The Observer is a Student-run, daily print & online newspaper serving Notre Dame & Saint Mary's. Learn more about us.
-R.J. Stempak | Monday, November 13, 2017
Twitter recently relaxed the character restriction on its website, doubling the number of characters a user can submit per tweet from 140 to 280. The change has elicited a heated debate about the purpose of the social media platform. Authors J.K. Rowling and Stephen King were among the higher profile critics of the change, believing
R.J. Stempak | Friday, September 22, 2017
I got around to watching “Moonlight” at the end of the summer, just before returning to school. The 2016 Best Picture perfectly executed what I hope to find in every film I watch: specificity. If you haven’t seen it, “Moonlight” is a fascinating look into the coming of age of a gay black man named
R.J. Stempak | Friday, May 19, 2017
With the toughest schedule in the nation this season, the No. 7 Irish faced ups and downs throughout. After starting the season 3-0 — including a 5-4 win over No. 1 Maryland — Notre Dame (9-5, 2-2 ACC) dropped a close rematch of the 2015 NCAA semifinal game against Denver. The team had two more
R.J. Stempak | Wednesday, May 3, 2017
I am often on Twitter searching for some philosophical enlightenment, because where else are you supposed to find it? My favorite tweet of the past month comes from up-and-coming producer and member of The Internet, Steve Lacy: “Are you having fun or just showing people that you are having fun?” I am very excited for
R.J. Stempak | Tuesday, April 25, 2017
With the 2017 NBA Playoffs well underway, here’s a quick list of likes and dislikes so far in the first round. Like: Playoff LeBron As a Cavs fan, it worries me that LeBron James is playing over 40 minutes per game, but he also gets a full seven days off because his heavy minutes’ load has
R.J. Stempak | Monday, April 24, 2017
No. 6 Notre Dame took down No. 16 North Carolina to close the regular season in front of a record crowd of 5,000 at Arlotta Stadium on Saturday, coming away with a 14-13 victory to head into the post season on a two game win streak. For senior captain Sergio Perkovic, it was an honor
R.J. Stempak | Tuesday, April 11, 2017
In light of Russell Westbrook’s 42nd triple-double on Sunday, which broke Oscar Robertson’s single-season record that has stood since the 1961-62 season, I want to reflect on the greatest individual seasons of the 2010’s. The four I have picked out to rank are Westbrook 16-17, LeBron 12-13, Kevin Durant 13-14 and finally Steph Curry 15-16. Let’s
R.J. Stempak | Thursday, March 30, 2017
Since joining the squad freshman year, senior midfielder Sergio Perkovic has been a leader for Notre Dame. He set a program record for most goals for a freshman midfielder, and has been making his mark ever since. Perkovic has proven himself to be a constant presence in the midfield, having started every game since the start of
R.J. Stempak | Tuesday, March 28, 2017
No. 2 Notre Dame had previously won the last 14 meetings with No. 4 Ohio State, and on Saturday afternoon the Irish increased their win streak over the Buckeyes to 15. With a 12-7 final score, Notre Dame gave Ohio State its first loss of the season. Irish head coach Kevin Corrigan said this was the most
R.J. Stempak | Tuesday, March 28, 2017
The NBA playoffs begin in less than a month, so here are the first-round matchups that I want to see. Starting with the Eastern Conference: Cavaliers vs. Heat. If the current standings hold, this would be the premier first round matchup in the conference. This series has everything a spectator could want: the greatest player in