The Magic of a Subway Series in the World Series

By: Benson Elmore

Imagine the excitement: two New York teams, the Yankees and the Mets, battling it out in the World Series. A Subway Series, where the stakes are as high as the Empire State Building and the rivalry is unmatched, would not only captivate the city but the entire baseball world.

The Rivalry

The history between the Yankees and the Mets is great. With the Yankees boasting a record 27 World Series championships and the Mets holding their own with two titles, the two teams are amazing groups that used to be very common common competitors in the playoffs. A World Series matchup would reignite this rivalry, drawing fans from both sides crazy, making New York become an amazing and competitive location for many years to come. The stakes would be higher than ever, as bragging rights for New York supremacy would be in the winners hand.

The Atmosphere

Picture the atmosphere in the city: fans wearing their team colors, gathering at bars and apartments, united in their love for baseball, yet split by their favorite hometown team. The subway cars would be filled with fans, as chants and cheers echo through the tunnels. Game days would transform the city into a vibrant sea of pinstripes and orange-and-blue, turning every street corner into a great representation of the sport.

The Impact on Baseball

A Subway Series wouldn’t just be a local spectacle; it would have a significant impact on the sport as a whole. The ratings would soar, drawing in casual viewers and lighting the flame of interest back into baseball. The exposure would highlight the talent in both organizations, shining a light on the players and strategies that define the game today.

Conclusion

A Subway Series in the World Series would be a dream come true for baseball fans and a thrilling chapter in New York’s sports history. It would combine intense competition, juicy history, and an electrifying atmosphere, making it one of the most memorable moments in the game. As we dream of the day this rivalry takes center stage, one thing is clear: the magic of a Subway Series would be unmatched.

2024-2025 NBA Season Opener Preview

By: Know Buxton

The 2024-2025 NBA season tips off on October 22 with the defending champions Boston Celtics facing the New York Knicks. That game will be followed by the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves. I really like these matchups for opening night because all four of these teams should be pretty competitive this season. In my opinion, the Boston Celtics look like the favorites to win the NBA Finals for the second year in a row. They definitely have all of the pieces they need in order to go back to back. They have two stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they have two of the best defending guards in the league in Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, and they also have one of the best shooting and defending big men in the league in Kristaps Porzingis. They have a solid bench with players like Payton Pritchard, Al Horford, and Lonnie Walker IV, but it could be better. To me, their biggest threat to going back to back is their health. If one player in their starting five gets injured for an extended period of time, things could go downhill. Luckily for the Celtics, these players don’t have bad injury histories except for Kristaps Porzingis so this shouldn’t be much of a concern. For the Knicks on the other hand, they also have a good chance to make a championship push. I really like the additions they made with Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. Their biggest concern is the depth which they lost by trading Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. They also lost Isiah Hartenstein to the Thunder in free agency this summer which doesn’t help. As for the opening night game between the two, I think the Celtics will win a close game and this could potentially be a playoff matchup we see later in the season. 

The Lakers are a team to watch this season too. They are led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis , two of the best players in the NBA; but their biggest problem, as always, is the supporting cast for their two superstars. They signed JJ Reddick as a first time head coach and he seems to be very close with LeBron James. This is a make or break season for the Lakers in my opinion because LeBron’s career is coming to an end and Anthony Davis might not want to stay for much longer if there is no LeBron James. For the Timberwolves, I am very high on their young superstar Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves finished as a top team last season and made a deep playoff run before losing to the Mavericks. They traded their star that went alongside Edwards in Karl-Anthony Towns, but I like the additions of Julius Randle and Donte Divincenzo. The biggest question for Minnesota is if their good season last season was a fluke or not. I think they have all the pieces in place for another successful season, but it largely depends on how the Towns trade turns out for them. In the Timberwolves vs Lakers game, I think the Timberwolves will win in a close one but it definitely could go the other way. This game comes down to which team plays better together because both teams made moves this off-season and have some new additions.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

By: Lottie Bynum

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe on TikTok listed as “The Best Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Of All Time” and this is my version and experience of making them!

The ingredients needed are:

  • ¾ cup of butter
  • 1 cup of light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup of white sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla
  • 1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips

The way I bake these cookies differs slightly from the original recipe.

Steps

  • To brown butter you can either brown it in a pot, double boiler, or put it in the microwave; I put mine in the microwave for 1-3 minutes depending on how long it takes it to brown. If you do it in the microwave like I do then make sure to check it every 15 seconds or so after the first minute to avoid it burning(I’ve burned the butter before!).
  • After that, add your brown and white sugars to the browned butter and mix. I usually do this while the butter is being browned in the microwave. I usually don’t bother measuring the exact amount because sometimes there’s a little extra sugar on the top of the cup that I don’t dust off for added sweetness!
  • Then, add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla! Yes it is important to add just the yolk because the cookies end up kind of lumpy if you just add an entire other egg. Yes the amount of vanilla is important too if you add more than you should of that then it’s fine everyone loves baking with vanilla.
  • After that add your flour, baking soda and salt and mix. Salt is the one ingredient I never measure because it’s honestly what you feel deep in your baking soul to add. I usually add quite a bit because it enhances the sweet flavor in my opinion. I use sea salt in the larger chunkier flakes for the vibes but also because it tastes better that way in my opinion.
  • Here is where my version of the recipe differs. My dough is still warm at this point so I usually put it in the fridge to cool for around 15 minutes before mixing in the chocolate chips, however this step is always being changed for me. Last time I added in a handful(or a few, measure with your sweet tooth!) and mixed them in while the dough is still warm and let them melt to add chocolate streaks in the dough and then refrigerated them and added the other chocolate chips afterwards! Another thought is melting some in the microwave and mixing in pre-melted chocolate chips into the dough and seeing if the taste differs any from the ones melted in the dough. Also when adding chocolate chips or whatever chocolate you add try a few different types of chocolate chips at the same time! I usually add semi-sweet and dark!
  • After mixing the chocolate chips, put them back in the fridge so that they can firm up a bit and deepen in flavor. In the original recipe you put the dough in for 30 minutes but the way I do it I put them in for another 15 or if I have the time 30 like the recipe said. I do this because they already went in the fridge to cool before adding the chocolate chips, but do whatever you would like in this step! Also note to self turn on the oven to 350 degrees during this to give it time to heat up instead of waiting for a while when you take your cookies out of the fridge.
  • After the fridge, roll the dough into balls whatever shape or size you think is right(the original recipe said 2 oz balls but I never measure!). Place the balls on a baking sheet in a pan and place them in the oven at 350 degrees and wait for around 18 minutes depending on how crispy you want them and how large or small the cookies are.
  • Now you have cookies! This recipe usually makes around 24 cookies but you can stretch them depending on how small you roll them out to be.

Ranking Older Kid’s Movies

By: Lucy Buxton

Top Five Best “Older” Children’s Movies

Instead of ranking my “top songs”, I will be rating my top five best “older” children’s movies. Again, In no specific order, along with some fun facts about each film.

On June twenty-second of nineteen fifty-five, Disney released an absolute masterpiece, “Lady and the Tramp”. The main characters are Lady, a “high class’ Cocker Spaniel and Jock, a rough Scottish Terrier. The main action in this movie is when Lady’s owner has a baby and the attention quickly shifts from Lady to the new baby. Lady ends up lost on the street and finds Jock and they learn from each other’s different perspectives. I’m not quite sure why I’m so drawn to this film. It is light hearted but also has a deeper meaning, as most animated children’s movies do. I happen to also have a Cocker Spaniel so maybe that is why I’m a little biased. One fun fact about this animation is that Lady was actually a real dog owned by a Disney writer, Joe Grant.

About Thirty years after “Lady and the Tramp”, another magical film was released, “Fox and the Hound”. This is a movie that a lot of people know pretty well. The movie starts off when Tod (The Fox) mother is killed. He is taken in by Widow Tweed, who has a neighbor that owns a hound dog around the same as Tod, Copper. The story honestly had a pretty sad ending but I found it highly entertaining as a kid. A fun fact about “Fox and the Hound” that you probably don’t know is, The bear’s snarl is the same snarl used for Shere Khan in the “Jungle Book”.

Only about six years after “Lady and the Tramp”, another movie that really made viewers fall in love with dogs was, “One Hundred and One Dalmatians”. It is about a litter of Dalmations that are being abducted by the minions of Cruella De Vil. The owners and parents of the puppies are in a hurry to find the precious puppies before she makes them into some sort of fashion statement. I love this film because it is based in Paris so it seems magical and romantic but the story is actually the complete opposite. One fun fact about this film is, There are more than six million spots on this movie.

An all time favorite but sometimes forgotten film, Dumbo. This movie is about an elephant with huge ears. The moral of this story is very important for children to learn and this is we should not discourage anyone just because of the ways he or she looks on the outside. A fun fact about this movie is Dumbo originally had a sidekick which was a mouse.

Last but certainly not least, “Aristocats”. This film was released in nineteen seventeen and was created by Walt Disney. This movie, In my opinion, is very similar to “One Hundred and One Dalmatians”. Both movies are set in Paris, France and Both female characters Perdita, the Dalmation and Dutchess, the cat are both owned by very prim and proper people. Both “high class” pets, along with their owners end up falling in love with the “more rough around the edges” owners and their pets. A fun fact about “Aristocats” is it is inspired by the true story of a Parisian family of cats, who inherited a fabulous fortune. 

Ranking Fast Food Resturants

By: Olivia Cogswell

When looking for a quick and easy meal, many people drive to their local favorite fast food restaurant. In the US alone, there are over 200,000 restaurants and over 50,000 different fast food chains for people to pick from. Here are the top five best fast food restaurants:

Fifth, Whataburger. In this restaurant you can get cheeseburgers, french fries, or chicken. Many people compare the burgers from Watarburgers to Whoppers from Burger King. However, these burgers tend to be a much more appropriate size topped with more fresh ingredients. They provide other selections like chicken nuggets and french fries, and tend to be less expensive than other fast food restaurants. The downside of this chain is that they do not provide very many healthy options and are not at wide variety in states.

Fourth, Sonic. Sonic provides many options on their menu from burgers to pretzels, and even mozzarella sticks. They also have a wide variety of drink selections and ice creams. They have slushies, milkshakes, sundaes, and all kinds of fountain sodas. However Sonic tends to be on the pricier side, and their sides tend to be the better part of their menu while the main courses, like their burgers, are not very good. They are dried and topped with not so fresh toppings. 

Third, Taco Bell. This restaurant provides a wide variety of food selections from tacos, burritos, nachos, and even fries. They have frozen drinks and fountain drinks, and even have desserts. However Taco Bell is very unhealthy, and does not provide any healthy options. The service also tends to be on the slower side. 

Second, Raising Canes. Canes are known for their famous sauce, which makes their meals. Many people go to Canes just for their sauce. They have chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches, and are served with fries and Texas toast. Their fries are crinkled and are always crispy and their Texas toast is always made just right. They also are pretty cheap for the portion sizes.  Although their menu selections are good, they do not provide many other varieties, and tend to be more on the unhealthy side. 

First, Chick-Fil-A. Chick-Fil-A has so many options to choose from. They have chicken nuggets, tenders, and sandwiches. The sandwiches can come in many varieties like: original, spicy, deluxe, and even piminto. They have a variety of sides to choose from, and even have some healthy options like salads, soups, and fruit. While also having a wide variety of sauce options for customers to choose from. They even provide a full breakfast menu, with their well known chicken minis. CFA has some of the best services with the most welcoming employers. That is why Chick-Fil-A is the superior fast food restaurant compared to the other fast food chains.

Global Warning

By: Campbell Cromer

Global warming is the biggest challenge of our time, and its impacts are impossible to ignore. For years, scientists have tried to tell us about the steady rise in global temperatures, and now we’re witnessing its effects firsthand. Longer and more intense heatwaves, wildfires, and rising sea levels that are threatening coastal communities. Yet, despite the clear signs, it often feels like we’re not acting fast enough.

I can’t help but feel upset by the slow response from governments and big businesses. Yes, there are promises of transitioning to renewable energy, but the follow-through is weak. It’s shocking to me that in 2024, fossil fuels are still such a big part of our energy mix when we know they are speeding up the planet’s destruction. Every time I see headlines about yet another oil pipeline or a nation doubling down on coal, it feels like we’re going backward in a race against global warming.

However the blame doesn’t lie solely with big business and governments; it’s also about personal accountability. I’ve realized that we each have a role to play, even if our individual actions might seem small in the big picture. Whether it’s reducing plastic use, supporting sustainable brands, or supporting policy changes, our collective actions can create momentum.

The truth is, global warming isn’t some distant problem, it’s here. And it’s not just an environmental issue; it’s a social one. The people who are least responsible for climate change are often the ones suffering the most. That’s why fighting global warming isn’t just about saving the planet, it’s about the people that live here too. It’s time we stop treating it like a side issue and start acting like our future depends on it. Because it does. If we don’t start fighting against global warming there could be devising outcomes.

This week’s lineup of Crumbl Cookies are (October 14-19)

By: Morgan Aycock

My ratings are:

  1. Cookie dough

Crumbl Cookies’ description: A brown sugar cookie topped with creamy cookie dough buttercream and chunks of cookie dough pieces.

I have never tried this cookie, but I think it would be really good. I like that they added chunks of cookie dough pieces and chocolate chips on the top, but I think it would be better if the cookie was regular vanilla and not brown sugar, but I would have to try it to decide that. Most people that have tried this cookie say that it’s a 10/10, and I think I would like this one a lot.

  1. Double fudge brownie

Crumbl Cookies’ description: A decadent brownie loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chunks and creamy milk chocolate drops, topped with luscious fudge frosting.

I think this would be pretty good, but I think it would be better if it was served warm and not bakery temperature. I think the straight up chocolate could be a little overpowering, but overall, I think this one would be pretty good.

  1. Cornbread cookie

Crumbl Cookies’ description: A warm cornbread cookie smothered with honey butter glaze, then topped with a dollop of thick honey buttercream frosting and a drizzle of honey.

I have tried this cookie before when they had it on the 4th of July lineup, and it is very good. Most people that have tried this say it’s one of their favorites. I like that they added the honey drizzle to make it resemble a real piece of cornbread and it adds a sweet and salty taste. I also like that this one is served warm.

  1. Blueberry muffin

Crumbl Cookies’ description: A warm blueberry cookie smothered in a buttery cake glaze and topped with a delightful crunch of blueberry muffin streusel.

I think that the idea of this cookie is a good idea, but I don’t know if this one would taste very good. It doesn’t even look appealing on the website and I don’t think the glaze would be good.

  1. Peanut butter crisp ft Butterfinger

Crumbl Cookies’ description: A rich cookie bursting with creamy peanut butter, melted chocolate, and crunchy Butterfinger® pieces.

Although I don’t like that they always do peanut butter, I think adding the Butterfinger pieces to the top makes it a little better. I think it would be better if it didn’t have the peanut butter drizzle on the top, though and all the peanut butter flavors every week gets old. 

  1. Semi-sweet chocolate chunk

Crumbl Cookies’ description: Chocolate chip, but make it chunky—a delicious cookie filled with irresistible semi-sweet chocolate chunks and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

This flavor is on the list almost every week, so I think it gets really old. If people want a chocolate chip cookie then they could buy a whole pack of them for the same price as one of these. It is overall not a bad cookie, but I think they should stop putting it on the lineup every week because people aren’t buying it as much because it is sold every week.

Is South Carolina a good football team?

By Milling Galloway

Does South Carolina have a good football atmosphere? Yes. Does South Carolina have the resources to be a national ranked team? Yes. Once again the answers to all these questions are yes. Sure enough we are a mediocre team once again. I’m tired of this. Year after year it’s the same thing over and over again. Why can’t we ever be good? Only once in the program’s history has South Carolina ever been good.

The problem, in my opinion, is that our offense is terrible. Our defense could easily stand with the best offenses in the nation; Bama, Georgia, any of them to be honest. Our offense once again is holding us back. Sellers is a decent quarterback that can run: He is not the problem. Our receivers are trash and our offensive line is atrocious. Lets step away from the negatives and look at the positives. Rocket Sanders is one of the most talented running backs we have ever seen. He has turned what should be no yard gains into explosive plays for the offense. Our tight end core has some good true freshmen talent that I would like to see more of.

Shane in my opinion isn’t the coach for us. It’s time to go looking for new staff. He has been given too much leniency. The play calling has to change as well. That means it is time to get rid of Dowell Loggins as soon as possible. The only reason we played a good game against Alabama is because of the Defense led by Kyle Kenard. It certainly helps the team when you have the best defense of end in the country. I honestly can not take the embarrassment of being a fan of South Carolina. You just get to a point where you know we are gonna lose and just accept our fate. All I know is if Shane doesn’t get his act together, we are gonna have a lot of problems.

Who’s the best basketball player 

By: Bryce Hanson

         To be the best basketball player you can be you need five factors to your game. Now of course there’s outside factors like, the ability to win  and your ability to lead a team, but we’re talking about the best player of all time, not the greatest player of all time.Which is obviously Micheal Jordan but I will not be getting into that. 

          The five factors that makes up the best basketball player are shooting,passing,dribbling,finishing and defending. Some uneducated people would say that Lebron James is the best at those things but many facts prove those people wrong. First skill is shooting and unless you have been living under a rock you would know that Stephen Curry is the best shooter of all time. He holds many single season three point records and has the most three pointers made ever. He revolutionized the game of basketball and made every team in the NBA better their shooting to compete with him. After shooting we have passing and it can be argued but if you really know ball it’s obvious that John Stockton was the greatest passer of all time. He holds the single assist record for a season and has the most assists of all time. Then that brings us to dribbling and there are no records we can look at to justify this skill but dribbling is a major part of the game and can really put fans in the seat. Now it’s argued between a couple of players, weather it Allen iverson, who the older generation loves, or Kyrie Irving who is the new generation’s best to offer but if you really think about it there is only one player who it can be. Kyrie has shown year in and year out that he is a master with the ball in his hands. Then comes finishing, which isn’t just dunks but also layups in the lane and scoring at the rack.This can can be argued many ways but Micheal Jordan was legendary not only for his mentality but his ability to finish. He dunked from the free throw line and did acrobatic layups ever game. Lastly is the best defender of all time and that is a very loose term but I take it as who stops people form scoring the most. The person who did  this the most was Hakeem Olajuwan who has the most blocks of all time. People would drive to the line and drive right back out of they saw him.          

So I leave it to you to determine who the best is and I hope I have educated you between the difference between being the best and being the greatest, at least when it comes to NBA basketball. 

A Glimpse Of Hope

By: Henry Jones

There have been a lot of great moments in this 2024 to 2025 NFL season, but if I had to pick one so far, it would undoubtedly be when my Arizona Cardinals took on the San Francisco 49ers, a division enemy, and beat them 24 – 23. Going into this game the Cardinals were predicted to lose by over a touchdown. We were even down 13 points at one time in the game. One thing about the Cardinals though is that they don’t give up when they are down. I would make a bet that the Cardinals have the most grit out of any team in the league. If I had the choice between a million dollars or being able to watch Kyler Murray masterclass every week then I would undoubtedly choose the second option. Watching Murry reignite his love for the game after all the grueling injuries he’s had throughout his career brings a tear to my eye. Kyler Murray even gained the respect of the greatest player of all time, Tom Brady. Since Brady’s retirement, he has been employed at FOX Sports as an analyzer. He has a section called “LFG PLayer of the Game”, and you could make some guesses on who they gave it to. They of course gave it to Kyler Murray. This is a huge honor in the sports world. To me, this just proves that he is one step closer to that MVP award. 

Besides that, I think we need to look ahead at the upcoming games. Up next we are taking on the Green Bay Packers. Some of my friends pull for this team so I am praying for an upset. Their best defender could possibly be injured for this game so more than likely this means that our saving grace, Marvin Harrison Jr., could have a massive game.