Print Edition of The Observer for Friday, September 1, 2017
renovations aim to enhance game days
Adjustments to Notre Dame Stadium
By COURTNEY BECKER News Editor
Editor’s note: This is the first story in a three-part series featuring the completed Campus Crossroads Project. Today’s story focuses on the game day enhancements resulting from updates to Notre Dame Stadium.
Notre dame Stadium represents more than football after the renovations made over the course of the Campus Crossroads Project, vice president for facilities design and operations doug Marsh said.
“The common introduction we have for all of our ushers and hospitality folks is, ‘We welcome fans from across the world to the Notre dame Stadium, this very iconic college football venue,’”
provide greater comfort, nostalgia for fans during football games
Marsh said during a press tour conducted Aug. 11. “But I’m happy to say, it’s much more than that at the completion of this project.”
The renovated stadium, which has been under construction since 2014, will play host to the first official Notre dame football game to feature the new changes Saturday, and Marsh said he expects the game day experience to be greatly improved as a result.
Associate athletics director Beth hunter said the adjustments highlight the football program’s history while simultaneously bringing it into the future.
“Our goal was to blend tradition with the most innovative technology,” hunter said during the press tour. “We approached the renovation thinking, ‘What
see STAdIuM PAGE 5
Fr. DelFra to lead explanatory Mass for students
By KELLI SMITH News Writer
Student government will be hosting a “Welcome Back Teaching Mass” to educate students on the workings of Catholic Mass in the Stanford-Keenan hall chapel Sunday night.
Organized by junior Keenan White, the student government director of faith and service, the
Teaching Mass will feature a dialogic Mass led by Fr. Lou delFra, the priest-in-residence at Keenan hall, who will explain the theology behind the main parts of Catholic Mass.
“It’s still just a regular Mass, but the priest is literally explaining everything he’s doing so you actually get a feel for what’s going on on the
see MASS PAGE 5
College’s Ireland program celebrates 40th anniversary
By COLLEEN ZEWE News Writer
This fall marks the 40th anniversary of the Maynooth, Ireland, program at Saint Mary’s, making it the longest-running study abroad program at the College, Karen Chambers, associate professor of psychology and faculty coordinator of the Ireland program said.
A week-long celebration of the program’s anniversary is planned in Ireland, Chambers
said, including a visit from College President Jan Cervelli, an Ireland tour for program alumnae and a Mass at Maynooth Chapel.
“It’s very hard to get a special Mass scheduled there,” she said.
“It’s a great honor to be allowed.”
“With all of our programs, we try to have personal relationships with the people there,” she said.
“That helps us help our students while they are abroad.”
Chambers said students who participate in the study abroad program reap several benefits, including academic ones.
“A fundamental part of a liberal arts education is being able
see IRELANd PAGE 4
Chambers visits Maynooth university — the school where Saint Mary’s students study — every other year, when she works with the administrators and professors at Maynooth to make sure Saint Mary’s students are being taken care of both academically and personally, she said.
Legends to host 2,000 fans during home opener
By MARIE FAZIO News Writer
Legends general manager Rich Jacobs has a game day prediction: 2,000.
That is, he expects about 2,000 people to pass through the doors of Legends of Notre dame this Saturday, a relatively light crowd due to this weekend being Labor
day weekend. Next weekend, for the georgia football game, he expects about 3,500 guests, not counting the 500 who normally stop in for the game watch and tailgate.
Since 2003, Legends has been providing food and an alternate place to watch football games for fans from all over. Some may remember Legends as the former
Senior Bar — a seniors-only, student run but university-backed bar known for good times, but not necessarily its profitability. In 2003, the university reimagined the space as a restaurant and expanded the building to add a nightclub.
Jacobs said visiting Lengends is a trip down memory lane for many alumni. They are usually
able to visualize everything when they are told the raised area of seating in the dining room used to be the stage, Jacobs said.
“It puts a context to the memories,” he said.
On an average football Saturday, Legends will serve around 3,000 guests in the sit-down restaurant, Jacobs said. They typically use 25 cases of French fries on game day
alone — the same amount they use in an entire week otherwise. The high volume of food needed, along with the fact that most guests want a quicker, less extravagant meal on their way to the game, caused Jacobs and executive chef Josh Maron to streamline the game day menu.
see LEgENdS PAGE 5
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
A 54 feet high by 96 feet wide video board is now located at the south end of Notre Dame Stadium. The video board will be used to show replays, highlight recognition ceremonies and tell Notre Dame stories.
a fter University President e meritus Fr. Theodore hesburgh died in 2015, the s outh bend city council wanted to find a way to honor his memory, s outh b end deputy director of public works Jitin Kain said. s o it decided to install a statue of hesburgh in the city.
“ … The mayor’s office began speaking with the University about honoring his legacy, and the idea that came forward [for the statue] was the picture of him and d r. King that has been used on campus a lot,” Kain said. “it’s very known. The idea was, ‘c an we make that into a life-size monument?’”
The picture — replicated in the LaFortune student c enter — depicts hesburgh holding hands with martin Luther King Jr. at a rally in c hicago while they sing “We shall o vercome,” according to a University press release.
Fr. hesburgh was known
for his involvement with the c ivil r ights act of 1964, which he helped to engineer, former notre dame men’s basketball coach d igger Phelps said.
“There were three men from the s outh and three men from the north — including Fr. hesburgh — and they went up to the Land of Lakes in Wisconsin, where notre dame has a retreat place,” he said.
“a nd that’s where after an afternoon of fishing, the six men … came up with ideas for the c ivil r ights act [and] took it to the White house to give to President e isenhower.”
Professor of a merican studies and journalism robert s chmuhl, author of “Fifty Years with Father hesburgh: o n and o ff the record,” said hesburgh played a critical role in the c ivil r ights movement.
“Fr. hesburgh was one of the original members of the U. s c ivil r ights c ommission when it began its work in 1957,” he said in an email. “he served while four presidents were in the White house (from 1957
until 1972) and was named chairman of the c ommission by r ichard nixon. That was a critical 15-year period in civil rights for this country, and Fr. hesburgh was at the center of many of the actions and passions of this time.”
Though hesburgh tended to concentrate his personal involvement in national and international affairs rather than in s outh bend, his work still impacted the local community, s chmuhl said.
“Fr. hesburgh viewed notre dame as a national — and international — university and as a result he tended to focus his attention and work on national and international affairs,” he said. “h is appointments to various commissions and boards by a merican presidents and Popes reflected assignments of broad consequence with local implications. h is service reverberated to encompass s outh bend and the local area.”
The sculpture of hesburgh and King was designed by
local sculptor Tuck Langland and funded by the a frican a merican c ommunity Fund, the University of notre dame, the c ommunity Foundation of st. Joseph c ounty, a rthur J. decio, d orene and Jerry hammes, Jerry h mowbray, Great Lakes c apital, v isit s outh bend m ishawaka and the i ndiana housing and c ommunity development authority ( ihcda), Kain said.
“We knew we wanted to do more than just install the statue because we were also trying to activate the public plaza space,” Kain said. “s o at that point we identified the need to fundraise a little more, to do some landscaping and the water feature which you see now in the plaza, tables and chairs and that part was done through a crowdfunding program called Patronicity.”
Kain said the city raised approximately $20,000 through Patronicity, which the ihcda then matched with a grant. Fundraising, along with choosing a location for the
statue, were the aspects of the project which he said required the most planning.
“but beyond that, you know, once the funding was in place, once the location was in place, we did have some challenges in getting contractors for the installation,” he said. “because we have so much construction activity in our city, and this was a smaller project compared to some of the other work that’s happening in s outh bend and on campus.”
Kain said the statue was constructed in Leighton Plaza on s outh main street, in order to create “a space for gathering.”
“We often see people who are walking by the plaza will stop and take their picture with the statue, but will also sit in the plaza space,” he said. “s o the plaza, Leighton Plaza, was very under-utilized. o nce we placed the statue in there, it’s really become more of a vibrant public space.”
Contact Natalie Weber at nweber@nd.edu
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Faculty live in residences
By CIARA HOPKINSON news Writer
over the past few years, the division of student affairs has sought to draw students and faculty members closer together through their Faculty-in-residence Program. The program got going in 2013, when accounting professor ed hums and his wife, shirley, moved into Lyons hall. in 2016, drs. John and Karen deak moved into dunne hall and became the second married couple currently living in residence.
“i really felt like i would appreciate an opportunity to get to know you guys,” Karen deak said. “You’re so smart, you’re so driven and i felt like i didn’t know what i think is the best part of the student body here.”
Karen deak, formerly a professor of patent law, now works at the idea center and teaches part-time. her husband, John deak, is a full-time history professor. While he sees plenty of undergrads throughout his day, he said living in residence is a completely new way of interacting with them.
“college was the point when my horizons expanded to as far as i could see,” he said. “it was the first point in my life where i felt like i could go someplace, like my world wasn’t bounded. and living in a dorm, i get to see that replicated hundreds and hundreds of times over. … it can be really beautiful. i wanted to be a part of that.”
ed hums and his wife, whom he calls “saint shirley,” have been at notre dame since the 1970s, where they met at work in the ticket office. in the past 45 years, ed hums said, they’ve watched notre dame evolve from a small, all-male college into a much larger university.
“What’s happened as it has gotten bigger and the professors have moved out, you pass each other all the time but you don’t really get the relationships with the professors that you did in the old days,” he said.
shirley hums, who works in the office of information Technologies in the athletics department, graces the Lyons residents with cookies every week, while both she and ed hums attend the hall masses every sunday and Wednesday night. both the hums and the deaks have made it their goal to simply be there for the residents of their halls — not as an intrusive or dominating presence, but as a part of their community. The hums host a barbecue for Lyons each year, bring friends’ dogs on campus around exam time and organize a speaker series on everything from financial planning to auto mechanics. The deaks, still relatively new to campus, have organized an etiquette dinner, attend dunne mass and game watches and open their apartment to the residents of dunne to stop by and check in.
“This Friday we’re watching ‘Knute rockne all-american’ and i’m going to bake cookies — small things like that kind of make it feel like home,” Karen deak said.
For the deaks, one of the best parts of living in dunne has been
seeing that community develop over the past year.
“The best part, for me, was all of move-in weekend this year — watching people come back and have others saying ‘hey, how are you, good to see you, how was your summer,’ and actually realizing there’s a community here this year in a way that didn’t happen last year,” Karen deak said.
The Faculty-in-residence program has the benefit of making faculty members more approachable, John deak said, as well as the opportunity for professors to gain an understanding of their students’ lives.
“a lot of our first year was explaining to our colleagues how the dorms are actually pretty safe spaces and community is built there, studying happens, the chapel is full on sundays for mass,”
John deak said. “ … i brought one colleague in and walked him by the study rooms at 4 in the after
noon and people are studying and he said, ‘i’ll be, i didn’t know our students were this good.’”
The hums also expressed their wonder at students’ full schedules, and mentioned that they have a somewhat unique perspective in an environment where it is rare to find a permanent resident much older than 30 years old.
“sometimes you have to talk to somebody with a little grey hair,” ed hums said. “We always try to make sure the students are studying healthily and not burning themselves out.”
both the hums and deaks have found their place in their halls’ communities, and look forward to continuing to build the relationships that make living beside undergrads so rewarding.
“number one mission?” said ed hums. “have fun.”
Contact Ciara Hopkinson at chopkin1@nd.edu
ireland
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to understand questions from multiple perspectives, and study abroad is living that,” chambers said. “academically, students get a richer understanding of culture and the world.”
most of the students who study abroad in ireland are sophomores living on their own for the first time, chambers said.
“students learn how to cook, budget and travel on their own. That helps them step up into themselves,” she said. “it’s a personally enriching experience.”
senior Jessica mccartney, who studied in ireland during her sophomore year, won first prize in the 2016 study abroad essay competition at saint mary’s. The inspiration for her essay came from exploring the world at a young age, she said.
“The inspiration came from a quiet moment of awe,”
mccartney said. “ … i was overcome with the awareness of where i was and what i was doing. i was seeing the world, and i wasn’t even 20 years old yet. it was a humbling and exhilarating realization.”
Junior elizabeth “e v.” dundon, a student who studied in ireland last spring said she chose to attend saint mary’s specifically because she wanted to study abroad in ireland and learn more about her heritage. she also said the irish people are welcoming, helpful and curious to learn more about america. The ireland program and study abroad provides students with the chance to grow in their self-confidence, dundon said.
“i learned i could easily take care of myself,” she said. “i learned i could take care of myself and not be worried. i learned i can be confident when traveling. i have a boost of confidence and self-assurance.”
Contact Colleen Zewe czewe01@saintmarys.edu
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“We’ve got a limited menu that we run for football,” maron said. “We’ve got some really popular specials and some new and exciting items.”
some popular items include classic tailgate entrees and all of the burger varieties Legends offers — ranging from a peanut butter burger to a classic cheddar cheeseburger. Additionally, the restaurant will be continuing some of its most popular August specials into september, maron said.
For fans who come to notre dame hoping to experience the famous atmosphere, Jacobs said, Legends is a great place to do so. visitors can watch the game on one of the 23 flat screen T vs throughout the restaurant or on the 144-inch screen in the club side of the building — where Legends holds an indoor tailgate and game watch fans can attend for $15, Jacobs said.
“We call it the backfield. There will be burgers, brats [and] pulled pork for people that come in right before and just want to grab tailgate-style food but don’t want to sit down,” he said. “We offer local drafts, craft cocktails in the shadow of the stadium — a full menu for people who don’t have the tailgate setup. We always say it’s the best place to watch the game if you don’t have a ticket.”
Fans can also walk to the outdoor area to hear cheers from notre dame stadium roar and watch the jets fly over, Jacobs said.
“You’re not in the stadium but you get to see [the game] in hgTv,” he said. “It’s almost like you’re in the stadium. We’re as close as you can get.”
Last year, Legends introduced a tailgate catering program, through which tailgaters can place orders and have the restaurant prepare
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more theological side,” White said.
White said the inspiration behind the idea came from feedback she received signifying that students of different faith backgrounds don’t receive much ministering on campus.
“When about 80 percent of the student body is catholic, I can totally understand how it could be intimidating to come here as a non-catholic student,” White said. “What we can do to incorporate our catholic tradition and values with students of different faith backgrounds is to make it a hospitable environment for them to learn about our faith.”
All students are invited to attend. delFra said attendees can stop the mass at any point to ask what is happening or why he is doing something, saying something or gesturing in a particular way.
“[The mass is] so powerful, it has transformed my and countless people’s lives over the centuries — and I hope students will come to some glimpses of that power and that beauty,” delFra said.
delFra said he hopes
their pre-game celebration food.
“now, not only do we service the guests in the restaurant, we go to the parking lots too,” Jacobs said. After games, Legends usually hosts a post-game tailgate in the club half of the building, where traditional tailgate food is served. True to their tagline of “always a party, never a cover,” the event is free for anyone, Jacobs said. The restaurant is open from 8 a.m. to midnight on game days, and later for night games.
over the years, Jacobs has managed restaurants in eight different states and many cities, but said game days at notre dame are unlike any he has ever experienced before. he recalled a particularly moving experience with a 90-yearold lifelong notre dame fan named eleanor, whose family surprised her with tickets to her first notre dame football game.
“her reaction on Facebook went viral on the internet. We offered her breakfast at Legends featuring her favorite blueberry pancakes,” Jacobs said. “reggie brooks — a notre dame football legend — joined us and signed a football for her. even though the Irish lost that day, her family expressed their gratitude for her priceless experience.”
Jacobs considers it an honor to serve guests in the shadows of the historic notre dame stadium, he said.
“If I may reference a quote from former coach Lou holtz, ‘Those who have experienced notre dame, no explanation is necessary. Those who have not, no explanation is sufficient,’” he said. “coach holtz was referencing the hospitality and truly unique experience that notre dame offers to countless numbers of alumni and guests each year.”
Contact Marie Fazio at mfazio@nd.edu
students — whether non-catholic or catholic — will come to not only a deeper understanding of catholicism after the mass, but also a deeper appreciation and love of “the beautiful sacrament.”
“I’m really excited that it came at the request of the current student body, showing their growing interest, and even joy, in this sacrament that is at the very heart of our catholic identity,” delFra said. “It is such a beautiful gesture of hospitality towards students who are not as familiar with the catholic faith.”
The mass is expected to last about an hour starting at 7 p.m. depending on the attendance, White said she hopes student government can continue hosting the mass annually.
“I would hope that it brings awareness to the kind of community that the mass is at notre dame,” White said. “A lot of times we’re dozing off or it’s just mundane because we go every week, so to be more present and engaged in the mass when it’s being explained to you and you’re getting the behind-the-scenes tour will be cool for catholic students.”
Contact Kelli Smith at ksmith67@nd.edu
stadium
would Knute rockne build today?’”
The Concourse
The aspect of the stadium that recalls the history of notre dame football most strongly is the enhanced stadium concourse. marsh said the concourse has been redecorated and retouched in the art-deco style, “which was the period of architecture the original stadium was constructed in.”
The campus crossroads team paid close attention to details in transforming the concourse, hunter said.
“We’ve bricked up close to 100 columns throughout the entire lower concourse, and our goal here was to really create a sense of space, so you feel more like you’re walking down a concourse than you are an airport parking garage,” hunter said.
The stadium will also be easier for fans to navigate now, with new signage around the concourse. The backdrop for this signage, hunter said, is a series of hand-picked program covers from throughout the football program’s history.
“Working closely with the university archives, we hand-selected approximately 70 program covers, ranging from the 1920s through the 1960s,” she said. “ … These covers now encircle the entire lower concourse.”
As fans move upward through the concourse, hunter said, they will also move forward in time.
“While the lower concourse intentionally celebrates the original rockne stadium, the graphics and theming take on a more modern-day feel as fans traverse to the upper levels,” she said. “We took advantage of large, concrete walls in the four corner stairwells by adding these enormous graphics. … We also worked to produce some visuals for fans as they traverse the ramps, which now feature hand-painted nd marks and logos, as well as popular game day fan slogans.”
The concourse also features a hall of Fame section of sorts, hunter said.
“Another update that we are excited to reveal is a brand-new recognition display honoring the accomplishments of football monogram winners,” she said. “This will now be located inside the Frank Leahy gate on the south end of the stadium.”
The Bowl
one of the most important aspects of attending a football game is fans’ experience inside the seating area around the field — known as “the bowl.” This year, marsh said, notre dame’s signature wooden benches are missing, replaced by aluminum bleachers covered in vinyl.
“Last season, we began to replace the redwood bleachers,” marsh said during the press tour. “ … We’ve since then, this offseason, replaced all the planking bleachers on the lower bowl, and in the midst of that, widened each
seat by two inches.”
In addition to the increased comfort of wider seats, marsh said the stadium has increased its safety by adding railings to the aisles in the lower bowl area of the stadium.
“They were not required in 1929–1930 when the structure was first built, but they’re really a good idea,” he said.
Another added benefit of these railings, marsh said, is the ability to conceal new Internet and cellular antennas within them.
“ … We will have a new wireless infrastructure — first time ever — at notre dame stadium, dedicated solely to fans in the bowl and in the concourse,” marsh said. “so connectivity will greatly improve. secondarily, but just as important, we’ll have a new dedicated cellular network in the bowl.”
marsh said the updates also took greater player safety into account through decisions such as extending the padding around the field, removing additional bleachers on the sidelines and moving the flagpole to sit farther back from the sidelines in its new location near the video board.
“The band will actually be put in an expanded student section,” he said. “All 400 members of the band will now be right here in the front, and we’ll have new dedicated stairs.”
something fans might notice when the Irish and Temple take the field saturday is a new tunnel for notre dame’s opponents to enter and exit the field, marsh said.
“This helps for a variety of reasons — principally to help unclog the tunnel that we use. It’s very busy on game day, as you can imagine,” he said.
hunter said the relocated visitor tunnel, locker room and team trucks create more privacy.
“We thought about how we could really create a special and unique environment [in the home locker room] for our football team, while also celebrating many of the traditional and historical elements of Knute rockne’s original locker room,” hunter said.
The Premium Seating
In the midst of campus crossroads construction, the university announced in February that it was transitioning to a tiered ticketing system, in which ticket prices would vary based on the quality of the tickets.
This change has resulted in the decrease in the price of some tickets while increasing others — the cheapest face value option of a ticket to saturday’s game in the general seating is $45, down from $75 for last year’s home opener against nevada, and the most expensive one is $145, excluding preferred seating.
In an interview with The observer conducted Aug. 17, university athletic director Jack swarbrick said the change in pricing “was borne out of a number of goals we wanted to achieve.”
“one of those was, given all that this stadium represents, we wanted to be able to say — as we can — that the revenue from the bowl is the same this year as it was last year,” he said. “And so,
while some tickets went up, we priced the house so it produces the same amount of revenue. The other thing that was important to us was to make the game more affordable.”
The increased space for each seat in the bowl decreases the number of seats in the general seating area, which swarbrick said is offset by the addition of 3,200 seats added through a premium seating experience fans can purchase.
“ … Just as the $45 ticket responds to some customers who are looking for something in particular, the premium seat in the hospitality represents something else another part of our customer base is looking for,” swarbrick said.
In designing the upper levels of campus crossroads — where the premium seating is located — to be able to fit around the stadium, the section has “gained some terraces,” marsh said.
“There are eight terraces — four per side, two on [floors] nine and seven, respectively, of the two buildings,” marsh said during the crossroads press tour. “They create these really nice opportunities for people [in these sections] to get out.”
The Video Board
The addition fans will notice “most visibly,” marsh said, is 54feet high by 96-feet wide video board. executive producer of live events for notre dame athletics mike bonner said the video board will allow the university to provide fans with what many have been asking for — replays.
“replays, replays, replays — that’s what our fans want, and that’s what we’re going to give them,” bonner said. “And I can do that.”
bonner said the video board is of an extremely high caliber.
“It has the most physical pixels in an ncAA outdoor venue,” bonner said. “ … And that helps with viewing angles, it helps an incredibly clear picture on there. It’s really impressive.”
The visual enhancements in the stadium have allowed the university to remove the scoreboard on the north end of the stadium, which previously impeded fans’ view of “Touchdown Jesus,” marsh said.
bonner said the video board will enhance traditions rather than eliminate them.
“We’ll make sure that all of our traditions are kept alive. ” bonner said. “ … We’ll get to visually enhance a lot of the things we were doing.”
The ultimate goal for the video board — and the campus crossroads renovations in general — is to ensure fans have a positive notre dame football experience.
“We’re going to make sure that the fans walk away after a great experience,” he said. “We’re going to show them great action, we’re going to show them history, we’re going to show replays — did I mention we’re going to show replays?”
Contact Courtney Becker at cbecker3@nd.edu
The art of distraction
cultivate your heart this year
Joe Everett sports Writer
“ … the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart. While we prepare useful citizens for society, we shall likewise do our utmost to prepare citizens for heaven.”
This quote from Fr. basil moreau illuminates, to the very core, that which can be so indescribably special about notre dame. As its students, not only are we growing and training to become productive and proficient members of society, but on a deeper level we are cultivating and conditioning ourselves to become better people — striving as best we can towards sainthood.
This is not a cliche statement, and neither is it an impractical goal. notre dame was founded with this educational ideal as its goal, and I believe, often in the little moments, that it is realized each and every day on this campus. From participating in an ssLP, lighting a candle at the Grotto, or simply embracing a friend after summer’s worth of distance, each and every one of us, whether we realize it or not, is glorifying God in our own individual way. When we commit to the idea that we are capable of doing small things with great love, the opportunities we see to actualize it increase, and from those small actions notre dame transforms into the place it was truly and always meant to be.
Personally, this outpouring of love and gift of self was no more apparent than during this year’s Welcome Weekend. The servant leadership poured out by our staff in stanford hall was incredible to witness as we welcomed over 60 of our new brothers into our cinderblock home. There were so many little moments of growth and cultivation throughout the weekend, but my favorite was during a midnight visit to the holy c ross c eremony, where our staff and the first years gathered around our rector with lighted candles and listened to the story of o ur Lady’s University — and how each one of our life story’s is now interwoven with it. e ach student that attends this University was meant to attend this University – for reasons that they currently or one day will come to understand. Within our years here, we are drawn into the very work of its founders – building a community of people dedicated to the cultivation of the mind and the heart. s o this year, remember and commit to cultivating your heart. s chool, grades, and our career aspirations are important, but not paramount. o ftentimes when people ask people our age what we want to do after college, they forget the deeper question of who we want to be after our years of formation here. b e strong, be kind, be courageous, be virtuous — be the men and women God created us to be, and help others along the way. e ach student has this opportunity to be an incalculable gift towards the other, and by doing so our time at notre dame becomes fruitful and meaningful. While taking shape in different ways for each student, the opportunities are there. s o treasure the moments and opportunities to cultivate your heart and become a better person, and discover the enduring beauty of this place. Father moreau said it best:
“how we educate the mind will change with the times; how we cultivate the heart is and will remain timeless.”
Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu
The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Lauren Fox Life Goes on
I watched the man enter the coffee shop, approach the woman sitting alone at the table next to me and introduce himself.
A first date? This was sure to be more interesting than my book. I didn’t want to be intrusive, however, so I tried to focus on “Franny and Zooey.” b ut there are certain things you can’t ignore.
m an to woman: “You know, d arwin, the evolution guy.”
Woman to man: “Yeah, I know.”
m e to me: d ear God.
We’ve all been there. Watching a horrible first date might almost be as bad as being a part of the date itself. b ut as a bystander, you don’t necessarily have to sit back and watch it go up in flames.
b ack when I saw my older brother Ken more than twice a year, he told me a story I have never forgotten, for it illustrates his best qualities.
When Ken was in high school, he was at a restaurant and noticed a date occurring at a nearby table. h e was pretty positive it was a first date. The couple was just sitting there in silence looking uncomfortable, and Ken decided to give them something to talk about.
h e stood up, walked right by their table, and tripped over nothing and fell to the ground right in front of them. n ow the couple could share a laugh, Ken figured.
d istraction has a bad reputation: d on’t look at your phone when you’re doing homework, it’ll distract you from your studies. Take out your ear buds and listen to the sounds of nature. Turn off the television and have an actual conversation.
b ut sometimes we need to praise distraction.
At a r ec s ports training session last week,
employees learned during a Gree nd ot presentation that a distraction could protect someone from a potential sexual assault. We watched a viral Youtube video from five years ago that shows a man and woman arguing on a subway. When the altercation becomes physical, another man, holding a bag of chips, enters the frame and casually steps between the fighting couple. The man says nothing, and simply eats his chips. Immediately, the physical fighting stops, and the situation as a whole becomes more stable. o thers step into the frame and speak with the two people involved in the fight.
When a distraction hinders you from completing a task or reaching a goal, it can be injurious. This is most often what we think of when we hear “distraction.”
b ut when a distraction allows your mind to transfer from a state of distress to a state of calm or happiness, it should be praised.
In the two cases above, my brother and chip man used distraction to positively affect others at the cost of their own well-being. Ken suffered public embarrassment and perhaps a rug burn. c hip man, by placing himself in the middle of the altercation, could have been physically harmed.
You likely practice positive distraction daily by telling funny stories to your friends at the dinner table or by forcing a friend who has been studying for hours on end to go on a walk around the lakes. In more ways than you might think, distraction can be a force for good, and it’s time we offer distraction some appreciation.
Lauren Fox is a junior PLS major who enjoys listening to summer hits of the 2000s and playing 500 rummy. You can follow her on twitter via @bylaurenfox and send fan mail to lfox6@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Living the challenge of peace
d uring my time working in s outh s udan, I got a chance to work closely with refugees. m ainly women and children, these people had to flee from their homes with nothing. While I was working at the school where many of the refugee children attended, I would often try to make conversation with the students. o ne of the many questions that I would ask was “What do you want to be when you grow up?” c onsistently, the children who came from refugee families would respond, “I want to become a soldier.” When I would ask why, they would say, “ s o I can find the person who killed my father and family and kill him!”
In places that have been inflicted with war or violence, especially for multiple generations, the word “peace” may be foreign. It is something people are told they want and urged to pursue, yet people don’t really know of peace or understand how to live in peace. m any are attracted
to the idea of peace, but immediately react with violence when they encounter an obstacle. People who live the challenge of peace everyday through their actions and relationships are those that will bring peace to a community. m any people strive for peace; they just do not know what it looks like in a person.
This year the theme of the c enter of s ocial c oncerns is “Living the c hallenge of Peace.” Through many different talks, discussions and events, the c enter will challenge students to live the challenge of peace in their daily lives and to be the example of a life of peace for their communities. m any in the world are in desperate need for peace; this year’s theme will help the n otre d ame community answer their cries.
letter to tHe editor
Kevin Kho class of 2014 Aug. 31
By AUGIE COLLINS scene Writer
While some of us were busy forming a symbiotic relationship with our sofas over the summer, the busiest band in the world had their hands full releasing not one, but two full-length studio albums in a two-month span. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, an eyebrow raising seven-piece crew led by front man s tu m ackenzie, hails from m elbourne, Australia, and formed in 2010. c lose proximity releases have become the status quo for King Gizz though, as they have rolled out 11 full-length albums since 2012 alone. What enables the band to be so prolific with their releases is the fact that King Gizz’s sound is ever-changing. s tarting with their roots embedded in the garage and psychedelic rock culture, King Gizz quickly broadened its musical range, dipping its fingers into folk, jazz, soul and heavy metal. This summer’s releases, “ m urder of the Universe” and “ s ketches of b runswick e ast,” explore King Gizz’s hard rock and jazz wardrobes. “ m urder of the Universe” was released in June, and is divided into three separate chapters: “The Tale o f The Altered b east;” “The Lord o f Lightning vs b alrog,” released in m ay; and “ h an-Tyumi And The m urder o f The Universe,” released in April. e ach chapter is distinct, yet predominantly linked through sci-fi and doomsday themes.
“The Tale of the Altered b east” tells the story of a human who happens upon a human-beast hybrid that he refers to as the Altered b east, with Leah s enior (dubbed “The r eticent r aconteur” for the second chapter) narrating perhaps otherwise confusing parts of the tale in a cold, metallic voice. Through the three tracks of the “Alter m e” and four tracks of the “Altered b east” suites, we hear the alternating voices of the b east and human as the human becomes more comfortable with the idea of being altered by the b east as it once was. The narrator eerily recites “For all its revulsion, and warp, and taboo / A part of you wants to be altered too” during “Alter m e I.” m ackenzie’s vocals flair as he incessantly screams “Altered beast / Alter me!” throughout the chapter.
The songs can seem repetitive, as guitar hooks are frequently reused and lyrics repeated, but despite this, the tracks are never tedious to listen to as they blend seamlessly together to tell the story. When the two entities eventually merge to form a further altered beast that craves even more flesh, the burden of two consciences dwelling inside the
same body takes its toll as the b east’s mind unravels, leading to its death.
The second story, “The Lord o f Lightning vs. b alrog,” focuses on an almighty battle between the forces of light and darkness. With a folktale style storyline, it details the destruction dealt upon a small village by lightning cast from the Lord’s fingers. After an errant lightning bolt reanimates a corpse, a monster known as b alrog is brought into existence. At the end of the opening song, The r eticent r aconteur recounts, “And as the cadaver lay static with open crusted eyes / The smoking corpse began to twitch at my great surprise / Then the figure sprung up and at once it caught a light / And the creature known as b alrog was born that very night.” e ventually, the Lord destroys b alrog after it refuses to be subservient to The Lord of Lightning, laying waste to the village on its own terms. While the chapter is comprised mostly of spoken word narration, “The Lord o f Lightning” and “The b alrog” provide an upbeat and more structured tone to the middle third of the tale’s six tracks.
The last chapter, “ h an-Tyumi And The murder o f The Universe,” deals with A.I. technology as an apocalyptic catalyst. The voice of Leah s enior is dropped in this chapter, as n atural r eader’s “UK, c harles” text-to-speech provides the narration, including the voice of the cyborg h an-Tyumi. The final tale is King Gizzard’s most heavy metal effort to date, as they leave the meatiest riffs for last. While h an-Tyumi is creating a machine whose only purpose is to vomit, one of the things he is unable to do, King Gizzard creates what feels like a wall of industrial sound on the singles “ d igital b lack” and “ vomit c offin.” All hands are on deck with both drummers playing wildly amidst the chaotic guitar picking. h an-Tyumi’s creation ultimately malfunctions, coating the earth in vomit and destroying the universe, hence the album’s title. The listener is left trying to catch their breath when the last track finally fades out, concluding a whirlwind of a journey.
The band’s second summer release, “ s ketches of b runswick e ast,” in collaboration with m ild h igh c lub’s sole member Alex b rettin, was conceived after b rettin stayed at m ackenzie’s house following a performance at King Gizzard’s own Gizzfest in d ecember 2016. A series of bare-bones iPhone recordings were then exchanged between the two before the album was recorded in just three weeks and released in August. The album’s title is a nod
toward m iles d avis’ groundbreaking collaboration with Gil e vans, “ s ketches of s pain.”
“ s ketches” is overwhelmingly jazz based, providing a stark contrast to “ m urder of the Universe.” A steady bass plucking drives the album, with pipes, nature sound effects, and airy vocals giving it a mellow and relaxed feel. While “ m urder of the Universe” felt like the soundtrack to a grisly final boss battle, “ s ketches” seems better suited for the time spent waiting in the video game lobby. The album flows effortlessly, while the band employs the use of every instrument imaginable. b ongos are slapped and maracas are shaken while m ackenzie’s signature wah-wah guitar sends ripples through tracks such as “A Journey to ( s ) h ell” and “ r olling s toned.” “ s ketches” is an album that will get there when it gets there; just climb aboard and relax for the ride.
s o far 2017 has been monumental for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, with three equally daring albums already released and two more promised before the year is through. King Gizzard is presenting an eclectic feast; it would be remiss of us to not indulge.
Contact Augie Collins at jcolli15@nd.edu
“Murder
of the Universe”
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Label: ATO
If you like: The Murlocs, Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees
Tracks: “Vomit Coffin,” “Lord of Lightning”
“Sketches
of Brunswick East”
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Label: ATO
If you like: The Murlocs, Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees
Tracks: “Countdown,” “A Journey To (S)Hell”
By GRACE WEISSEND scene Writer
Growing out of s amuel b eam’s stripped down, hushed sounds of yore under his “Iron & Wine” moniker, “ b east e pic” is a fitting title for the artist’s most recent project. Yet the album is epic not in its outlandishness, size, or theatricality, but in the way nearly each song manages to envelop the listener with rich, layered tones, percussive sounds, vocal harmonies and — of course — acoustic riffing. o ne of the most special things about the new album is the sense of being in an intimate show with b eam, a feeling lost on the grandiose efforts of previous albums. The “epic” nature of the album is also clear. The work feels like a journey through the eleven tracks, yet each individual song stands on its own. The lyrics are poetic and longing, and the songs’ tendencies toward crescendo give the album a tangible sense of reaching and of searching.
b eam kicks off “ b east e pic” in typical fashion with the acoustic riff-laden “ c laim Your Ghost,” which is a loose yet remarkably heavy tune. The song devolves to a sort of guitar-and-vocals-inthe-round Gregorian chant for lumberjacks on the line “killers let go / killers let go.” “ c laim Your Ghost” serves as an invitation of sorts to join b eam in his catharsis over the course of the album, urging the listener to follow him. “ b itter Truth” offers
another musical surprise, peppering some twinkling piano over the guitar and vocals to a very pleasant effect.
“ b east e pic” is an obvious choice for the album title, as the lyrics and reverberating sounds often make you feel lost in the middle of some sort of journey. “ s ong in s tone” offers a beautiful promise of eternity without becoming too existential or morbid. s imilarly, “ s ummer c louds” (which is unexpectedly and delightfully bluegrass-tinged) has the feeling of a Jason Isbell song without tipping into the depressive and melancholy. b eam manages to tiptoe this line very carefully, singing about limitlessness without instilling fear. When not contemplating the bounds of time and love, “ b east e pic” does prefer lyrics fitting for Instagram captions — most evidently on “ c all it d reaming,” in which b eam sings, “We can burn and be forgiven / Where our hands hurt from healing / We can laugh without a reason.” The poetry in b eam’s lyrics often gets washed away in the airiness of the album, but this is not a deal breaker.
A little over halfway through the album, “About a b ruise” surprises with the female-voiced “bang” elevated over the initial verses. The song grows a bit stale towards the middle, returning to the standard Iron & Wine acoustic riff-and-repeat formula. The end of the song teases the listener once again with a gorgeous vocal round. Though it’s a shame that b eam didn’t rely more heavily on
these arrangements, places where the haze of his sound is elevated to a place outside the limits of his comfort zone. These moments are also some of the most sonically beautiful places on the album. Yet this is to be expected from an Iron & Wine record — it’s sonically cohesive almost to the point of monotony, with the mood of the tune being the main variant throughout.
Altogether, “ b east e pic” is a thoroughly pleasant listening experience that invites the listener to Google the lyrics and doodle their favorites in their diary. You’ll feel the warmth of the album in each song, but it’ll never get too hot. “ b east e pic” is an album for lying in bed on a s unday morning with the windows open, and what could be more pleasant and less controversial than that?
Contact Grace Weissend at gweissend@nd.edu
“Beast Epic”
Iron & Wine
Label: Sub Pop
If you like: Sufjan Stevens, The Head And The Heart
Tracks: “Song of Stone,” “Claim Your Ghost”
By BOBBY WOZNIAK scene Writer
As we return to the bubble that n otre d ame seamlessly creates around its campus and brace ourselves for the fall semester, it is only a matter of time before we start itching to get away for a weekend. What better way to temporarily liberate ourselves from difficult classes and hearing about how each of our peers saved the world this past summer than attending a concert in c hicago? This fall, our favorite artists are taking their tours to s outh b end’s favorite metropolitan neighbor. s o mark your calendars, buy your tickets and enjoy the night away from your home under the dome.
ms. Lauryn Hill and Nas — september 7, Huntington bank pavilion
n ot attending a m s. Lauryn h ill concert is the equivalent of skipping out on d omerfest, except much, much worse. The Fugee’s frontwoman has been in and out of the public spotlight for the past twenty years, unexpectedly releasing soulful, genre-bending music to the excitement of her dedicated fans before retreating back into her
private personal life for long hiatuses. This fall, she is making her way around the states with none other than n as, one of the most seminal rappers of our time. This show is sure to be filled with great music, good vibes and a lot of history-making.
bryson t iller — s eptember 15, a ragon ballroom
After his sophomore studio album, “True to self,” debuted as number one on the billboard 200 chart back in may, it was clear that bryson Tiller had officially made his mark on the r & b genre and overall music industry. he has created his own unique sense of musicality by combining trap beats with smoother hip-hop influences and has collaborated with a wide range of famed artists, including dJ Khaled, r ihanna and Travis scott. With opening performances by the equivocal r & b artist h e r . and the renowned rapper and producer metro boomin, the c hicago stop of the “set It off” tour at the enchanting Aragon ballroom will make for an exceptional evening.
enrique iglesias & pitbull — October 7, a llstate a rena
We would all be lying if we said we didn’t know the words to at least one Pitbull song. Whether
you throw it back to rapping every lyric of “ h otel r oom s ervice” at your high school homecoming or hearing “ e l Taxi” play three times in a row at n ew Finnie’s, we have all had a personal connection with m r. Worldwide. Then there is the everso-suave e nrique Iglesias, widely recognized as the King of Latin Pop, who is sure to put on a great show. If you never had the opportunity to study abroad in s pain or Latin America, or you did have that opportunity and absolutely thrived, this show is probably for you.
syd — November 8, tba
As a member of the hip hop collective o dd Future and lead singer of the alternative r & b band
The Internet, s yd Tha Kyd created an astounding name for herself even before venturing into her already-successful solo career. h er ironically titled debut album, “FI n ,” showcases her sultry, yet airy, vocals as well as her skilled production abilities. s yd’s charismatic personality and activism as a gay female artist make her a rising artist to watch out for, and the c hicago slot of her first solo tour should be an unforgettable night.
Contact Bobby Wozniak at rwozniak@nd.edu
happy b irthday: m ake plans to travel, learn and to get ahead this year. Pick up skills, network and make changes instead of just thinking about what you want to pursue. Take control of your life and make decisions that will eliminate whatever is standing in your way. use your ingenuity to figure out a way to get rid of excess baggage. your numbers are 8, 15, 21, 29, 32, 43, 45.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): c oncentrate on work, getting along with your peers and advancement. Take care of your responsibilities, but don’t let anyone take credit for your work or try to manipulate you. keep emotions out of the workplace or classroom.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Alter the way you approach people and the activities you want to pursue and you will have better luck reaching your goals. s how some enthusiasm as well as mental agility. An open mind will encourage support and acceptance.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): l ook over your personal debt and consider the best way to pay down what you owe. Added discipline and a good plan will encourage success and give you the financial relief you need to get back on track.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): d ig in and do your part. What you contribute today will revive your belief in your ability to get things done over the long haul. Persistence and hard work will help you excel and gain the respect and the rewards you deserve.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): d oing things with youngsters, seniors and the people who can use your help most will be rewarding. your generosity and energetic approach to life will set a good example for those incapable of doing things on their own.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): s ocialize and be a part of whatever is happening and you’ll have a say in what’s to come. your input will inspire confidence and could lead to new alliances. b usiness trips, educational pursuits and communication are all encouraged.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): use your intelligence to outmaneuver anyone who tries to get in your way. your emotions will flare up easily and waste valuable time if you give in to outside influences. l isten to your heart and use common sense, and you will be triumphant.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): s ize up any competition you encounter and use your insight and imagination to outdo any threat that comes your way. Anger will not lead to rewards, but doing your best will. If you work hard each day, you’ll avoid regrets.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): s omeone will undermine you if you neglect to protect your personal data and your vulnerabilities. keep your eyes open and be prepared to make a move or change if necessary. A quick response will ward off future occurrences.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): keep your emotions in check. Try to make changes without upsetting the people who will be affected by your decision. s howing compassion and offering intelligent solutions will help you gain support once everything is in place.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): you’ll be attracted to someone who is unique. r esearching a different belief or way of doing things will encourage you to use your imagination and come up with personal changes that can make your life better.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A compassionate response to a plea for help will be your best alternative. o ffer suggestions, but don’t take on someone else’s dilemma. c oncentrate on being productive and taking care of your own responsibilities. d on’t miss a chance to get ahead.
Birthday Baby: you are smart, inquisitive and persistent. you are practical and proactive.
Are
Jumble | dAvId hoyT And Jeff knurek
sudoku | The mePhAm grouP
wingin’
sports authority
Boxing needs to be better
h ey. d id you watch the fight?
What do you mean, “What fight?”
The only fight that matters — the m ayweatherm cGregor fight.
What’s that? o h, you didn’t watch it?
Your Pay-Per-v iew channel wasn’t working? That’s too bad.
o h, you didn’t watch because you didn’t want to root for the racist or the one who has a history of domestic violence?
That’s too bad.
In his column on Aug. 25, my colleague d aniel o ’ b oyle argued that boxing as a sport is bigger than just the m ayweather- m cGregor fight. h ow I wish that were true.
b ecause if the m ayweather- m cGregor bout is what boxing is, then boxing shouldn’t be a thing.
I understand that the sport has a rich history and tradition. m uhammad Ali and Joe Frazier are giants in American sports, and “ r ocky” remains one of the greatest sports movies ever made.
b ut who do the youth of today see as role models in the sport?
Floyd m ayweather?
m ayweather has twice pled guilty to charges of battery domestic violence in 2001 and 2002 and spent 90 days in prison in 2012 for hitting his then-girlfriend in front of the couple’s children.
And in between 2001 and 2012, m ayweather has had numerous domestic battery charges filed against him. s ome went away, some he settled, but the picture is clear. m ayweather is a danger to women.
Is that who you want your children to look up to? d o you want them playing in the yard saying, “I want to be m ayweather when I grow up?” I sure don’t.
s o maybe the narrative could then shift to the good guy, outsider m cGregor taking down the woman-abusing Floyd.
Ah, but m cGregor is a racist.
h e has a documented history of going over the line in his pre-fight comments. h e told b razilian opponent Jose Aldo, “I own this town, I own r io de Janeiro. I would invade his favela on horseback and would kill anyone who wasn’t fit to work, but
we’re in a new time, so I’ll whoop his a– instead.” In 2016, m cGregor labeled n ate d iaz a “cholo gangster from the hood.”
And in the press tour before the m ayweather fight, m cGregor told m ayweather to, “dance for me, boy.”
People in m cGregor’s camp tried to play off the “dance for me, boy” comment as innocent and that m cGregor, being Irish, wasn’t aware of the racial implication that phrase had in America.
b ut I don’t buy it, not with m cGregor’s history of offensive comments to back it up.
And before m cGregor, another big boxing star, m anny Pacquiao, has been quoted as saying, “If we approve male on male, female on female [marriage], then man is worse than animal.”
Touching.
b ut hey, I get it, some athletes are just bad people. e very sport has them.
b ut only in boxing, it seems, are two horrible individuals given such a large platform and paid so much money simply for showing up.
At least the n FL has the decency to suspend r ay r ice (albeit way too late) and other domestic abusers and doc their pay.
d espite m ayweather’s convictions and history, he got paid more for one fight than almost any other athlete will make in five years.
The problem goes beyond simply labeling m ayweather and m cGregor as deplorable individuals. The whole sport of boxing — including T v providers, casinos and even consumers — is at fault.
And I’d love to hear about boxers like Wladimir Klitschko or Anthony Joshua, as o ’ b oyle recommends.
b ut boxing organizers aren’t willing to move away from promoting m ayweather. n o matter how horrible his actions or comments, he brings in money, and so he gets a platform and an endless stream of money from which he can pay off the women he abuses to keep them from bringing him to trial.
Yes, m r. o ’ b oyle, I sorely wish boxing were bigger than m ayweather and m cGregor. b ut it simply isn’t. And society is the real loser.
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.
W s occer
con TI nued F rom PAGe 16
last three games, and are looking to keep the offensive momentum going into their next two weekends and into conference play.
“our goal every year is to be a great defending team and a great attacking team,” romagnolo said. “We don’t want to be good at one aspect of the game. I think last year we did a phenomenal job of limited chances on our goal.
habrowski
especially during the tough games, which happen a lot in the Acc .”
starting his soccer career at the ripe age of 3 years old, it comes to nobody’s surprise that habrowski has become a natural student of the game, as the Irish tri-captain spent much of his childhood and high school experience to developing and improving his craft. off the field, habrowski is an equally dedicated student, as he graduated last spring with a degree in mechanical engineering and is currently pursuing a one-year master’s degree in Acms from the university. however, what truly makes the sport special for habrowski, even more than the mental aspect of the game, is the brotherhood that is formed between the guys on the team.
“I’ve really come to love the team — we have a great group of guys here,” habrowski said. “everyone gets along super well, the team culture is fantastic and I think that’s what I’ll take with me even after [I leave] — the experience of hanging out in the locker room with lifelong friends that I’ve had for four years has been fantastic.
“… on the field, I love the thinking aspect of soccer — thinking about how to break down teams. We’ve made the comparison of making soccer seem like a game of chess — how you react to what the opposing team does, how you put them on the counter — so I think that’s what I really enjoy, and it’s a role I’ve grown into being the vocal leader in the back. I talk about how to set our pressure, setting our defensive line, linking everything together from top to bottom, so I really relish that role — but nothing beats the team
We created a fair amount of opportunities but didn’t execute and finish the way we wanted to. every year our goal is to be great on both sides of the ball.”
The Irish will take their balanced attack into their next matchup today against no. 11 south carolina. The Gamecocks are the highest ranked team notre dame has played this season, and part of their success this season has been their offense, which has yet to score less than two goals in any game this season.
“They’ve got one of the strongest goal scorers in the country in senior savannah mccaskill,” romagnolo said. “she put up big numbers last year, and is dangerous anytime she’s on the ball. she’s clever about finding areas to pick up the ball, and if you give her the opportunity she’s going to finish.”
The Irish will take on the Gamecocks at Alumni Field on Friday at 7:00 p.m.
Contact Jack Concannon at jconcan2@nd.edu
culture of our 30 guys.” now, the team begins to enter the heart of the regular season, chasing an Acc championship and beyond.
A freshman when the Irish won the national championship in 2013, habrowski knows what it takes to reach the ultimate goal, and believes this year’s team has a lot of those qualities.
“I was lucky enough to be a part of [that team] my freshman year — it takes a special group and I think we have that,” habrowski said.
“o n a more day-to-day basis, one thing we talked about is learning every day, to adapt and learn as a team. If we can continue to learn and then do it one percent better, five percent better the next day, I think that’s huge. o ur team motto this year is ‘leave the jersey in a better place’ — so everything you do on the field contributes to the overall success of the program and culture that we’re setting up here.”
Arguably, no one on the current team has had as much impact on said culture as habrowski. As a two-time captain, habrowski commands respect within the locker room, mainly because he makes a point to build relationships with his teammates and get the most out of their
potential. A two-time Acc Academic honor roll choice in addition, habrowski best represents what it means to be a notre dame student-athlete, and commented on what being a two-time captain has meant.
“obviously it’s a huge honor to serve as captain,” habrowski said. “I lot of the guys trust me, I guess — I’ve done a few things right as a player. no one’s really ready to be a captain when they first start, and it’s something that’s a learning process every day. I’m still learning how to do things better … last year there were a couple situations myself and the other captains could’ve handled a little better, but coming back I was more excited.
“ … I knew how to better communicate to the team, understand team expectations and give everyone the respect and self-belief that they deserved, and I think right now as a second-year captain my role has become, obviously on the field as a leader, but more of a mentor now that can pass along what I’ve learned to continue our team culture and what we want to accomplish long-term here at notre dame.”
Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu
Marek Mazurek Assistant managing e ditor
PETER ST. JOHN | The Observer Irish graduate student defender Matt Habrowski looks to pass the ball during Notre Dame’s 4-0 win over Indiana on Oct. 4, 2016.
for sophomore safety a lohi Gilman, meaning he is currently set to sit out the 2017 season. Kelly said n otre d ame has filed an appeal of the ncaa’s decision in the hopes that he can make an impact for the i rish this year, but there is currently no timetable for a response.
“We have filed an appeal of a lohi’s denial,” Kelly said. “We feel like it warranted an appeal and we have filed the appropriate paperwork. They gave us a sense of how they put the committee together and we don’t believe it will take a long time to hear back.”
Offseason Health
The i rish enter the season with a relatively clean bill of health, with junior defensive tackle e lijah Taylor’s lisfranc fracture suffered in m arch one of the only injuries for n otre d ame this offseason. Kelly said that not only has his team’s health been impressive this offseason, but their overall preparation has been too.
“ i t’s the healthiest preseason i ’ve ever had,” Kelly said. “The preparation is as good as i ’ve had as a head coach in all facets. That’s why i ’m excited and really looking forward to watching this group play.”
“ i think if we look at everything, we’ve done some things, we made some substantial changes in the weight room and they weren’t necessarily personnel driven, they were philosophically driven in order to advance ourselves with a combination between art and science. i think that in terms of the science, that’s really helped us in that preparation. a nd then splitting the technical with the tactical. There’s a time to work on the technique and
there’s a time to work on the game-planning. o ur players know when we’re working on gameplan and when we’re working on technique. a ll of that together has made that our most prepared offseason i ’ve ever had here.”
Wimbush
Kelly had praise for junior quarterback b randon Wimbush going into his first start for the i rish.
“ e verything he does is extremely intentional,” Wimbush said. “There’s no wasted movement, there’s no fluff about him. What he says he means, what he does is intentional. i f he goes up and shakes your hand, he means it; if he watches film, he’s intentional about that. That’s a joy as a coach. You want to spend time with somebody who’s that passionate about what he does. a s it relates to our guys, i think if there’s any flaws there, sometimes you’ve got to be that bad guy, and he’s got really good at that and at holding them accountable, telling them where to go and what to be. i think that’s where the growth is with b randon.”
Freshmen
The i rish will hope to see an immediate impact this season from its freshman class, rated the 13th-best recruiting class in the country by r ivals.com. h owever, Kelly said he planned to avoid leaning too heavily on his younger players.
“We can’t rely on freshmen to have such a substantial role that we would be unprepared if there was a time where we would have to help them out,” Kelly said. “ i t’s foolish to think that their volume is going to be something they can sustain over a heavy, heavy workload, but we’re prepared for that.”
Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu
Paid a dverT isemen T
MONICA VILLAGOMEZ MENDEZ | The Observer
Irish junior kicker Justin Yoon lines up for a field-goal attempt during Notre Dame’s 17-10 loss to Stanford on Oct. 15, 2016.
EDDIE GRIESEDIECK | The Observer
Irish junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush surveys the field and looks to pass during Notre Dame’s New and Gold scrimmage Aug. 20 at Notre Dame Stadium. Wimbush is set for his first career start Saturday.
Kelly says Stepherson to dress against Temple
By DANIEL O’BOYLE sports Writer
With less than 48 hours before n otre d ame’s season kicks off against Temple, the status of sophomore wide receiver Kevin s tepherson remains unclear, as Irish head coach b rian Kelly said s tepherson will dress for s aturday’s game, but continued to avoid clarification on whether s tepherson will be suspended.
“I’ve spent a lot of time talking about my players relative to their expectations,” Kelly said. “They have to meet expectations, everybody’s under the same guidelines, but he’s working on it and he’s getting better.”
s tepherson has appeared mostly with n otre d ame’s third team offense during practices this offseason, despite being second among returning Irish players in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Kelly initially put the sophomore’s reduced role down to a hamstring injury and the Irish
depth at his position, but was asked whether s tepherson was suspended on August 24th, and declined to give an answer.
Kickoffs
If the Irish kick off first against Temple, junior kicker Justin Yoon will be the player who gets the Irish season underway. Freshman kicker Jonathan d oerer was initially expected to handle n otre d ame’s kickoff duties, but Kelly announced that it will be Yoon kicking off instead,with d oerer set to take over later in the season.
“ h e’s a little tired,” Kelly said. “ h e hit the wall a little bit. h e will eventually take that duty over, he has a big leg, but he’s a little tired. We’re going to hold off the grand opening and let Justin do it. Justin’s hitting the ball very well.”
Gilman
o n Aug. 29th, the nc AA denied immediate eligibility
Habrowski’s experience leads way for Irish defense propels nd early on
By JOE EVERETT sports Writer
When people think of what truly defines great soccer players, most people will mention the athleticism that a r onaldo may possess or the mastery of technical skill that a m essi may champion. h owever, for n otre d ame graduate student and center back m att h abrowski, his success stems from his ability to diagnose, adjust and communicate what needs to be done in an instant.
In short, it’s his mind that makes him a great athlete.
“There’s a recurring joke that I’m not as athletic as many other people on the team … but the one thing I do well on and off the field is I think,” h abrowski said. “[ c oach] loves that, and tries to instill that in his center backs, because we’re the heart and the vocal leaders the team back there — we see it all. I think that’s what I do well — passing, organizing and being a vocal leader,
By JACK CONCANNON sports Writer
o n their way to the program’s first A cc title last season, the Irish made a name for themselves on defense.
n otre d ame held their opponents to just under 10 shots per game last season, conceding only nine goals over the entire year. This year, the Irish have kept up the stalwartness, having conceded just one in four games this year.
Although the team lost senior captain and goalie Kaela Little after last season, sophomore starting goalkeeper b rooke Littman has so far filled the big shoes left her, keeping three clean sheets in four games so far.
“ b rooke’s been great, she’s doing a great job. I’m proud of the preparation she put in all summer.”Irish head coach Theresa r omagnolo said.
“We saw right away in preseason she was very sharp. s he’s a redshirt freshman, and she’s learning. s he’s exuding confidence and poise.”
And while Littman has
been stellar in her opening campaign for n otre d ame, she hasn’t done it alone. Part of not giving up goals is not giving up shots, and the Irish have returned three defenders who started every game last year in senior Ginny m cGowan, junior r achel h eard and junior n atalie Ward. For a young player like Littman, r omagnolo believes that the experience off the back line gives her a huge advantage.
“This year all of our returning back four help direct in front of b rooke and help her out. e very group is a little bit different as to where the leadership comes from. This year’s group, that back line, they’ve seen a lot. They can make their own decisions on the field.”
The Irish were a defensive team last year, but this year they’re striving for a balanced approach to each match. Paced by sophomore forwards Jen Westendorf and n atalie Jacobs, the Irish have bagged seven goals in their
ALLISON CULVER | The Observer Irish graduate student defender Matt Habrowski steps up toward the ball during Notre Dame’s 1-0 win over Loyola on Nov. 20, 2016.
Nd WomeN’s soccer
meN’s soccer
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Irish sophomore wide receiver Kevin Stepherson catches a pass in the flat during Notre Dame’s 28-27 loss to Navy on Nov. 5, 2016, at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.
