THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's OLUME 43: ISSUE 44 MONDAY. NOVEMBER3. 2008 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Expectations lead to frustrating defeat Producer, High confidence contributes to disappointment in four-overtime loss to Pittsburgh filmmaker win because we haven't lost By NORA KENNEY a game in our stadium yet speak on News Writer [this year]." freshman Michelle Consiglio said. This week, many Irish fans "I thought we'd win, but entered the Notre Dame sta­ we were insanely evenly storytelling dium feeling overconfident matched which you could tell in anticipation of a game because of the four over­ which ended in a loss that times." By ROBERT SINGER was grueling for both play­ However, as the players News Writer ers and fans to endure. Part left the field for halftime, the of this overconfidence was a teams did not seem evenly result of Pittsburgh's loss to matched at all, as seen in During the "The Storytellers: unrated Rutgers on Oct. 25, the Irish's 14-point lead. Documenting Reality" presenta­ in which the Panthers lost "I felt pretty comfortable tion Friday night, Tom Bettag, 54-34 and were knocked off about it. It was pretty good I Executive Producer of the polls from their previous think. You know everyone is "Nightline," summed up what position at seventeen. optimistic and had a lot of he believed to be the task fac­ The overconfident attitude momentum going into the ing journalists working in a wasn't just with the players, second half," senior Dan society saturated by informa­ but the students also. "You Fanuele said. VANESSA GEMPIS!The Observer tion. are walking into the Stadium Irish fans were disappointed by Saturday's loss to "It's about people trying to and you think we're going to see GAME/ page 3 Pittsburgh, Notre Dame's first loss at home this season. help people dig out of an ava­ lanche of information to find the path to understanding and even to caring," he said. In an age when the global economy is becoming ever Modified pep rally format debuts more complex and news is easi­ ly available, Bettag argues that "we're less and less inclined to By MOLLY MADDEN President's Athletic Co-Chair care" about the issues affecting News Writer Laura Burdick said. "The dissat­ our world. isfaction of the students just kept Globalization, international getting greater and greater and politics and environmental Students that attended the pep we didn't want to see that. The change are not easy subjects to rally Friday at the Joyce Athletic football team started to notice understand, he said. Convocation Center (JACC) and we got on it and got the ball News has become "stacked in might have sensed some rolling." so high, so indiscriminately that changes in the rally. These While many in the No~re Dame we have diminishing returns," changes are part of a new for­ community expressed disbelief he said. mat for the pep rallies that will at men of Sarin's actions, The more information we allow for greater unity between Burdick said that she was not take in, the less we understand the team and the students. The surprised by the actions of the its significance, and the less we changes are partly in response Otters. are motivated to become caring to Sorin College boycotting the "The Sorin boycott wasn't a citizens, he said. Oct. 3 rally and the subsequent shock," Burdick said. "People Contributing to the lack of student reactions. have been feeling that way for a understanding and the apathy "Ideas for change have been while but have continued coming that results, said Bettag, is a on the table for a few years now, to the rallies. That was just the belief in "truthiness." Rather DAN JACOBS/The Observer we've just never had a group first time the dissatisfaction was than attempting to grasp an Jon Bon Jovi, second from left, made a surprise visit at Friday's that was proactive enough to pep rally, which underwent changes after student complaints. make it happen," Hall see RALLY/page 3 see BETTAG/page 4 Right to Life Week begins at College Web site markets Abortion issues in election increase relevance of annual event to ND students active women this year," said following our celebration. By SARAH MAYER Ryan, "The most we've had Mass will be in honor of life," News Writer in 4 years. It's been an Ryan said. Rodrigues, junior Tim incredible year. Everyone is One of the highlights of By ELLYN MICHALAK Durigan, will be handing out With abortion as a hot but­ so passionate about what we Right to Life week is the News Writer T-shirts to advertise the new ton issue in the upcoming stand for." panel discussion that will be Web site Wednesday after­ election, Saint Mary's Right The overall theme of this held on Thursday. The panel, University of Pennsylvania noon outside of South Dining to Life Week eomes at an year's RTL week is celebrat­ entitled "Issues of Abortion," sophomore, Jay Rodrigues Hall. opportune time. ing life as a reminder of is a first time event on Saint selected Notre Dame as one of "Dormnoise.com will allow President of Saint Mary's beauty in all dorms, she said. Mary's campus, accpording several schools nationwide to Notre Dame students to know· College Right to Life club, "Tuesday night we will to a College press release. market his new college exclu­ what's going on any day of senior Meg Ryan, has many have a candle lit prayer vigil Speakers will include, Dr. sive social networking Web the week without the hassle events planned for the week. on the library green at 8 Thomas Akre, an orthopedic site, Dormnoise.com. of future employers being The RTL meets every Sunday p.m. in memory of the many surgeon from Mishawaka; Rodrigues, the Web site's able to see aspects of their in Reignbeaux Lounge in Le lives lost to abortion; all are Professor Kevin McDonnell, creator, selected schools of private college life posted on Mans at 7:30 as an active welcome. On Wednesday philosophy of law professor different size and ·location the Internet," Durigan said. group of women who believe night we will have a at Saint Mary's' Fr. Bob across the nation to promote "It will let students connect in supporting life in all of its Celebration of Life party in Roggenbuck, a priest from his new college exclusive Web with each other on campus in stages from conception to Reignbeaux Lounge at 7 with Michigan; and key note site. Notre Dame a college exclusive environ- death, she said. cake and balloons, and then Dormnoise.com representa­ "RTL has about 35-40 9 mass in Le Mans chapel see LIFE/page 4 tive and high school friend of see NOISE/page 3 page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Monday, November 3, 2008 ==============================~ INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT FOUR OVERTIMES? Negative ads With thn nlnction only one day away, my l'athnr. who is running fi>r the Ilousn ol' Heprnsnntatives in Statnn Island and Brooklyn, is holding a solid lead in the Richie Blomstron Isaac Godfrey Chris Wynkoop Robin Vim Joe McBrayer Courtney Piehl polls. Although lw would never say that lw is a sho-in. tlw early numbers do junior senior sophomore senior senior freshman suggest that he will win. Fisher Duncan Pangborn Over fall break, whiln sitting at my Fisher Morrissey Morrissey kitd1en table, my dad came home with , some of' the literature his consulting "Historic ... "Not as cool as "Make's the "That was four "/ wouldn't care "It was , group h~d pre-. Joseph seven. game exciting... overtimes?" if we had won. overkill." pared. While all of M M h his previous cam- C a on maybe too paign pieces had exciting." l'ocused on his Assistant accomplishment in News Editor the New York City Council, which he's been a member of since 2001, these new pieces were negative attack ads. t\s soon as I picked up the print outs, my dad just shook his head, displaying his obvious disappointment with the pieces. IN BRIEF I lis opponent Bob Straniere, a former Nnw York assemblyman who was oust­ The lecture entitled "Colored ~~d in a primary by his own Republican Men & Hombres Aqui: party in 2004, is a man that has been Hernandez v. Texas and the describnd as a "sehlub" by Esquire mag­ Emergence of Mexican azine. According to the attack literature, American Lawyering" will be he had sponsored only one bill which held Today at 4 p.m. in 208 renamed a highway in his numerous McKenna Hall. Michael A. years in the assembly, in addition to Olivas, William B. Bates mentioning his shady business dealings Distinguished Chair in Law and and comwctions to high-powered lobby­ Director, Institute for Higher ist<>. Education Law and "You're not actually going to use these Governance, University of am you'?" I asked him. Houston Law Center will dis­ "Is that even a question'?" he immedi­ cuss the litigation history of ately responded. Hernandez v. Texas. In the four elections that he has run since 2001, my father has never gone Saint Mary's College Right negative. dnspitn the actions of his oppo­ to Life will sponsor Right to nent<>. This race - the biggest race of Life Week. It includes a candle his life - wasn't going to be any difl'er­ lit prayer vigil on the Library ent.