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Do you draft Bronny James this year?

By Dylan Jones

Many basketball fans know of the name LeBron James as he is looked at as one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball. LeBron has a son named Bronny James, and he is a freshman at University of Southern California. He was projected to be a mid-first round pick before this summer he suffered a cardiac arrest during a practice at USC. This sidelined him for the rest of summer workouts and practices. Leaving people to question if he will even declare for the draft this year because of the unfortunate start to his freshman year. He isn’t playing as well as he was projected to. This was most likely due to the tragic circumstances he had to deal with this summer. His father, LeBron, has stated numerous times throughout his career that before he retires he wants to play with his son (Bronny).

As a manager of a NBA team you look at this as an opportunity to get Bronny and LeBron on your team. As the 2024 NBA draft class is looked at as one of the weakest draft classes we have seen in a while this gives teams more of a reason to draft Bronny. As Bronny is not NBA ready yet, drafting him would give you a great shot at getting LeBron via trade or signing him in the 2025 offseason. Teams would want LeBron in the final stretch of his career because they know no matter where he is playing he will sell a lot of tickets and jerseys. Bronny also has plenty of potential since he is the son of LeBron. He is an excellent finisher around the rim, and has great vision when playing point guard. His three point shooting ability is not great, but that is something that he can get better at over time with NBA shooting coaches. I am very excited to see what NBA team takes a chance on Bronny’s untapped potential and gets LeBron for the last few years of his career.

In Search of the Next Book

By: Adam Pelletier and Addison Thornton

In Stephen King’s Everything’s Eventual there is a short story named “The Man In The Black Suit.” This story is about an older man who describes his story as a boy when he interacted with the devil. For some backstory, his brother passed away from a bee sting relatively recently, and all except his father were allergic to bees. He went out fishing one day after saying bye to his parents, and was able to catch a few fish before the devil showed up. He describes him as a taller man with burning red eyes, wearing a black suit. The devil walks up to him and makes conversation, all while the boy is trying to figure out a way to escape or generally defy him. The devil then intimidates the boy by making him believe that his mother was dying of a bee sting, just like his brother.

This short story was slightly confusing through the first page or two but quickly became a good and involved story. King touches on more of a religious side of things as well, which isn’t the most common thing in his books. I found this story to be pretty enjoyable, definitely including King’s common unusual themes and descriptions throughout, along with more references to past tv shows, music, etc. Personally there are definitely stories better than this one, however I do still recommend it along with many others.

Other books I would recommend by Stephen King:

Fairy Tale
Insomnia
Doctor Sleep
Bag of Bones

Psyche and Eros is a mythological fiction novel written by Luna McNamara about one of the greatest love stories in Greek mythology. Psyche, who is a mortal girl destined to conquer a monster even the gods feared, is a skilled warrior taught by Atalanta and a princess of Mycenae. Eros, the primordial god of love and desire and commonly known by his roman name Cupid, lives out his immortal existence slowly and leisurely. One day Eros is tasked by Aphrodite to curse Psyche with an arrow that will make her fall in love with the first person she sees but the moment she lays eyes on the person she will never be able to look at them again. However, as Eros readies the arrow, he pricks himself and gazes upon Psyche and falls hopelessly in love. He eventually gets her to his manor by the seaside and marries her but is unable to truly look upon her and her look upon him. Because of this they meet in darkness or Eros shapeshifts into an animal. Psyche, however, gets curious and uses a lamp to look upon him as he sleeps. The hot oil from the lamp spills on him and the curse takes effect. Eros is immediately ripped from the house and taken by Aphrodite and the house crumbles around Psyche. Aphrodite, who is angry at Eros’s failure and treachery, traps him in a room below Olympus and goes after Psyche. She tasks Psyche with several impossible tasks that she would have to complete if she wanted to ever see Eros again. Psyche secretly has help from multiple gods in completing the array of impossible tasks. Eventually, she is reunited with Eros and granted godhood so she could be with Eros forever.

I love this novel because it is a wonderful retelling of one of my absolute favorite love stories. It is told beautifully and shows the hardship of love but that you would do anything for the person you love. It touches on several other myths and legendary stories like Atalanta and the Trojan War. I would highly recommend this novel to individuals who are fans of romance and Greek mythology.

Other books I would recommend:

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller’
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
Ithaca by Claire North
Atlanta by Jennifer Saint
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair

For more review by Adam and Addison, visit their website at https://addisonthornton.wixsite.com/digital-media-book-b/post/baron-media-network-book-review-week-8

My Favorite Things

By: Alli Reagan Fidler

My Current Favorite Perfumes/ What Perfumes I’d Recommend

Background:

Anyone that knows me personally, knows I have a thing for perfumes. I quite literally have a collection of Bath and Body Works along with a bunch of miscellaneous finer perfumes. Why do you have this? What started this obsession? One might ask. … Well, to be quite honest, it started around middle school. I’m not really sure what event sparked it. My best friend, Maggie, also has the same sort of obsession, so I think I was influenced by her around that time.

Current favs and recommendations:

Starting off strong, a really great affordable perfume is Amber by Nemat, you can get it at Ulta for around twenty dollars. This perfume is SO GOOD. I’m Not sure if this is true, but I heard it kind of changes scent to adapt to your own skin, meaning that the way it smells on someone else might be slightly different than it smells on you. Then again, I just heard that. I have absolutely zero clue if that is true. Sometimes, if you wear it for a long time, you can no longer smell it on yourself, so it may seem like it isn’t working. I don’t really know why that happens, but even if you cannot smell it on yourself, people can smell it on you. It has a very fresh and slightly sweet scent. I purchased it after my friend, Mary Carter, told me about all the compliments she’d received while wearing it. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this perfume.

Next is the Vanilla Musk perfume by Nemat. You can also find this at Ulta for twenty dollars. I really love this scent. It’s super sweet but not too overwhelmingly sweet. I’m not sure if this makes sense, but it is like a comforting, clean sweet scent of vanilla. I would definitely recommend this perfume. It is an oil perfume you dab on your skin. It comes in a little small bottle, which lasts a really long time. This perfume is one of my consistent go-tos!

One new perfume I recently got and love is the Pink Cloud perfume by Ariana Grande. I have had the regular cloud perfume before and I liked it. However, the Pink Cloud is something out of this world. It’s similar to the cloud perfume, but has a slightly sweet/ fresh twist towards the end of it. It’s such a good perfume, and it comes in the cutest bottle that is shaped like a pink cloud. I typically wear this one every day!

Ok, this last perfume is my current all time favorite. It’s Daisy Intense by Marc Jacobs. I don’t even know how to describe the smell of it to be completely honest. It’s simply amazing. It’s very sweet and fresh. It smells kind of like spring. It’s very fruity and fresh. I’m not sure of the exact size, but the smaller size bottle is ninety dollars. It’s a little more pricey than the others but still not super expensive. All in All, I would definitely recommend investing in this perfume.

Amber by Nemat

Vanilla Musk by Nemat

Daisy Intense by Marc Jacobs Pink Cloud by Ariana Grande

Student-Faculty/Staff Basketball Game Predictions

By: Ben Reynolds

Today, February 9th, 2024, the pep rally will showcase the Seniors vs Faculty/Staff Basketball game.. This annual pep rally will take place in order to build excitement and anticipation for the upcoming basketball games tonight versus Laurence Manning Academy.

To start, the two girl’s teams will face off. The senior girls team will compete against the Faculty girls in a short 2 quarter game while each quarter consists of 5 minutes. Both groups bring with them a very athletic and competitive team that will do their best to win their quarters. However, the faculty has dominated this matchup in the past years and are the clear favorites to win this year as well. For the students to stand a chance they will have to limit the damage done by Teressa Alexander who year after year continues to destroy the senior girls team. Although this is a very daunting task, this is what must be done in order to win this year’s game. I predict the faculty will win these two quarters by a score of 16-6.

Following these two quarters, the two male teams will face off. Since the score does not reset, the senior guys will start their two quarters losing by 10 points in this situation. They will have to dig themselves out of this hole in order to win the pep rally for the students. Once again there will be two quarters played with each quarter being 5 minutes long. The male faculty team has the clear height and experience advantage but the senior boys have the edge when it comes to competitiveness, athleticism, and body fatigue. For the students to win, they have to out hustle the faculty and play very clean defense resulting in quick and easy fast break points. The faculty should try and take a lot of time on each possession so they can limit the amount of scoring opportunities for the students. I believe the senior boys will make this comeback which will put the students over the faculty with a final score of 37-35.

Highschool Advice

By: Maury Shuler

As a high school senior, a couple things have been on my mind lately. Graduating. Summer. College. Pretty much anything except for high school itself. I have had my fair share of experience with school, ranging from the academic, social, and athletic sides of it. I find myself semi-qualified to offer my advice on high school to anyone who will take it. High school is a journey, packed with learning and growth. It’s a place where you will find your lifelong friends and learn about different perspectives. It’s important to balance academics and extracurricular activities. Participating in clubs, sports, or arts can be hugely rewarding and fun. Remember, it’s okay to not know everything; high school is about exploration. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek help when you’re stuck. Teachers and classmates are there to support you.

Lastly, enjoy the journey. Up until my senior year, people would tell me how quickly high school flies by. I never believed them because how could four years possibly go by so quickly. But, it truly does. High school is a special time in your life. It might be challenging at times, but it’s also filled with opportunities to learn and grow. So embrace it, and make the most out of these years.

Blake’s Food Reviews Week two: Buffalo Wild Wings

By: Blake Van Patten

Week two of my food reviews, we will be looking at Buffalo Wild Wings. Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) is a reliable spot for you and your friends to go eat. My friends and I love going here to eat good food and watch sports games. While occasionally the wait for you food can take a little long, the food quality makes up for it. The have any option you can imagine: wings, burgers, chicken tenders, wraps, great fries, and more. My favorite time to go to BWW is on Thursday because they have a bogo on wings. You can buy 10 wings and get 10 free. Overall, the price range is average-not super expensive but not cheap. BWW is also in a good location and they have plenty of parking spots. If you’re looking for a place with good food to go with your friends and watch sports, Buffalo Wild Wings is the place. I rate them a 7.4/10.

How to make Stuffed Shells

By: Luke Banar

Ingredients

5 Ounces of Spinach
2 Cups of Ricotta cheese
¼ cup of Pecorino cheese
2 Garlic cloves or garlic salt
20 Jumbo Shells
1 cup of Mozzarella

This recipe will make up to 20 pasta shells filled with a cheese mixture. First you need to start by cooking the jumbo pasta shells in salted water. Make sure that the pasta is still firm and not overcooked so it can hold the filling. While the shells are cooking, make the filling by adding ricotta, pecorino, garlic, and cut up steamed spinach and mix all of these ingredients until it is fully incorporated. Once the shells are cooked you need to fill them using the cheese from earlier. Use a spoon to scoop some of the filling into each shell. Place the shells in the pan and add the tomato sauce into the bottom of the pan making sure that it is evenly spread throughout. Then add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on the top and bake at 375 F for 30 minutes while covered with tinfoil. If you want you can move the pan onto the top row of the oven to broil for 2-4 minutes after taking off the tinfoil. This dish is good to have with garlic bread or whatever other dish you would like.

Why the Grind Should Never Stop

By: Ben Reynolds

Working out is an incredibly effective way to improve your personal health mentally as well as physically. There are a multitude of ways that exercise can aid an individual and his/her physical body. It increases strength and endurance, and enhances our cardiovascular health. It can also promote weight loss and muscle toning, leading to a more sculpted and defined physique. And what guy doesn’t want to look like a Greek sculpture. Additionally, exercise boosts our immune system, making us likely to obtain illnesses. With the recent breakout of the coronavirus as well as the Flu, our immune system is more important now than ever. Besides vaccines and taking proper precautions, working out is an additional way to make sure that your body stays fit and safe. However, the benefits of exercising are not limited to your physical wellbeing. It also drastically helps mentally. Engaging in physical activity releases endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. Regular exercise can reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, and can improve our overall mental health. It can also enhance our memory which helps in school as well as in other aspects of life. With the uprising importance of mental health, it is vital that we remember that there are things as simple as just working out that can help us achieve a more stable and optimistic outlook on life. With the undeniable and incredible effects we get from working out, there is nothing but positive results we can get from working out on a daily basis. Always remember that THE GRIND DONT STOP!!!

Will Bryce Young turn it around in his sophomore season.

By: Tucker Burnette

After struggling in his first season as a Carolina Panther, the number 1 overall pick Bryce Young is looking to turn things around in his second season. There have been many excuses made for the young quarterback, but the key factor to success will be if the new hire at head coach will be able to help Young adapt and grow as a quarterback.

Recently there have been some big-name quarterbacks who have struggled in their first season and then turned it around in their second year under a new head coach. A prime example of this is Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence, much like Young, struggled in his first season under the coaching of Urban Meyers, but when the Jaguars made the switch to Doug Pederson Lawrence flourished.

The question still remains, will Bryce Young take the leap or will he be just as unproductive? In my opinion Young has all the skills he needs to be a superstar quarterback but he lacks the talent around him. This season his offensive line was one of the worst in the league and his number one wide receiver was Adam Thielen who for the first time in 5 years had over 1,000 yards. The Panthers also do not have a pick in the first round which means the top offensive weapons will be gone by the time they are on the board. With all that being said, I am not a sports analyst and do not get paid to have an opinion but Bryce Young is going to have to take a major step forward next season if he wants to turn the Panthers franchise around.

A Brutal Ending

By Connor Hanson

My beloved Packers have fallen in the most heartbreaking game of the season. I’ve never actually been emotionally affected by the outcome of a game, but this game was different. This team was different, we had a beat up running back, young wide receiver core, and an unproven quarterback.

We were expected to go into a rebuild this year, and for the first 9 games, it looked like we were, but we persevered and pushed through the tough times and made a playoff push. All of this is thanks to the complete turnaround that Jordan Love has had. He went from having the worst qbr in the league for the middle of the year to leading the league in that same statistic for the last 5 weeks of the season.

But, all good things must subside, and change to something melancholy. On Saturday the Packers faced the explosive 49ers. And for 57 minutes we were the better team, but we got slapped in the face by having a rookie kicker. He missed the kick that would have secured a tie if the 49ers scored. But, they marched down the field and scored with 1:35 seconds left in the 4th quarter putting them up by 3. Jordan Love was making great throws and skillfully managing the game clock. In the end, he threw a game-ending interception, to end in heartbreaking fashion.