
b efore wednesday Johnson had never made more than two 3-pointers in a game and had never
attempted more than four. he entered the night 0 for 1 on the season.
b oston led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but took only a two-point lead into halftime.
a fter a slow start, Jae c rowder scored eight straight points during a 21-4 b oston run. The b ulls stayed in it via a few mini spurts, including an 8-0 run by b utler.
b ut c rowder will join horford on the injured list after he left in the second quarter with a left ankle sprain. c oach b rad s tevens said he doesn’t expect c rowder back “any time soon.”
“it’s a great opportunity for everybody else,” s tevens said. “ we’re early in the season, so everybody gets a chance to step up and make plays and compete. a nd we’ll see. we’ll try to figure it out.”
W Tennis
Fall i nvitational is going to be high, according to l ouderback.
“ i n the tournament here, all four teams finished in the top 45 in the country last year,” he said. “ i feel like, especially with us having our top three players out [ m onica r obinson is not playing because she’s going down to Florida], it allows our kids
to play a little higher in the lineup in a dual-match. i t will also give us an idea on how our players will perform in a dual-match. i t’s different because you are playing for a team in a dual-match instead of playing in an open tournament.”
l ouderback also said with the team breaking up and competing in different tournaments at the same time, they will field different doubles team than the ones they usually do.
“ we’re splitting up a couple of the doubles teams that played two weeks ago, and because of that, we’ve been working with a number of different combinations in doubles,” l ouderback said. “ s o that’s probably the biggest thing we’ve been doing. we’ll probably switch them around in our matches when we’re playing here over the weekend.”
The biggest thing the team will try to do is build upon the momentum they gained
at the start of the fall season, he said.
“ we really felt good two weeks ago when [senior] m onica r obinson and [junior] b rooke b roda made it to the finals,” l ouderback said. “They had a good tournament and then at i ndiana, we had Jane Fennelly and b ess waldrum, a senior and a freshman, together in that tournament and they played really well. we were excited with how those two combinations did and we are going
to look at some different ones coming up this week.” l ouderback said he hopes some of his younger players will gain more experience by playing different kinds of competition.
“ o ur big thing is just getting experience and enjoy playing and have a chance to see how they compete when it’s one team against another team,” he said.
Contact Michael Ivey at mivey@hcc-nd.edu
day’s football game. Theoretically, without either basketball team playing across the parking lot at purcell pavilion yet, the hockey game should have been an easy sell out.
mind you, this was also for notre dame’s first hockey east series of the year. it’s the equivalent of the men’s basketball games against louisville on Jan. 4 and syracuse on Jan. 21 — the first acc home game and first acc home game after the beginning of the spring semester, respectively — being played in a half-full purcell pavilion. obviously, that won’t happen, but it just demonstrates my key point: notre dame is not a hockey school. at least not anymore. going to hockey games used to be a common student pastime, back when the team played in the awkwardly-large-for-hockey north dome of the Joyce center, where the castellan Family Fencing center now stands.
There are a number of reasons for the recent decline in student attendance, but the largest of these is the befuddling — to put it kindly — new student ticket policy introduced at the beginning of last season for hockey and men’s basketball.
The policy requires students to claim tickets at least a week in advance or else pay for tickets at the door. it makes sense for men’s basketball, but it isn’t logical for hockey. attending hockey games is not something notre dame students
plan. it’s a spontaneous decision, made the night of from conversations such as, “hey, what do you want to do tonight?” “i don’t know. oh, there’s a hockey game, want to go?”
when you take away that spontaneity by charging for tickets at the door — the tickets are only $7, but college students are notoriously cheap — you lose the largest proportion of students who attend hockey games.
sure, there’s a small core of students that’s deeply devoted to the team, but if notre dame wants to pack the student section and harness that energy, the ticket policy has to go.
another reason for the lagging energy of Thursday’s game was the hockey band’s absence, as the members were rehearsing for their performance at the football game against miami on saturday.
The band’s absence resulted in piped-in music that echoed hollowly off the stone around the largelyempty arena that couldn’t rely on the band’s enthusiasm.
“i think for most hockey players, you enjoy [the band] being there,” irish junior forward Jake evans said after Thursday’s game. “They’re enthusiastic. They bring a lot of energy to the crowd.
“but when you’re locked into the game, i don’t really care if there’s a lot of people there — i just want to win to be honest with you. it’s obviously nice to have them there. They’re a great part of the atmosphere, but you’re not going to play any different — you try not to play any different when they’re there.”
notice the catch at the end: there’s a distinction between “not going to play any different” and “you try not to play different.”
“The band is always good, but we’re only going to be as good as the energy in this building,” Jackson said. “coming out flying in the first period ... is a lot easier to do that when you have that level of intensity in the building.”
To be fair, the final big reason for the lack of atmosphere will be remedied next season when notre dame moves to the big Ten for hockey and plays old ccha foes like michigan, michigan state and ohio state. These rivalries used to pack the stands in the Joyce center and create one of college hockey’s top atmospheres.
“we’ve seen [compton] that way, and i’m sure it will be again at some point,” Jackson said. “but it’s been a little disappointing to see the crowds thus far.”
Contact Zach Klonsinski at zklonsin@nd.edu
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notre dame one of its closest fights of the regular season. There’s the one team to have beaten the irish in acc play. and there’s the team who did what many expected of notre dame last year — carry the mantle of the acc into the national title game. and outside the acc, there’s a few familiar foes. after a half-decade of cruising past most of the field without reaching the top, irish head coach
a
muffet mcgraw faces a different landscape this year after national champions connecticut graduated three starters. The irish are the preseason no. 1, but with a deeper pool of challengers than ever before. speaking at the team’s media day on oct. 17, mcgraw said she expects to see a more open field than ever before this year.
“i’m expecting that this is the year where parity finally hits women’s basketball,” mcgraw said. “it’s a long time coming. i think it’s going to be great for the game. i think there’s a lot of teams that can win
it, just in our conference. louisville is a great team with just about everybody coming back. miami’s got everybody coming back. syracuse is coming off a Final Four. duke’s a team that’s a little under the radar right now. There’s a lot of great talent in the acc
“nationally, you’ve got Tennessee with just about everybody back. baylor has almost everybody back. stanford’s got a really good team coming back. This is a year where nobody lost a lot of talent except for connecticut. i think that evens things out and i think maybe this will be a year where we’ll see a different number one every week like the men had last year — which i thought was really exciting. unless we’re the ones that are not number one. Then i wouldn’t be quite as excited.”
leading notre dame’s push for national championship to go alongside the 2001 title is 2016 allamerican junior brianna Turner. Turner missed six games, including the 91-81 loss to connecticut, last season because of a shoulder injury, which she had surgery on during the offseason. mcgraw said she had been easing Turner back, but believes the recovery process may have added a new dimension to the junior forward’s game.
“she had surgery in april — it went really well,” she said. “They’re just being extra cautious because of the time of the year. she’s been playing three-on-three and halfcourt. she just hasn’t been going all-out in the scrimmages yet.”
“her big improvement is going to be the free-throw jumper. she’s got to be able to face up and hit the jumper. she’s actually shot some
threes because all she can do is just shoot right now. she’s been really working on her shot.”
The irish will have to replace two starters from 2016’s team: guards madison cable and michaela mabrey. replacing them will be sophomores arike ogunbowale and marina mabrey, michaela’s sister. however, with both sophomore guards having seen significant action in their debut season, when they each averaged more than 10 points per game, mcgraw is confident in their ability to step up. mcgraw said ogunbowale’s work this offseason should ensure she adjusts easily to a starting role.
“she made a huge jump when she came back [this year] in terms of her discipline and her sense of urgency,” she said. “i was really impressed with how she approached this summer. she has worked out. she’s in really great shape. That’s helping her. she’s confident, which she was last year. she’s fearless, which she was last year. her threepoint shot looks a lot better — it looks like she spent a lot of time working on her shot. we’re expecting similar to what she did last year but a lot more help on the defensive side.”
mcgraw said she will be hoping to see a major impact again from her freshmen this year: erin boley and Jackie young. she hopes to see both players provide serious scoring production for her team, she said.
“i think they’re excited and anxious to see how it’s going to go in a game and how much playing time they’re going to get, what their contribution is going to be, what their role is going to be,” mcgraw said.
“it’s obviously going to be smaller than it was in high school, but it’s going to be pretty big for a freshman. i see both of them coming in and having the green light to score. That’s what they do best.”
notre dame will host the preseason wniT to start the regular season, before a run of out-of-conference games that includes one of the biggest rivalries in the sport, when the irish meet connecticut on dec. 7. That game is followed by a run of six consecutive road games over christmas and the new year as the irish begin to move into conference play. after a road game with the miami team who defeated the irish in the 2014-15 season, notre dame adds one more out-of-conference game against one of the sport’s top programs in Tennessee. down the stretch, the irish are at home for six of their final nine regular season games, including against duke, louisville and Florida state. before any of those games, however, the irish will open the season with an exhibition game against roberts wesleyan.
The irish will go into that game as the top-ranked team in the country for the first time since 2001, but mcgraw said she would rather win that honor on the court than be handed it during preseason.
“i wouldn’t [put us at no. 1],” mcgraw said. “i would put us in the top five but there’s a lot of good teams.
“This time of year, we haven’t earned anything. i want to earn it.”
Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu
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CAITLYN JORDAN | The Observer
Irish junior forward Brianna Turner leaps over a defender in Notre Dame’s 90-84 loss to Stanford on March 25 in the NCAA tournament.
nd Women’s baskeTbaLL
No. 1 Irish look to expand on legacy
By DANIEL O’BOYLE sports writer
in the corner of one eye — accompanied by whispers that one of the greatest dynasties in sports may be ending — is that symbol. The one that can be seen glowing atop Flanner hall if you exit notre dame’s practice court at the pit and leave the Joyce center. The one that will be beside notre dame’s name for at least the season opener, and likely longer. The only thing in front of the irish right now: “#1.” in the corner of the other — accompanied by the echoes stanford’s Karlie samuelson’s deep three, the shot that helped eliminate notre dame in the sweet sixteen for the first time since 2010, against the backboard before going through the hoop — are swarms of new competition, and each wants a piece of the no. 1 spot that finally looks within reach.
Just in conference, there’s the team who rank fifth in the nation, returning five starters after giving
see w bball PaGe 15
nd Women’s TennIs
compton could be so much more
By ZACH KLONSINSKI a ssistant managing e ditor
compton Family ice a rena deserves a place in the discussion of the top hockey venues in the country, and not just at the collegiate level. between the imposing façade, the impressive stone interior and the state-of-the-art team facilities, the five-year-old rink should be one of the best places to play in all of college hockey.
but, frankly, it isn’t.
“it’s kind of sad to see what’s happening with our attendance, in my opinion,” irish head coach Jeff Jackson said during media availability oct. 25. “i know it’s football season … but this building used to be filled almost all the time in the first few years. but for whatever reason, i’m not sure why it is … it’s a little disappointing when you come out in your own building and it’s quiet.” never has this been more evident than for the opening game of notre dame’s series against connecticut on oct. 27. There
ND set to host Fall Invitational
By MICHAEL IVEY sports writer
This upcoming weekend will be a busy one for n otre d ame. They are sending two players to compete in the l akewood r anch i nvitational in Florida while also hosting the n otre d ame Fall i nvitational Tournament at the e ck Tennis p avilion from n ov. 4-6.
i rish head coach Jay
men’s TennIs
l ouderback said playing in multiple tournaments will provide his players a chance to compete against different types of opponents.
“ w ith the two tournaments, [the competition] is going to be very good,” l ouderback said. “ w e’re sending two players to a tournament in s arasota and some of the better teams in the country like Florida, m iami and o klahoma s tate will be there. There is going
to be a lot of great players down there and it is going to be a great tournament. i t’s an individual tournament, so everyone is in one bracket, so our two players should get some good competition there.”
l ouderback said his team is also very excited about hosting the n otre d ame Fall i nvitational Tournament this weekend, where the majority of their players will compete.
“ w e’ve got Kansas, d enver and i llinois coming here and we’re going to play both singles and doubles, but no team scores are going to be kept,” he said. “The thing that is good for this tournament is it will give us, especially the freshman, an idea of how we do with a regular dual-type patch.”
The quality of competition at the n otre d ame
see w Tennis PaGe 14
squad preps for g opher i nvitational
By DANIEL O’BOYLE sports writer
i n the final weekend of its fall schedule, n otre d ame will send the doubles pairing of seniors Josh h agar and e ddy c ovalschi to college tennis’s fourth g rand s lam of the year, the us T a / i T a n ational i ndoor c hampionships in n ew york, while the rest of the team will travel to m innesota for the g opher i nvitational.
h agar and c ovalschi qualified for an at-large pick at The n ational i ndoor c hampionships after an 8-2 record so far this season. This is the third g rand s lam event of the duo’s careers, appearing as a pairing at the same event in 2014 and at the i T a a ll- a merican d oubles championship, making the quarterfinals of both events. i rish head coach r yan s achire said the pair’s g rand s lam experience should help them
succeed in the tournament. “ i think it prepares them well — they know what to expect,” s achire said. “They also competed this year down in Tulsa at the i T a a ll- a merican championships and it’s the same type of competition. i think the more that you’re familiar with the [competitions] and the more experience you have competing at those types of events, the more comfortable you feel when you get there — you
know what to expect and you know what the level of play’s like. a nd the fact that they’ve been successful at two g rand s lam events is also a confidence boost. They should feel prepared and confident that if they play well, they’ll do well, but it won’t be easy.”
a lthough he had confidence in h agar and c ovalschi’s chances, s achire said the level of
was zero energy in the building when the irish took to the ice, and zero energy even as the irish dominated most of the first period. in fact, the intermission gimmick when fans try to shoot a puck from center ice into the net to win plane vouchers drew the most active interest — and loudest reactions — of the night to that point.
The official attendance was 2,936, just 58.5 percent of compton’s stated capacity of 5,022 — including a student section of about 100 if we’re being generous — and it’s hard to figure out how the gate monitors even reached that number.
The attendance for Friday’s season finale supposedly climbed to 4,065, 80.9 percent of capacity, with a student section one of my friends described as “average, not very full.”
That was also on a night when tens of thousands of the notre dame faithful clogged the michiana area before the next
see compTon PaGe 14
men’s soCCer
Tourney pushed back
Observer Sports Staff
n otre d ame’s game against d uke on wednesday night was cancelled due to inclement weather. The game will instead be played Thursday at 1 p.m at a lumni s tadium.
The contest marks the first round of the acc tournament for n o. 16 n otre d ame (10-5-2, 3-3-2 acc ). The i rish are the tournament’s seventh seed and will host the n 0. 10-seeded b lue d evils (7-7-2, 2-5-1).
The b lue d evils defeated the i rish 2-1 in double overtime o ct. 21 in d urham, n orth c arolina. The only time notre d ame and d uke have met in the acc tournament was in 2013 when the i rish toppled the b lue d evils 1-0 in the tournament’s quarterfinals. n otre d ame has made it to at least the semifinals of the acc tournament in each of the last four seasons. The i rish have not, however, tallied a win in its previous five games.
hoCkey
CAITLYN JORDAN | The Observer Irish sophomore guard Arike Ogunbuwale drives toward the basket in Notre Dame’s 90-84 loss to Stanford on March 25 in Lexington, Ken.
