One of the most used...

Exercising before going to Australia

...spaces in Steds is the first floor gym. An adequate size, the Steds gym offers residents the ability to exercise without having to leave the Hall. It's a great convenience so much so that residents of other halls have been caught using it! But why are the Stedsmen using the gym? What's the motivation?

When asked these questions, Nick VanLieshout said, "It's all about the numbers for me- doing the same workouts every week, tracking how I improve in my main lifts is one of the best motivators for me in that it can show true progress in my strength and therefore my overall fitness level. But mostly, it's all about them gains."

Long overdue.

The wining Sted's BFS team: Williams, Cafferty, and Ball

While this posting is long overdue, it doesn't change the fact that Steds was victorious in this year's Battle for the Shadow. While the tourney was filled with the usuals, tank tops, Zahm theatrics, and excellent play on the court, something new and unexpected happened, a Steds freshmen team brought a game to the court that no one could stop. For the first time ever, we had freshmen tourney winners! Here's what one the winners, Mike Cafferty, had to say about the surprising win.

St.Ed: What possessed you to enter the tourney, moreover, how did you put together your team?

Cafferty: I heard many great things about the BFTS tournament in the past, and we had been playing together already, so our trio was an easy choice.

St.Ed: How would you describe the style of your game, your personal style? 

Cafferty: I rely mostly on my mediocre mid-range jump shot, as well as my gift of height.

St.Ed: If you liken yourself and your fellow team members to NBA players, past and present, who would be who?

Cafferty: I often hear people refer to me as a young Carlos Boozer...or at least I would like to think that. Brian reminds me of Derrick Rose, and Jack Ryan is Steph Curry.

St.Ed: Winning the tourney as freshmen is quite an accomplish. It’s unheard of… What do you attribute your success to?

Cafferty: Our success can be attributed to our unselfish play. We didn't force shots when they weren't there. I also didn't have to dribble the ball at all, which was a big help.

St.Ed: In winning, you have helped Steds reclaimed “shadow of the dome” from Zahm. What that mean to you and your Hall?

Cafferty: Knowing that Steds holds the title for BFTS means a lot to me personally, and our Hall as a whole. When I first heard that Zahm had won last year, I felt uneasy. Now that we won, I can finally sleep at night.

Oh, the things...

Doesn't this sounds like the chicken and the egg?

...the Gentlemen write on their whiteboards! If it's not something witty or financial advice, then it must be philosophical. And that's what the residents of 209 seem to be... aspiring philosophers offering something philosophical to ruminate upon. Here's their latest offering. You make the call.

Moms' Weekend...

You're going to like Moms' Weekend... He guarantees it!

...is something that NO Steds moms should miss! To ensure a fun-filled weekend, Hall President Griffin Hilly appointed a Steds sophomore who had not only an eye for detail but also a certain joie de vivre. Jackson Herrfeldt was that sophomore, and when I caught up him, here's what Jackson had to say about the upcoming Moms' Weekend, the weekend of April 1st through the 3rd....

St.Ed: I hear that you were appointed the Hall’s commissioner for Moms’ Weekend. How did you land this important commission? With did you have help from Alexander Hamilton and Andrew Jackson... maybe Ben Franklin?

Herrfeldt: Well I feel I just was right for job, having been voted Best to Bring Home to Parents for my high school Superlatives. Mom's just like me. I don't know what it is. 

St. Ed: Why would a mom of a St. Ed's Gentleman want to attend this Moms’ Weekend? In the words of Admiral Akbar, that talking fish head in the Return of the Jedi, sounds like “it’s a trap.” Sounds like a weekend of cleaning rooms and doing laundry.

Herrfeldt: It's a truly fun weekend that allows the Mother's to see their sons in their natural habitat. Mother's get to meet their sons new friends and new mothers, all while enjoying fun nights and delicious dinners. 

St.Ed: Without letting the proverbial cat out of bag, what are you doing this year to make this weekend even more memorable and magical than last year’s weekend? 

Herrfeldt: I appreciated all that was done at the last Mom's Weekend. So I want to make sure I respect the tradition while also putting my own spin on the weekend. This year locations will be different as well as some of the activities. However, it is gonna be just as fun as a weekend as ever.

St.Ed: Why aren't you doing a Dads’ Weekend? Isn’t that discrimination? Just saying…

Herrfeldt: I feel if we had a Dad's Weekend, we would burn down the Hall yet again. 

St.Ed: If Moms’ Weekend was a political candidate, trying to get moms to attend, what would its slogan be?

Herrfeldt: In the words of Taylor Swift, "We never go out of style."

If you are a mother of a current Stedsman, and would like more information on this year's Moms' Weekend, contact Jackson Herrfeldt at Jackson.L.Herrfeldt.1@nd.edu.

Your Sunday picture...

The Irish at the Fiesta Bowl

...from Phoenix. While the Fiesta Bowl did not end the way that we all wanted it to, nevertheless, it was still filled with happy memories. Enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!

Some more photos...

The Irish take the field...

...and the ND Marching Band at halftime.

They were...

I am proud that they made it to the top!

...there! Yes. The Ryan Family of Plano, Texas, was at the Fiesta Bowl. And while they represented the Blue and Gold at the game, they were representing America's favorite team all over the Valley of the Sun. Here, Stedsmen, Connor '13 (L) and Brandon '18 (C), with their parents, Debbie and Gavin, ascended of one the picturesque peaks dotting the Valley, Squaw Peak. On the climb, Debbie Ryan said, "We have brought the Fiesta Bowl experience to new heights (2,702 feet at the peak, to be exact) by climbing Camelback Mountain. A bit steep and rocky, but nothing super-achieving Domers can't handle!"

Still, on later that evening, Debbie said, "At the Notre Dame New Years Eve party, we met Fr. Tom Eckert, C.S.C., who was Steds Rector from 2003 to 2006.  Connor and Brandon who told him of the continued evolution of St. Edwards Hall under its current leadership: Steds Moms' Weekend, the Float, Mullets against Malaria, and Gentlemen's Monthly- to which Fr. Tom now wants to subscribe!" 

Yep... looks like 2,702 feet!

Happy New Year...

What a Sted's firework display would look like if we had one...

... to you, Stedsmen, and to your families! May the New Year, 2016, be filled with prosperity and generous love for all! Fireworks like this next year...next year for sure.