Campus News:
One month ago the school year opened with a weekend concert. For the past few years the JACC has carried a students-only gig on the first weekend of school. It is widely believed that the concert is put on to draw students away from Turtle Creek's "Rally in the Alley." The University spends thousands of dollars to woo Domers away from one night of excessive boozing. "The Show" this year featured Guster followed by the Black Eyed Peas. Last year students paid $5 to attend "The Show." Funding was cut so students had to pick up the slack and shell out $10 each. Last year's attendance was 2500. This year the count was expected to be between 3500 and 4000.
Speaking of alcohol at Turtle Creek, a major bust took place before the first home football game. The Indiana State Excise Police, the South Bend Police Department, and the ND Security Police conducted a 10am crackdown on September 6th. Reports said there were fifteen to twenty police cars and two or three paddy wagons. (Two or three paddy wagons? Were they rounding up Al Qaeda?) Several parties were broken up and twenty-six people were charged with a variety of offenses, including minor in consumption, resisting arrest, and inducing minors to possess alcoholic beverages. Students were very surprised at the crackdown since tailgating at Turtle Creek had gone unopposed for years. Five people were arrested and taken to St. Joseph County Jail. Minors were handcuffed. One student said he saw police use a tazer on one person. The police denied this, as I recall. Since it was a game day, tackling was in order. Those trying to flee were wrapped up by the linebacking police officers. The excise police will turn names over to NDSP who will then pass them on to Res Life for disciplinary action. Most offenders will be offered pre-trial diversion for a $250 fee. If they complete the program then their permanent record will be expunged.
Campus Watch by the Gipper from Scholastic:
An interesting tip was submitted by an employee of one of our campus’ most notable facilities. Supposedly, whole shelves of books are being removed in areas near study carrels on the Hesburgh Library’s upper floors. Since the removal of these books makes for a straight view of the students studying, our amateur sleuth reasoned that a “peeping Tom” was making rounds in the academic skyscraper. Well, I guess it’s time for the Gipp to ‘fess up: After years of wasting time putting his ear to the ground at parties and social gatherings, the Gipper realized that most of the action on campus happens on weekend nights in the Nerd Castle. That’s right, crazy Gipp, meagerly equipped with a pair of binoculars and a writing pad, perches behind a row of shelves and witnesses the ongoings of late night studiers. The logic here is that after decades of calm and mature behavior, library-goers are really overdue to do sumpin’ crazy. Until then, the lookout continues... (Readers Note: That was the only time the words “meagerly equipped” will be used to describe the Gipper.)
Hall Notes:
October is right around the corner. Back in the day the Vermin were prepping for the Haunted House during Halloween's month. We all know the Haunted House is extinct. However, the stories are not. Over the next few weeks we will share some memorable moments.
Vermin Sean Donnelly gives a description of one of his favorite skits:
The most disturbing one was The Carroll Hall operating room. Joe Sophy and his roommates hung sheets all over their room, making it completely white--a really eerie atmosphere. Then one of the guys, Estevan Herrara, was placed on the bedsprings as the patient. Joe, pale as a ghost to begin with, entered as the surgeon and began doing exploratory surgery using props from a butcher shop. They even ended with a...er...castration. I'm not really up to explaining that...
NDSportscenter:
Well "The Season" seems to have finally settled in on ESPN on Thursdays at 11:30pm central time. The first two shows were 60 minutes in length. Now they will be down to half an hour. Ouch.
The second former player accused of rape went to trial recently. Early on things were not going Donald Dykes way. The judge sealed the medical records of the woman. Her medical and psychological records were sealed during the defense's cross-examination of her. This was done after it was discovered she was never told she had the right to refuse their release. During the previous trial, both the defense and prosecution used these records to present their case. The judge in this case blamed the legal mistake on the former St. Joseph County Prosecutor and stated it was "as close as you can come to malpractice." The prosecution called thirteen witnesses. The defense called only three. Dykes did not testify. The trial took about a week. The defense presented a key fact that the woman did not leave the house after the incident, despite being free to move around. She said she went downstairs, then returned to the room, took off her jeans, got back into bed and slept with one of the players for a few hours before being driven back to campus. The jury of seven men and five women deliberated for twelve hours. Donald Dykes was acquitted of all three charges of rape, sexual battery, and conspiracy to commit rape. One of the jurors stated there were just too many testimonial inconsistencies. The trial for Lorenzo Crawford starts October 20th and Justin Smith is scheduled to go to court on November 17th.
Ruth Riley led our women's basketball team to a National Championship. Now she has led her WNBA team to a championship. Ruth had been with the Miami Sol. But that team went belly-up. Riley moved on to the Detroit Shock after they chose her #1 overall in the dispersal draft. The Shock was the worst team in the league last year and they were in the WNBA Finals versus the defending champs, the Los Angeles Sparks. Ruth scored a career-high 27 points in the deciding game 3 to earn MVP honors in the 83-78 win. During the championship series she averaged 14 ppg and 5 rpg. Ruth makes her home in Miami but will soon be traveling to Russia on a tour with a WNBA All-Star team. She is also hoping to make the next Olympic team. Riley's professional career should continue. The WNBA is seen as lasting for at least another 5 years. By the way, the head coach of Detroit is Domer and eternally-hated-Piston Bill Laimbeer.
Campus News:
September 11th brought some news to campus. A year and a half ago a design was selected for an on-campus memorial. Despite the design selection, construction does not appear likely. The University never committed to building a memorial even though the School of Architecture conducted the design competition in the spring of 2002. The University cites the continuing war on terror saying "it would be best to wait a few years before determining the most appropriate way to honor those who have lost their lives in the period." The Clarke Memorial Fountain (Stonehenge, to most of us) honors those who died in the Vietnam War. It was built in 1986, 11 years after the war ended. The September 11 design, though, still has a chance to be used, according to the University. However it was stated the size would have to be diminished and the location most likely changed. (So how exactly could they say the winning design would be used when the size and location were specific to the design?)
Speaking of September 11th, a guest lecturer was on campus that day. South African Nobel Peace Prize winner (1984) Desmond Tutu spoke in McKenna Hall. Archbishop Emeritus Tutu was the keynote speaker for the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies' "Peacebuilding After Peace Accords" conference, the culmination of a three-year initiative by the Institute's Research Initiative on the Resolution of Ethnic Conflict that examined the issue of building lasting peace in the aftermath of political and civil unrest. (Fifty-four words in that last sentence. I need a nap.) McKenna Hall was packed. Students, faculty and community members were also able to watch the event on closed-circuit television.
Campus Watch by Me:
So our starting linebacker and top defender didn't start in the first game of the season. Tyrone and the University would not comment. Did you really think word wouldn't get out? This campus has so little privacy you'd think John Ashcroft was the head of campus security. I heard from three separate source about why he was suspended for one game. Hardly a top secret. The word on the street is that when his parent(s) came up for a game, they stayed with an alum, who would, therefore, be considered a booster. So the backer's violation was out of his control, as Coach Willingham had stated. No word has come out about the NCAA. I assume they are in the know. No way they could have slept on it considering one of the nation's top linebackers was being suspended from a game that appeared on national television. No scandal. One game suspension. End of story.
Hall Notes:
Another Vermin alum has passed us his info....
Joe Steigmaier '98 went right to work for EDS at Milford, Michigan after graduation. His stint at EDS lasted five years and involved a move from Michigan to Baltimore. But now "Stegs" has joined Oracle Consulting to work as a Unix systems administator at Fort Meade, Maryland. Joe and the missus recently bought a house in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. He married Sarah Lattimore (ND January '01) at the Basilica on January 27, 2001. Vermin Jason "J-Rob" Robinson '00 (groomsman) and Mark Koss '98 (reader) were in attendance, as were Chris Heltzel '01 and Dean Busack '97.
NDSportscenter:
And just like that "The Season" about Irish football on ESPN has been moved to Thursdays after college football games. The estimated start time is 11:30pm central but will vary depending on the game length. Coincidence this happened after we got shut out? ESPN said this was there plan all along: to air it once in primetime and then move it after the Thursday games. Too bad that story doesn't hold water. I had checked out their on-line schedule calendar and "The Season" had been assigned to primetime Tuesdays for at least the first six weeks.
So our band WAS allowed entirely into Michigan Stadium despite information for UM that we were only allowed 300. Michigan found out we planned to rotate band members in and out for halves and told us that was frowned upon. However, when the band showed up for the game the Michigan band allowed our whole band in and they remained for the entire game.
This year's "The Shirt" recorded the fastest sellout in "Shirt" history. The Bookstore moved 50,000 without a problem. Last year's shirt sold 130,000 units. The Shirt is kelly green again. This year's shirt quote is "There's a magic in the sound of their name.... Here come the Irish of Notre Dame." Since the Shirt began in 1990, over $2 million has been raised.
Alums weren't the only ones to have their ticket prices bumped up. Student tickets went up $15. Combined with last year's jump, students now pay about $30 more for home game tickets than they did two years ago. The increase comes as the University is attempting to expand student athlete scholarships. A large portion of the ticket prices go toward scholarships. The rest goes to maintenance of campus facilities. The athletic department does not receive any of the student activity fees, but does fund the maintenance of the Rock, Rolf's Aquatic Center, Rolf's Recreation Center and the fields and courts on campus. An athletic department spokesman stated, "The athletic department is entirely self-funded. We do not get any of that activity fee money from the University, which is what many schools that have lower ticket prices do."
Our third football recruit is California prep star Anthony Vernaglia. The linebacker/wide receiver verbally committed to the Irish last month while on an unofficial visit. The 6'4", 218 lb. Vernaglia is highly touted. He is rated the second-best skilled athlete in the country by West Coast-based recruiting analyst Allen Wallace of SuperPrep magazine. Recruiting bigwig Tom Lemming rates him a five-star prospect, saying he has great hands, runs well, and is very athletic. Anthony had 48 catches for 900 yards and 14 touchdowns last year at Lutheran High School in Orange, California. Impressive numbers considering his team runs the option. As a linebacker he had 80 tackles, 12 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, and 4 fumble recoveries. Anthony's father played at Penn State, but the Irish won out over the Nittany Lions, Virginia, and USC. Vernaglia runs a 4.5 - 40, has a 4.01 GPA (on a 4.0 scale), scored a 1200 on the SAT, and wants to be a pre-med major.
Campus News:
It seems quite a few alums have heard about Legends, the reincarnated Senior Bar. You might want to check out the new place if you get to the Bend for one of the remaining home games.
The former Alumni-Senior Club features a restaurant, pub, and nightclub and can accommodate 804 people. The grand opening took place the first weekend of school and featured live bands, free food, and other entertainment for the students. The place is a hit. Students will not be charged a cover. They can sign in as many as two guests. Performances will be free. The restaurant, which is open to the public, will serve lunch and dinner daily from 11am to 9pm. The menu is diverse and the prices are affordable.
The Ale House Pub has 64 bottled beers and 22 on tap. The bar also features a "wine keeper," a preservation system that will allow the sale of wine by the glass instead of the bottle. A second smaller bar is located by the nightclub. The restaurant and main pub basically occupy the left half of the building while the smaller bar and nightclub are on the right. Only patrons 21 and older will be allowed in the bar area. Identification is checked at the door. Wristbands are issued to those 21 and older. Legends has a "zero tolerance policy" when it comes to underage drinking. Alcoholic drinks will be served in colored cups and the floor will be monitered to ensure that only wristband-wearing people are drinking from the correctly-pigmented cups.
The nightclub has a stage and is equipped with a $200,000 sound, lighting, and fog system. Live entertainment and nationally-touring bands will be featured every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9pm to 11pm. After 11pm, DJs will operate until 4am. The nightclub also has a game corner that has a pool table, darts, and video games. The place will host game watches on Sundays and Mondays when a 144-inch television screen descends from above to occupy the stage area. This is also brought down on Irish game days and the nightclub will become a buffet on game days. For the first game, the buffet was $25.
Campus Watch by Me:
I have some feedback on Legends already. A co-worker went to check out the place for lunch. First, parking is allowed in the south end of the senior bar parking lot if you are going to the restaurant. Just look for the orange cones and the 120-year-old parking attendant. Anyway, my buddy and his friends sat down in the restaurant which was not even full. They placed an order and forty minutes later they got their food. Forty minutes for a partially full restaurant? Just use a damn microwave.
Hall Notes:
This is the last segment on Father Steve Gibson....
Even though Father Steve and Carroll parted ways almost two decades ago, he is still remembered by the Vermin who were under his guidance. Earl Baker '86 said the following:
"My senior year Father Steve was assigned to the Fatima Retreat Center, and Father Sullivan came in. I'm sure he was a good man, but we really missed Father Steve and we didn't give Sullivan much slack. After graduation, Father Steve came all the way to California and officiated at my wedding to the former Karen Robinson, SMC '86. It tells you how much he meant to all of us that we asked him to marry us. And it tells you how great a guy he is to go all the way to California to do it."
NDSportscenter:
How much does Michigan suck? It's really indescribable. But I'll give it a shot. Despite having a stadium that can accommodate 111,726 people, only 86% of our band was told they could go to the game. Michigan declared that only 300 members of our band could remain in the stadium during the game. The other 50 could only come in for pre- and post-game musical numbers and the halftime show. Gee, isn't that nice. Especially considering we always completely accommodate all visiting bands that come to Notre Dame Stadium.
Football notes: Tight end Gary Godsey is done for the year before the year even began. He was recovering from a Gator Bowl torn ACL and tore it again in fall camp. This was going to be Gary's 5th year. He will be seeking a medical redshirt from the NCAA so he may return for a 6th year. He already has his degree and is taking graduate classes....Our second verbal commitment is Chauncey Incarnato. He is a Dover, Ohio lineman who chose us over Pittsburgh. Chauncey is known as a defensive tackle but will most likely be on offense here. He is 6'6", 275 lb., runs a 5.0 - 40, and benches 375 lbs. Recruiting guru Tom Lemming rates him as a four-star player. Incarnato was offered a scholarship after just one day at ND's summer camp. Chauncey scored a 22 on the ACT and carries a 3.3 GPA....Freshmen are already logging minutes this year. Quarterback Brady Quinn led the Irish to a touchdown versus Wazzu. Receive Jeff Samardzija caught a pass and Chinedum Ndukwe ran routes. Defensive end Victor Abramiri got some time. Cornerback Freddie Parrish played the most of all and did a fabulous job.
The men's basketball team is practicing and prepping for the upcoming season. The captains are seniors Torrian Jones and Tom Timmermans and juniors Chris Thomas and Jordan Cornette. Thomas and Torin Francis have been named two of the top fifty candidates for the John R. Wooden All-American Team. The team will be undergoing a grueling road trip during fall break. The poor saps will be spending a week in Barbados. They've got it rough.
Campus News:
Classes are back in action and The Observer is churning out campus news: The on-line edition has a brand new look. A flurry of news items went out the first week of school. Here are a few of the opening acts....
For the first time ever, incoming Domer freshmen had required reading for the summer. The Class of 2007 had to complete assigned reading in preparation for an academic convocation titled "The United States and the Middle East: Do We Face a 'Clash of Civilizations?' " The September 23rd convocation will be moderated by Scott Appleby, a professor of history and director of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. The discussion will center on Seyyed Hossein Nasr's book "The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity" and four supplementary articles. The reading and convocation are meant to introduce freshmen to how scholars analyze issues. Lara Flynn, an advisor in the First Year of Studies Office, hopes that through the experience students "will become knowledgeable about the process of making an argument, forming an opinion and expressing themselves in an academic atmosphere." The summer reading is considered a new tradition and will continue with varying topics.
The dorms are filled to capacity for the third consecutive year. Because of overcrowding, some in West and Mod Quad ended up in converted study lounges. Between 75 and 100 freshmen and transfers were assigned to makeshirt accommodations. The converted lounges lack a sink but do have phone and Ethernet lines and carpet. The rooms aren't bad. In fact, at room pick time some try to get the rooms again even though it is not allowed. Like two years ago, the incoming class is larger than expected. Hence, the overcrowding. The Class of 2005 entered with 2,038 students and the Class of 2007 is close to 2,000. They represent the two largest classes in school history. This year applicants accepted invitations for admission at a rate of 59 percent. The director of Res Life and Housing said the overcrowding problem will like be addressed in the future by reducing occupancy in older dorms and constructing new dorms around campus.
Campus Watch by Me:
Senior Bar is no more. Oh the building hasn't been razed of anything. The site has been renovated into a dining place/night club. The new name is "Legends." The specifics will be detailed in next week's "Campus News." I just want to touch on the issue of the "lifetime" passes a lot of us purchased back in the day so we didn't have to pay a cover to get into Senior Bar. This has not been mentioned in The Observer (but then again why would it). Anyone can get into the restaurant. Only students can access the nightclub, except on football weekends. On those weekends, your "lifetime" pass will get you into the nightclub. Cover charges are no more.
Hall Notes:
Still more on Father Steve Gibson from 1985...
The May 1st Observer's Viewpoint section had two pieces that focused on the Father Steve issue. A non-Carroll resident had written a letter-to- the-editor. The letter mentioned the issue but was mainly about a "deterioration of the Notre Dame 'Family.' "
The other piece was an editorial by the Observer staff. The editorial asked the University to clarify a rector's role in the wake of Father Gibson's dimissal. "Should disciplinary and administrative skills be criteria"? Or "personality which lends itself to a good relationship with dorm residents"? The editorial touched on Father Steve's support across campus, not just from the Vermin. The piece closed with the following: "It (the administration) owes the residents of Carroll Hall and the entire campus an explanation for its actions."
NDSportscenter:
Starting on Tuesday, September 9th, the Irish with be the focus of the ESPN program known as "The Season." A new episdoe with air every Tuesday at 8pm EST on ESPN. ESPN's on-line calendar lists at least six weeks of shows but I believe it may run even longer than that. So set aside an hour every Tuesday to get the inside scoop on Tyrone's team.
The trial of one of the dismissed players accused of sexual assault took place the final week of August. Abe Elam's trial was covered in the South Bend Tribune and The Observer. The jury was evenly divided between men and women. The trial started with the opposing lawyers getting snippy at each other much to the chagrin of the presiding judge. Bill Kirk, associate vice president for Res Life, testified as did the three other former players accused of sexual assault. The accuser spent 8 hours on the stand over 2 days. She stated that Bill Kirk had told her not to go to the police after she met with him after the incident first took place. Kirk denied this on the stand. The University's disciplinary process was criticized quite openly at trial. The defense was able to bring out inconsistencies in the accuser's statements. A notable item concerned her written assertion that she was "100 percent sober." Under cross-examination she admitted she had consumed alcohol while taking two prescription medications, imbibing three mixed drinks, and taking several sips of beer during the night of the alleged assault. Elam then spent 11 hoursr on the stand pleading his case. The jury then deliberated for 9 hours. Elam was convicted of sexual battery but acquitted of 2 more serious felonies of conspiracy to commit rape and criminal deviate conduct. His conviction is a Class D felony with a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a $10,000 fine. However, the battery could be treated as a misdemeanor at sentencing, which takes place on October 7. The next trial is that of Donald Dykes. It begins on September 8. (Aside: 7 players have been accused of sexual assault since 1998).
The men's soccer team entered the year with 9 returning starters from a squad that made the second round of the NCAA tournament. In one poll, the Irish were ranked #12, which was the highest ever pre-season ranking for the program. That was then eclipsed when the ballers received a ranking of #3 in the other main poll. And yet we were only picked to be the second best team in the Big East after a pre-season conference vote. The fellas opened the year with a scoreless tie followed by a 2-1 overtime win over #11 California. Big things are expected of this team.
Campus News:
The final bit of news on the Stadium lawsuit....
The University is suing Ellerbe Becket, a partner in campus construction dating back to the 1950s. A spokesman for Ellerbe Becket said, "We're going into the mediation with high hopes that both sides can reach resolution." Ellerbe has not done any work on campus since the lawsuit started. The spokesman continued, "We would hope once we come to a resolution, we could continue working for the university."
The expanded Stadium opened in the Fall of '97. It was a two-year project that cost $50 million. The lawsuit stemmed from that first game in 1997. Immediately prior to the game, water and sewage began flooding two nearly buildings and the Stadium. The lower concourse was flooded and many restrooms were not functioning. Beverages were unavailable at many concession stands due to the water problems. The University contends the flooding caused more than $400,000 in damages. The suit alleges Ellerbe failed to design a water supply system that provides sufficient water volume and pressure for the Stadium, failed to design an adequate sanitary sewer system and failed to determine whether the existing sewage system was capable of draining the necessary amount of water and sewage. The lawsuit also claims the contractor failed to test the water supply and sewage systems prior to the first game to assure they worked properly and failed to turn on both water lines.
Campus Watch by Me:
This bit of gossip concerns the Stadium lawsuit. My company is a civil engineering consulting firm. We were not one of the subcontractors (hence, it has problems), but were privy to some information that wasn't in the paper. I mentioned the lawsuit to the head of our company and he clarified that the problems weren't all that surprising. Turns out that construction did not have adequate inspection. Usually inspectors should oversee everything for the duration of the construction. I don't know if it was the fault of the contractors or subcontractors. But it seems the University may not have been too on top of things. If I were the owner on a project, I'd like to see inspectors on site daily and get their feedback. The sad thing is the University actually as its own engineers on staff on campus who could do some supervising. I'm not talking about professors. The University employs full-time engineers for construction or maintenance projects, which always exist. D'OH!
Hall Notes:
More on the '85 story of Father Steve Gibson...
The Vermin paid for a whole page in the April 29, 1985 Observer. Carroll bought that page and had the following statement printed for the whole campus to read:
"We the students of Carroll Hall wish to express our discontent with the dismissal of Father Steve Gibson. He is more than our rector; he is our friend and we love him. He is what a rector should be. We are appealing to the university to let him stay."
At the bottom of the Observer page was a rectangle for students to cut out. The rectangle declared: "KEEP FATHER STEVE - If you wish to help this cause, clip and sign this ad and drop in campus mail." There was a place for a signature and the address to send it was "Fr. David Tyson, 144 Dillon Hall."
NDSportscenter:
The Olsen boys are leaving. Brother Chris and Greg decided to transfer within 48 hours of each other. Chris jumped ship and is off to Virginia. Despite what he says, I believe he saw the writing on the wall that the freshman, Brady Quinn, is better than he is. Chris' little brother came in as a tight end and spent a whole two weeks at ND before leaving. He said he wants to head to Miami. Somebody should change his diaper before we get sickened by the stench. Two articles have been posted on the "Articles of Interest" page concerning their departure.
So you should all have your football tickets. Expect to pay more for parking if you stop in a university-owned lot. Don't expect prices to level off any time soon. We are still four years from fully funding all our athletic programs the maximum allowed by the NCAA. So ticket prices went up $10 over the past two years. If my math is correct, we can expect to pay $68 a ticket in four years. Might as well grab your ankles now.
The women's basketball team recently received yet another California verbal commitment. It's our third year in a row to nab a Cali All-American. Tulyah Gaines is out of Burbank. She is a 5'8" point guard and a top 25 prospect. Tulyah committed despite having never visited campus. She carries a 3.8 GPA and turned down Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and California. Tulyah can sign with the Irish in November. This comes on the heels of a late signee we grabbed this past spring. Breona Gray was an overlooked prospect out of Las Vegas. She is a 5'9" guard out of Bishop Gorman High. Breona scored 18 ppg and snagged 7 rpg.
The Irish baseball team needs to find a new pitching coach. Brian O'Connor spent the last nine years turning the Irish hurlers into some of the best pitchers in the nation. Brian is the new head coach at Virginia. We will also need a new recruiting coordinator, which was O'Connor's secondary task. Brian is a '93 Creighton graduate.
Campus News:
The Stadium lawsuit continues....
Over recent summers, the University has had to have major work done to the Stadium to correct some alleged construction flaws. The University claims that not only were there problems with the newly constructed shell, but also with the original structure. The court documents make numerous references to the "old bowl" and the "new bowl." So far there have been more than $4 million in repairs to the Stadium. The work included demolishing and replacing cracked concrete topping slabs on the Stadium's upper and intermediate concourses, ramps and stair landings, and installation of a waterproof traffic topping and expansion joint seals. Court papers also document the premature failing of various joints throughout the Stadium which caused leaking and damage. This past summer more repairs were planned for the expansion joints and concrete. University attorneys continue to indicate these issues pose no immediate safety concerns but threaten the long-term integrity of the structure.
Campus Watch by Me:
Classes begin on Tuesday so hopefully a Scholastic and a read "Campus Watch" will be coming out soon. I was able to milk what little news and gossip I had. Stretched it out all summer. Finally running low.
The football team once again commandeered part of the campus for two weeks before classes were to start. Their equipment littered the grass field west of the bookstore, south of the new dorms. Between two of the dorms a large white tent was put up to house pads, shoes, and helmets. It was placed so close to the dorm so the players didn't have far to walk and so that they could pipe water to the tent straight from the hall. Water was in abudance. Lines were running to the tent and out to the field. A Polar Bear ice box was also on hand. It was sitting outside. The ice box was packed and plugged into a dorm. It had a big ol' lock so no commoners could help themselves to free frozen water. And finally another tent was set up on the corner of the McGlinn basketball courts. In it were weight machines and free weights from the JACC. I wonder if the football players moved the weight over there. If not, shouldn't they have since they are supposed to lift weights anyway? Makes perfect sense.
Hall Notes:
More on Father Steve Gibson...
So Father Steve was let go by the University. How did the Vermin take it?
Sophomore Michael Ialacci stated, "The administration must have felt he was too liberal with students because he dealt with matters himself, rather than referring everything to Student Affairs." Father Steve asked the Vermin not to protest his apparent dismissal. The men of Carroll, though, did send a letter to Father Tyson expressing their disappointment. The Vermin felt there was not a proper explanation for the whole issue. Ialacci continued, "Father Steve's philosophy as rector is not to try and catch students, but to trust them so they can approach him when problems arise. There is a strong mutual trust. It may appear to be lax but it works." Father Steve added, "It probably appears permissive from across the lake, but from what goes on, I have reason to believe it works." The garrulous Ialacci finished by affirming, "He may not appear to be as strict as most rectors, but he has developed a good sense of community and respect in Carroll that I think a Catholic community like Notre Dame should encourage." Not to be outdone, sophomore Bruce Lohman concluded, "The general consensus in this hall is that they made a mistake. He's a great person and is going to be difficult to replace."
NDSportscenter:
Football notes: Two weeks to the home opener versus Washington State. We will be favored. The AP poll came out and has us at #20.....Tight end Gary Godsey is continuing to have knee problems. He tore his ACL back in the Gator Bowl. He has tweeked that knee again....Linebacker Mike Goolsby is very much a question mark for this season. He suffered a broken collarbone in the Gator Bowl. He sat out spring ball and had little activity over the summer. The bone has healed but he has not been cleared for contact and has lost a large amount of upper body strength and mass. It seems a medical red-shirt may be a possibility or even just sitting out a year....You should definitely have your tickets by now courtesy of Federal Express. If you didn't get tickets then you obviously received a check for your money back. This year the University gave back $5.1 million, topping the previous high of $3.8 million in 2001. I suspect the checks were water-marked. Not with a classy University seal, but with dried teardrops from the administration weeping for having to part with the money.
As you all know, comedic icon Bob Hope passed away recently. But did you know his legacy includes Notre Dame football? Back in the day he performed on campus during football season. He was warmly greeted during halftime presentations. Bob also had a good friend in old school Athletic Director Edward "Moose" Krause. Bob even taped a show at the University following the 1973 National Championship, but ended up having to do take after take. Why? Because Coach Ara Parseghian couldn't keep a straight face.
Campus News:
More on the Stadium lawsuit....
In case the University wins, the main defendants have drawn in as many subcontractors as possible. The subcontractors could be required to pay damages should ND win. The attorney for Trans Tech Electric stated, "In construction litigation, you typically have finger pointing. This is a good example of that concept gone to the extreme."
Midwest Reporting, the court reporting company, had to rent a large conference room just to take depositions in the case. The company's usual facilities could not accommodate the many attorneys embroiled in the suit. The depositions of potential witnesses was part of the preparations for the mediation.
Last October Judge Crone established a pre-mediation case management order that carried certain deadlines. Crone then took a "hands-off" approach and let the case manage itself. Recently a few issues came up where Crone had to act mostly "as a referee." The attorneys continued exchanging lists of witnesses and experts and other information in the case.
The University's lawyers would not comment on the suit. University officials, though, assure everyone that the stadium is structurally sound and safe for use.
Campus Watch by Me:
Man about town. Earlier this summer I saw our basketball team's center at Martin's. Tom TImmermanns was in the deli section around noon on a Saturday. And the big guy was with his girlfriend. They were there to have lunch at the supermarket's deli. Tom, you see, is a big spender. Loves to treat his lady to fried chicken and potato wedges. Nothing says "class" like a styrofoamed side dish of macacroni and cheese. Mmmmmmmm.....good. Unfortunately I was leaving as they were being seated so I cannot verify if Tom provided a lollipop or gumballs after lunch.
Hall Notes:
The April 19, 1985 Observer informed the campus that Father Steve Gibson would not be back for the next school year. Father Gibson had just been named the runner-up for Rector of the Year. The year prior he actually was named Rector of the Year. That came in his sophomore campaign as a rector. And after his third year he was out. Father Steve had certainly hoped to be back. He had turned down another position to stay as rector. Then he was let go. Father Steve had had a meeting with Father David Tyson, who was the vice president for Student Affairs. The Observer quoted Father Steve saying they had "reached a mutual agreement that it would be best if I did not return as rector next year." Father Gibson went on to say: "Until quite recently I had every intention of staying in the hall, but as they decided their future plans for the University and their model for hall rectors, it became obvious that I'm not the kind of administrator they are looking for." Father Tyson would not comment.
NDSportscenter:
The former football players accused of sexual assault are getting their days in court this Fall. Abram Elam's jury selection begins on August 25th. Donald Dykes case is scheduled for September 5th. Lorenzo Crawford's day is October 20th. Finally, Justin Smith is set for November 17th.
A judge has ruled that statements the players made at a University disciplinary hearing may be used as evidence in their trials. The players' attorneys had asked to have the statements suppressed or limited. All the players were expelled after the disciplinary hearings last year. The judge said that he found the statements "were not coerced and were voluntary within the context of the Constitution." Some of the players testified at a hearing that they felt they had no choice but to make the statements to University officials. The judge continued, "The question of the pressure these men may have felt in trying to opt between remaining silent and making a statement of any sort to try to save their opportunity at scholarship does not rise to the level of coercion requiring suppression of these statement." This ruling applies to both oral and written statements. The players' attorneys had argued the students were told by University officials that disciplinary matters remain confidential, and they had no reason to doubt that. This ruling by the judge was not unexpected based on previous comments.
Get all the football tickets you wanted? They were harder to come by this year. Last year's success boosted the number of applications for tickets this season. Ticket requests were up 4,000 tickets, an increase of 8 percent from 2002. It is believed to be an all-time record for alumni ticket demand. In the past alums would get almost 50% of what they wanted. This year some got shut out altogether. The USC and Florida State games rank among the most sought-after tickets ever. The Florida State game come in fifth with 51,000 requests for 33,000 tickets. The USC game is fourth all-time based on 54,000 requests.
Campus News:
More on the Stadium lawsuit....
"I'll need a seating chart" joked St. Joseph Circuit Court Judge Terry A. Crone. That quip referred to the possibility of as many as thirty-four attorneys appearing for a trial before him. He stated he would need to find a space more ample should the issue go to trial. Obviously the cost of that circus would be enormous. Couple that with the unknown completion date and the total cost could climb indefinitely. Just the cost of a brief hearing before the judge would reach several thousand dollars. After months of preparation by the participants, the case was set to go before a mediator in early June for three days. The mediator was charging $10,000 a day. (In general, a mediator's fee ranges from $1,000 to $1,600 a day.) All the parties in the lawsuit agreed to a formula to divide the costs of the mediator. The outcome of that three-day session has yet to make major headlines. I guess it's safe to say the issue was not completely resolved. Some of the items may very well have been decided. All remaining issues will go to trial with Judge Crone. Crone speculated his courtroom could be tied up for at least six months. That would include a trial up to three months long and pretrial preparation. The trial would be comparable to complex, lengthy trials that California judges preside over for months at a time. By local standards, a trial of two weeks is viewed as very long.
Campus Watch by Me:
Well, the Scully issue has been officially beat into the ground. Just thought I would give you some information on the Board of Trustees and the Board of Fellows.
The Board of Trustees consists of 30 to 60 members. The Board currently has 57 members made up mainly of academics, business leaders, and attorneys. The Board includes seven Holy Cross priests. The Trustees hold all powers for the University's governance, except those powers reserved for the Board of Fellows. The Trustees elect the president of the University, who must be a Holy Cross priest from the Indiana Province.
The Board of Fellows is the highest tier of the Board of Trustees. The twelve members are made up of six Holy Cross priests and six lay persons. The Fellows elect members of the Board of Trustees. The Fellows are charged with maintaining the essential character of Notre Dame as a Catholic institution. And the Fellows may remove any trustee with a two-thirds vote if removal is first recommended by the Board of Trustees.
Hall Notes:
Carroll's current rector is Father Jim Lewis. His predecessor was layperson Brian Coughlin, who left to take another position within the administration. He took over for Father Mike Sullivan after he retired from the life of a rector. But who came before Father Sullivan?
Only the old school Vermin from the mid '80s remember Father Steve Gibson. Some '80s Carroll alums that have written this site have spoken highly of their former rector. One alum mentioned something about Father Gibson getting a new deal. I wondered if this was actually a campus issue or one that was swept under the rug. Turns out it made headlines back in the day.
Three different issues of The Observer in the Spring of 1985 spoke of the "resignation" of Father Gibson. The heavy hand of the administration did not jive with Father Steve's hall management. And, of course, the administration does not play second fiddle to anyone, even Vermin leaders.
Over the next few weeks we will be detailing the only information available concerning Father Gibson's departure. Stay tuned.
NDSportscenter:
Football notes: looks like freshman Greg Olsen may have an easier time earning the starting tight end spot. Tight end Matt Root transferred during the last spring semester. He withdrew from the University and moved to Tallahassee and Floriday State....Many players are being named to "watch" lists during this pre-season time. Defensive end Justin Tuck, linebacker Courtney Watson, and even quarterback Carlyle Holiday have been thrown into a large group of potential "players of the year" for their respective positions. The two most likely to earn honors are cornerback Vontez Duff and safety Glenn Earl. They are two of thirty-seven on the watch-list for the Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive back.... Well we ended last year ranked #17. That is about where we are starting this year. Most publications seem to have us anywhere from #18 to #21. The ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll has us starting the year at #18.... Recent NFL draftee Jeff Faine ended his holdout after a few days. He reported to Cleveland Browns camp with a new five year contract for $7 million that includes bonuses worth $4.65 million....Some freshmen football players have actually been in the Bend for a few weeks already. One specific recruit, unfortunately, wasn't. Incoming receiver Jeff Samardzija (pronounced "hell if I know") was recently arrested after he allegedly shoved a police officer while running from a party that had alcohol present. Jeff, 18, was charged with battery, resisting law enforcement, and consumption/possession of alcohol by a minor. All the charges are misdemeanors. The first two offenses carry a penalty of up to 180 days in jail. Consumption of alcohol by a minor can carry a maximum 60-day jail term. Samardzija was released after posting a $1,050 cash bond. August 25th is his court date in Portage, Indiana. Classes begin on August 26th. Well the luck of the Irish seems to already be applying to this lad. Prosecutors dropped the battery charge. His conduct constituted resisting more than battery. Jeff was one of three who tried to run from the police. He was caught moments later. This is a travesty. Not the law breaking, though. I really don't care about the illegal activity. I care that one of our receivers got CAUGHT by police ON FOOT! What the hell kind of speed does this kid have? How's he gonna beat a corner when Barney Fife can nab his slow ass? Word on the street is that the cop only lost one crumb off his krispy kreme white catching Jeff.
Campus News:
Over the past few weeks details have been given on future construction projects. Now for some news on a past construction project, a project that has gone wrong. (Sorta sounds like a twisted after-school special, doesn't it?)
Remember the Stadium? We have a football team that plays there sometimes when it's not in use. It has been six years since the Stadium was expanded to allow in over 20,000 more fans. The inaugural game in the new Stadium was on September 6, 1997. That day was significant because water and sewage flooded the brand-spankin' new Stadium. A lawsuit resulted and it has reached epic proportions.
In 1999 the University filed suit against the project architect, Ellerbe Becket Inc., and the construction management firm and general contractor, Casteel Construction Corp. of South Bend. Those companies went on to sue more than a dozen subcontracting firms that were involved in construction. As of last spring, 16 contractors and subconstractors were involved in suits, countersuits, and amended complaints. Thirty-four attorneys from seventeen law firms from across the midwest are embroiled in the issue. A mediator from Boston was brought in at a fee of $10,000 a day. The court file, as of the end of April, was almost three feet thick.
Over the next few weeks the specifics of the cases will be detailed. Stay tuned.
Campus Watch by Me:
Last week it was told how the South Bend Tribune reported that the Congregationi of the Holy Cross had asked Scully to resign. This wrangled a few on the Board of Trustees. Well it was also stated how the Board usurped some hiring power from Monk. So the Congregation, the Board and the administration all have issues. One administrative source said: "There's never been any rupture like there is now. It's an indication of what a serious issue Father Scully has become."
The South Bend Tribune spelled out what would have happened had the Board retained Scully. Apparently there would have been a clear conflcit with Monk. It was stated he was prepared to resign if Scully remained as executive vice president. Some other top administrators also supposedly intended to resign if Monk did. Scully had long been considered a possible successor to Malloy as president. Malloy, 62, is expected to retire when his current term ends in 2005, according to the South Bend Tribune. The University's bylaws require the president be chosen from among Holy Cross priests of the Indiana Province.
Hall Notes:
I ran into Carlyle Holiday a few weeks ago in downtown South Bend. I don't mean to "name-drop," but since this news ia bout him it's kind of hard not to. I gave Carlyle a profound and unique greeting of "Hi." He returned the sentiment and I inquired, "So are you going to be living in Carroll this year?" Sadly, (sadly to me anyway) he replied "No." I masked my disappointment but managed to state, "I'm old school Vermin." He smiled at the mention of the "V" word. The men of Carroll are always gracious enough to exchange smiles regardless of our different times spent in The Hotel.
NDSportscenter:
A few weeks ago members of the football team participated in the second annual "Tackle the Arts" program. The event took place at the downtown South Bend public library. The two-hour program had about a dozen players lending their time at various work stations designed to get kids to take pleasure in writing, reading, music, and art. Linebacker Brandon Hoyte was at the "poetry" table. Linebacker Courtney Watson got kids working their pencils at the "creative writing" station. "Drawing" was manned by receiver Omar Jenkins. Quarterbacks Carlyle Holiday and Pat Dillingham were floating around. The biggest draw (literally) were offensive lineman Bob Morton, Mark LeVoir, and Zach Giles. And a few other players were roaming about bringing smiles to the faces of all the children.
The Big East officially stated that it would not add any new schools before the 2005-06 season. Connecticut football, though, will be bumped up a year. It will debut at Division I next year. For the 2004 season, the Big East will have only seven teams. That is one short of the required eight needed by the 2005 season to remain a I-A conference. Despite losing Miami and Virginia Tech, the BCS will still recognize the Big East until the contract expires after January of 2006.
This summer the first Notre Dame Fantasy Football Camp took place. Twenty-seven men shelled out $3,600 for the five day camp. It was a dream come true for the men. One guy even sold his corvette to pay for it. ("That's downright criminal!" screamed thsi 'vette lover.) Current coaches and former ND players assisted in running the camp. The camp involved a few informal practices, some football meetings, golf tournament, and dinners. The participants got to suit up in the Stadium in real jerseys and pants. The camp highlight was the flag football game that was highly competitive. All the fellas received a real ND football helmet to keep. Expect this cash cow to grow in numbers every year.
Campus News:
Yet more news on future construction...
The 150,000 square-foot Multi-Disciplinary Engineering Research and Learning Center is to go where the University Club is currently located. That was the original plan, but the rumor mill has cast thoughts that the Club will survive and the Engineering building may go elsewhere. The University Club is a private dining facility south of the post office and McKenna Hall (formerly the CCE). The Engineering Center will house a commons area, a large learning center, a nanotechnology laboratory, and a materials synthesis laboratory. The Center will stress interactive learning with hands-on projects that incorporate the curriculum of more than one engineering discipline. The new building will not be physically linked to the current engineering halls of Cushing and Fitzpatrick. These existing buildings will continue to be used even after construction. The fate of the University Club is up to Monk. It is unknown if the Club will be replaced, moved, or eliminated.
With all this construction, what about parking? The University has contracted a parking and traffic consultant to study the situation. The University is trying to maintain a pedestrian campus. One of the goals of the consulting firm is to make the parking lots fit in more with the architecture of the campus and find more parking spaces, while avoiding parking garages. Former executive vice president Timothy Scully was not a fan of our current parking lots. He said the current lots look "like urban plight." Plight? Relax. It's a parking lot.
Campus Watch by Me:
More on the Scully brouhaha...
The official end of Scully's vice reign came when he voluntarily resigned. But how voluntary was it? The South Bend Tribune stated "several highly placed administrative sources....stated that Scully had been asked to resign before the Board of Trustees meeting by the Congregation of the Holy Cross." The sources requested anonymity. The Rev. William D. Dorwart, the congregation's provincial superior, declined comment and referred all questions to Chairman Patrick McCartan. Several other Holy Cross priests contacted also declined to comment. This may have caused tension with the Board of Trustees. Scully supposedly still has strong backing among some trustees. They think the priest is "an energetic and capable executive." And apparently some trustees still see Scully as a potential future University president.
Hall Notes:
We have some small historical notes on Carroll. These two items are from the '40s. They were in the yearbooks. Back in the day, the Dome said a lil somethin'-somethin' about each dorm. Usually a photo of the dorm was the main feature. And sometimes there was a text shoutout. They are very brief. The first (1940) stated what Carroll was known for while the second (1942) offers a rhyme.
1940 - Carroll was labeled the "home of sophomore athletes." It was the "scene of the big blaze." And something about "green desks."
1942- By the lordly church, neath the stately Dome
Lies the Carroll dorm
Its fame may rest in its ages
But never, never in its form.
NDSportscenter:
We already have one football recruit for next year. Justin Hoskins verbally committed prior to the start of his senior year of high school. He is a 5'10", 190 lb. running back from Creston High in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Justin was a hot commodity. Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, and Michigan State were all salivating over his skills. Hoskins was offered a scholarship just after leaving a campus summer football camp. NCAA recruiting rules said an offer could not be made at camp. So Tyrone had to wait until he left. They were only a mile down the road when the cell phone rang. Justin ran for 1,645 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. He scored 9 other TDs while playing linebacker and defensive end and returning kicks and punts. Justin's coach said he is "without a doubt one of the most explosive kids the state of Michigan has ever produced." He has to wait until February 2004 to sign his national letter-of-intent.
Brad Lidge '98, a pitcher for the Houston Astros, is already in the Baseball Hall of Fame despite this being his first full season in the majors. Brad made history as the winning pitcher in the June 11th no-hitter of the men in pinstripes at Yankee Stadium. He was one of a record six pitchers used by one team in the game. It was the first no-hitter against the Yanks in 45 years. Lidge had two strikeouts while hurling in the sixth and seventh innings. His autographed hat is not at Cooperstown. The twenty-six year old has been plagued with injuries during his professional career. This is his first full year in the majors after being called up by manager Jimy Williams from AAA New Orleans. Lidge is a bullpen staple. He has appeared in 40 games and is 4-1 with a 2.83 ERA. Brad was the 17th pick in the '98 draft. He was 13-5 with a 4.86 ERA for the Irish from 1996-98. He was 8-2 in his senior campaign and was named the Big East Pitcher of the Year in 1998.
Campus News:
More construction news...
First the football team gets a new coach, then the football department offices get upgraded. That's just one part of the Loftus Center improvements slated for the future. A new weight-training center is also on the schedule. Construction was to have begun late this past spring. Not only did it get shelved because of non-existant funds, but it got put on the TOP shelf, far from reach. It is the LAST priority. Which is more than I can say for zahm which is NO priority.
Another project temporarily on hold is that of the Law School expansion. The current space of 100,000 square feet will double to 200,000. It will expand south and be on the site of the current post office. The current walkway, which the band takes on its march from Bond Hall to the Stadium on football Saturdays, will remain. A wing in gothic design will span the walkway. The new structure at the future-former post office grounds will house classroom and office facilities. The current Law School will be completely gutted and will be home to the Law School's library.
Along with the DeBartolo Center for Performing Arts, it has been mentioned that the entrance to campus will be beautified. The current landscaping is a large mound with a flowering "ND." Former executive vice president Timothy Scully said it is "embarrassing, grungy and pathetic." Gee, Tim, hard to believe you are no longer a leader on campus with such heart- warming comments about a location that thousands go to for pictures in which they are smiling from ear to ear. Supposedly the mound will be destroyed for the final design of the DeBartolo building. Scully also stated, "Our entrance is so sad, so pathetic for a University that claims to be the premier Catholic university in the country and one of the top schools in the nation." He's right. Until we enhance the superficiality of our campus' perimeter, we may as well consider ourselves a community college.
Campus Watch by Me:
Last week it was mentioned that it seemed the Board of Trustees had stripped Monk of some presidential power. Malloy would not be searching for and recommending a successor to Scully as executive vice president.
On May 7, Chairman McCartan told his fellow trustees he had set up a committee that is assigned to undertake a review of the University's administrative structure. This committee is to report solely to the Board of Trustees. The committee will make recommendations in the fall for maintaining or changing the University's structure. After the recommendations are made, McCartan will assign the committee to recommend candidates for any vacant administrative positions.
Hall Notes:
Another Vermin alum has checked in....
Tom Hitselberger finished up his undergrad days in 1993. He majored in Accounting and Psychology. (I guess one could say all Tom does is brainstorm on how to make money.) Tom recently went back for his MBA. He finished a stint at the University of Maryland in '02 and had a concentration in Finance. Tom started at Arthur Andersen. Hitselberger stuck it out for four years there. A few jobs came and went. Currently Tom is the Director of Finance at Digex, a webhosting company. Tom is a reveling bachelor in Baltimore. Nuff said.
NDSportscenter:
The men's and women's track teams sent ten competitors to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The ten consisted of nine women and one man. (What a lucky guy at the end of the day when they all hit the showers.) This was the highest total number of athletes we have sent to the Outdoor NCAAs. Three of the track stars made it to the finals.
Senior Tameisha King competed in the long jump. She came in third in the nation with a best leap of 6.48 meters, or 21 ft 3.25 inches. It is the second best mark in school history. She earned her third All-American honor. Tameisha is the second Domer female track athlete to win three All-American nods. Her third place at the NCAAs matches the highest ever finish at the national meet by a woman Domer.
Senior Luke Watson came in ninth place in the 5000 meters with a time of 13:59.46. He was amongst the top eight Americans and that earned him his eighth All-American honor.
Freshman Molly Huddle also competed in the 5000 meters. She ran a 15:55.96 and came in fourth. Expect this first-time All-American to earn many an honor before all is said and done. Molly followed the NCAAs with an excellent showing at the USA Junior Track and Field Meet. She smoked the competition and won the 3000 meters easily. Huddle clocked in at 9:19.52 and finished 25 seconds ahead of the second place chump.
The women's team finished the NCAA meet with 11 points. That was good enough for 24th place. This was the second best total ever for the ladies at the Outdoor NCAAs.
It's official. Martin Ingelsby is back with the men's basketball team. He had been an assistant at Wagner College, which just came off a great year with an NCAA appearance. Ingelsby joined the staff this summer as the Coordinator of Operations. His duties seem to be more in line with handling flights, hotels, and team movement. But he will sit in on coach meetings, review video, and offer up his two cents.
Campus News:
More construction news of non-construction...
The new science and learning building was scheduled for a March 2003 groundbreaking. It is behind schedule but supposedly the next top construction priority. The building is projected to cost $70 million. Because of the sluggish economy, fundraising has not been as successful as hoped. The structure is to be situated north of the JACC, between Juniper and the Rolfs workout facility. It is estimated ground will finally be broken sometime within the next six months to a year. Of course that is subject to change as fundraising controls all. The science and learning building does not have a name yet. So get out your checkbook, pencil in a few zeros and get your name on campus forever.
The new Post Office/Security Building construction came to a screeching halt. Ground broke on that project last summer and progressed though the school year. The foundation has been completed but the remainder is on hold. Once again funding is the culprit. It was originally slated for completion by the summer of 2003. There is no longer a firm timetable on when construction may begin or be completed.
Campus Watch by Me:
After Scully's resignation and the meeting of the Board of Trustees, the University issued a release that said a trustees' committee would research possible successors to Scully and make recommendations to the full Board for a new executive vice president. This move appears to step on Monk's toes. Apparently the president is to make recommendations. The University's Academic Articles state the executive vice president is elected by the Board of Trustees based upon a recommendation by the University president.
The South Bend Tribune stated this but did not get a comment from Malloy on the issue. Nor has Monk come out to offer anything about this apparent strip of presidential power. Since the University issued the release, and not the Board of Trustees, it seems Monk may have signed off on the deal.
More on this next week.
Hall Notes:
Shake down the thunder. Carroll did it like no other on September 2, 1980. On that day Carroll was hit by a bolt of lightning. Carroll suffered a temporary loss of power due to a malfunction in the electrical circuitry system. All because of damn Ben Franklin. There was a concern of fire but none occurred. (Probably because if any dorm went up in flames it would be Farley. Ya know, smokers and all.) Luckily Carroll had been rewired in 1979. (And barely since.) A serious fire was averted because of the new electrical equipment. The new system had been grounded. Betcha didn't now Carroll was a mecca of re-wiring. Throw in a surge protector and the Vermin could probably house the entire internet. Move over, IBM. The real Big Blue is in the northwest part of the ND campus.
NDSportscenter:
You may now access your football lottery results. Simply call the ticket office (574-631-7356) during normal business hours.
The ACC-Big East issue is settled for a little while. According to the Big East, that is. Nobody told the ACC. Word is out that the ACC is going to give it the old college try to try to woo us to become their 12th member. It's good to see the ACC still has a sense of humor.
We finished the year 13th in the Directors' Cup for overall athletic performance for the 2002-03 academic year. Not a very strong finish considering how we started out. We finished 13th last year also. Our best ever finish is 11th.
Remember Chad DeBolt? The walk-on football player who got roughed up in Jacksonville prior to the Gator Bowl? He's back in the news. Previously, reports made it seem like he acknowledged his wrongdoings and that he accepted responsibility for what happened. Now Chad is suing the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for personal injuries and civil rights violations. DeBolt's attorney sent a letter to city lawyers on June 6. The suit cannot be filed for another six months.
Aaron Heilman '01 made his major league debut last month for the New York Mets. The righthander logged six solid innings at Shea Stadium versus the Florida Marlins. Aaron got the loss in the Marlins 6-1 victory. But only one of those runs was earned. He gave up six hits, had two walks, two strikeouts, and a pair of wild pitches. Aaron was done in by four errors by shoddy Mets defense. Heilman was 6-4 with a 3.24 ERA with the Norfolk Tides before being called up to the Big Show. He has climbed the ladder quickly after being the 18th overall pick in the 2001 draft. Aaron was 2-3 at Norfolk and 4-4 at Binghamton in 2002.
Campus News:
Summer time on campus means construction time on campus. There are plenty of projects to report on between academic years. Many of the projects shall be detailed over the coming weeks.
The majority of one project was actually completed during the 2002-03 school year. The expansion to Stepan Chemistry Hall took the four-story building another hundred feet or so to the north. Some finishing touches are left on the expansion, which includes landscaping and restoration of the surrounding area to its original condition. The expansion will provide more research and laboratory space for chemistry faculty and students.
The Library renovations are in full swing. The window replacing is on-going for all floors. The basement is still blocked off for work. More renovations are planned, but nothing is confirmed due to funding issues.
But the most noticeable project is that of the DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts. The remaining exterior work is mainly limited to roofing. The majority of the parking lot is even completed at this point, with pavement and curb in place at finished grade. Construction is still on schedule, according to the University. The building is expected to be nearly complete by the end of the 2004 spring semester and ready for classes in the Fall of 2003. This is one of the few projects to not be hindered by poor fundraising efforst.
Campus Watch by Me:
More on Scully's resignation....
The following information is in regards to the closed-door Board of Trustees meeting. The May 2 session involved a brief verbal summary of the special committee's investigation. No written report or details were provided. Trustees were informed the committee investigation did not find sufficient reason to remove Scully as executive vice president because of his conduct. But this was a mere formality since Scully had resigned a few days prior.
After an unfavorable reaction by some of the trustees, Father Hesburgh reminded the Board of Trustees that the Board of Fellows actually would call the shots on this, has Scully not resigned. Hesburgh told the trustees that when the lay Board of Trustees was established 36 years ago, the Board of Fellows was designed to handle any issues while maintaing the balance of the University's governance system. The Board of Fellows is the top tier of the Board of Trustees. It consists of six Holy Cross priests and six lay trustees. Hesburgh is a life trustee. He attends Board of Trustees meetings, but does not vote. The South Bend Tribune could not reach him for comment.
Hall Notes:
Last week Vermin Major Steven Noll '89 gave us the skinny on his whereabouts. He also provided us a little story from his undergrad days. The tale shall go by the title of "The Squeal"...
I remember one year at the Haunted House, I roomed in room 201 at the end of the hall and Carl Mayer was the "chainsaw man". We took all of the cushions off all the couches on the 2nd floor and put them on the floor by our room. It was very tough to walk through that area in the dark. People were falling all over the place. Carl would hide in our room with the chainsaw idling (and yes, the chain was removed) waiting for the groups to walk by. When they would just get past, he would open the door and rev the chainsaw chasing the people down the rest of the hallway, tripping all over the cushions. One time, Carl got especially close to the arm of this wimpy guy (I think he was probably from Alumni Hall) and this guy let out a scream like a little girl! I about pissed myself, because here is this guy trying to act all cool for his girlfriend and Carl had him curled in a ball in the corner screaming like a girl. It was even funnier since we were "heated".
NDSportscenter:
What a soap opera the Big East has become. First the ACC wanted Syracuse, Miami, and boston college to join the ACC to form a 12-team football conference. The Big East dug in their heels and the five remaining football teams sued. Then the ACC threw a curve ball and decided to instead invite only Miami and Virginia Tech, the Big East's top two football teams. Virginia Tech stepped away from the lawsuit that the remaining Big East teams had filed against Miami. Syracuse and boston college have now become ACC foes. The Big East still refused to give up. Last weekend both conferences kissed so much Miami ass that skin grafting seemed a certainty for both. Both pitched a deal to Miami. The Hurricanes had to decide by last Monday. If they decided to leave the Big East after June 30, they faced a $2 million exit fee.
Well, Miami decided to bolt to the ACC. Virginia Tech went as well. They only have to pay a $1 million exit fee along with a $2 million entrance fee to the ACC. Miami left despite a stronger financial deal from the Big East ($45 million over 5 years). Both schools will be in the Big East for one more year. The Big East will also lose Temple football when it ceases altogether. Connecticut football, though, will be coming in. The Big East will still need to find two more football schools (8 total) to maintain a seat at the BCS table. Louisville has been heavily mentioned. I suspect Cincinnati may get a call. And if the Big East wants 16 basketball teams, Xavier and Marquette are possibilities. Don't look for the Big East to rush into anything or conduct itself like the ACC. The remaining Big East football schools are still continuing with the lawsuit against Miami for leaving after these schools pumped millions into their football programs to help the Big East become a contender and solid football conference.
The women's softball team struggled early in the year but pulled things together late. They finished 14-3 in the Big East to win the regular season title. This is the 8th straight time the ladies have done so. The Big East tournament was a challenge, though. The championship game with Villanova was nip and tuck. (Strange saying, "nip and tuck." Sounds as if they were engaging in plastic surgery. Anyway....) Domer Andrea Loman blasted a walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Irish a 3-2 victory. Loman, the Player of the Year in the Big East, helped the Irish to an automatic spot in the NCAA tourney. The women made their 8th NCAA appearance as the #4 seed in the Ann Arbor Regional. The Irish upset Missouri 4-3 in the first game. Then we fell to #1 seed DePaul, 4-1. The ladies didn't hang their heads. They turned right around and defeated Oakland, 5-0. Sadly the Irish got their second and eliminating loss versus Michigan (5-3) in the next game. Andrea Loman was named a Third Team All-American for her season's efforts. This was her second straight year with All-American honors.