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‘Percy Jackson’ gets a new chance at life on Disney+
LILY WAHL
THE MIAMI STUDENT
A pen that turns into a sword. A classics teacher with hooves. A group of teens and pre-teens clad in orange shirts, bonded over the trauma of growing up unsure if they will see their sixteenth birthday.
Pulling together universal adolescent experiences of awkwardness, new friends and the pains of growing up, and pairing them with slightly more niche experiences like having an ancient deity for a parent, Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson” franchise has touched the hearts of readers young and old across the globe since 2005.
Now, the series is making a comeback for a new generation.
The five-book series has led to multiple spin-offs covering Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse and more mythologies. More than 180 million copies are in print worldwide of Riordan’s New York Times bestsellers.
It’s no wonder Hollywood was interested in getting in on the booming business that is “Percy Jackson.”
In 2010, the star-studded adap-
tation of “The Lightning Thief” was released, starring Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario and Pierce Brosnan. Despite a $95 million budget and gross box office sales of $226 million, the film tanked among fans and critics alike. Between brutal inaccuracies from page to screen, a fouryear age-up of the main characters and a 49% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, fans were more than disappointed. The failure of the movie became an internet meme, and many believed Percy Jackson would never grace the silver screen again. Somehow, a sequel was released in 2013, adapting the second book “The Sea of Monsters.” It wasn’t any better.
A year later, “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” made its off-Broadway debut, spawning two national tours and a stint on Broadway with mixed reviews. While fans of the source material enjoyed the musical adaptation, it never reached the level of fame associated with the franchise, and many devout “Percy Jackson” fans are still unaware that there was ever a musical.
For a while, it seemed the franchise would never get another shot. It was simply too difficult to adapt the bold, iconic characters in a way that preserved their youth and originality while still appealing to the industry’s desire to generate as much money as possible.
That is, until rumors began to circulate surrounding Disney+.
In 2020, Disney announced that it had purchased the rights to produce a television adaptation of Riordan’s series on its up-and-coming streaming service.
The acquisition of film or television rights for a show does not mean that a show will ever be produced. Just like the rest of Hollywood, the
market for adaptations can be fickle and depends on trends, the will of studio executives and pure luck. However, Disney’s adaptation has gained momentum; not only has the main cast been announced, but on Sept. 10, a teaser trailer for the show was revealed at Disney’s D-23 convention. Barely a minute long, the teaser borrows from the opening lines of the first book, “The Lightning Thief,” while flashing through dramatic shots of the iconic setting, Camp Half-Blood and the campers who live there. The show received a lot of early attention from the public when the main cast was announced earlier this year, with upcoming actor Walker Scobell portraying the titular character; Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase; and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood. The latter two actors are people of color, with Jeffries being Black and Simhardi being Southeast ENTERTAINMENT WRITER LILY WAHL HOPES THE NEWEST Asian. ADAPTATION OF “PERCY JACKSON” IS TRUE TO THE BOOKS. PHOTO BY LILY WAHL Riordan and Disney+ were criticized for changing the race of their characters, who were described as white in the books. However, Riordan has expressed that he will always stand behind his cast who were chosen because of their ability to portray their characters. Riordan wrote the “Percy Jackson” series for his son, who has dyslexia and ADHD, as a way to show him that kids just like him are capable of saving the world. The main characters in “Percy Jackson” have ADHD and dyslexia, which are seen as a natural part of their being demigods, hardwired for battle and ancient Greek. As Riordan says on his website, “It’s not a bad thing to be different. Sometimes, it’s the mark of being very, very talented. That’s what Percy discovers about himself in ‘The Lightning Thief.’” For now, Disney plans to release the series in 2024. Here’s to hoping the TV adaptation stays true not only to the books, but to the essential tenet of “Percy Jackson” — that our differences make us who we are.
wahllm@miamioh.edu @lilymariereads
‘Spiritfarer’ reminded me why I love pastel aesthetic games
ABBEY ELIZONDO
STAFF WRITER
Earlier this summer, I surfed on the Nintendo store, looking for a game I could dive into before the fall semester started. The sale section caught my eye as a college student looking for a good deal, and I stumbled across the 2020 game “Spiritfarer.”
I’d heard good things on social media about this game, the visuals looked amazing and the mechanics fit my relaxed video game preference.
The main character in “Spiritfarer,” Stella, is tasked with guiding spirits to the realm after creating bonds with them as the next Spiritfarer, journeying through this unknown world on a pirate-like ship. The Everdoor is the most important place in this world since it’s where Stella carries spirits; a beautiful yet haunting space of red water reflected in a circular arch.
Each new place is accompanied by music to fit, a small detail that makes me love it even more. I could talk about the score for days, and I sometimes turn on my Switch to listen to it while doing homework or reading.
This game is a perfect mix of Animal Crossing visuals, Stardew Valley music and Super Mario Bros platformer with an open-world function. It reminds players to care for their passengers by feeding them their favorite foods, hugging them when they’re sad and even sleeping when it gets too late to travel.
Beyond the relationships players build with the spirits they meet, there are a lot of building elements required to progress in the game. Each spirit has their own customized house based on their character design, and the player has to travel across the realm to find rare materials and play mini-games in the process.
One of my favorite mini-games is one where Stella cures a dragon afflicted with a mineral plague (Aluminum, Quartz, etc.) and helps remove barnacle-like stones from its back.
My English major heart also loves the deep narrative structure embedded in this game.
Aesthetic games like “Spiritfarer” create a whole subgenre of beautifully visual games with deep narrative arcs. For people who are afraid of first-person shooters like Fortnite and Call of Duty but bored of shortform mobile games, the cozy aesthetic game genre is the perfect place to begin an exploration into video games.
When I discovered Animal Crossing as a kid, I couldn’t believe a video game could look so cute. I’d grown up with Sonic the Hedgehog, Smash bros and Mario Kart, games that relied on fighting or competition to succeed.
Animal Crossing taught me so many things about regular life at a young age — learning to pay your mortgage, try not to upset your neighbors and shop wisely. I also learned about wildlife without knowing I was learning about wildlife. The Animal Crossing engine aligns to the player’s hemisphere so the flora and fauna are in season based on the player’s time clock.
Other game genres have clear goals and objectives. These games create an experience for the player to find their passions within the game.
The spirits you meet in this game have passed from the mortal world, yet they still hold onto something that happened in their previous life. Stella is tasked with listening to these spirits and preparing them for transition into a new world. Some spirits will pull at your heartstrings. Others will annoy you and make you hope that their transition is fast. But that’s what I loved about this game: it makes you journey through each person’s life regardless of who they are as people.
Video games have stereotypes of violence, gore and explicit content that turn people away from exploring how many creative and beautiful games are waiting for players to find them. Just like “Spiritfarer” for me, had I not gone onto my Switch looking for a new adventure, I would have never known about this enchanting game and its haunting yet comforting take on death.
Rating: 9/10
@earlgreyincense elizonar@miamioh.edu
Sampa the Great proves once again she’s one of the most original voices in rap on ‘As Above, So Below’
SEAN SCOTT
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Ever since Sampa the Great featured on “Stumbling Down” in April 2021, I’ve been anxiously awaiting her new album.
The song, a fast-paced and dark showcase of the late Nigerian percussionist Tony Allen, sounds like little else I’ve heard, from R&B singer/rapper Sampa or anyone else. If this was the prelude to an exciting new project, I couldn’t wait to hear the rest.
“Stumbling Down” was not on the tracklist of Sampa’s Sept. 9 album “As Above, So Below.”
If I’d been an intelligent person, I might have noticed that Allen was the primary credit on the song or that it already existed on his posthumous album “There is No End.” Oh, well.
“As Above, So Below” finds Sampa where she left off on her 2019 record “The Return” — impossible to define. Born in Zambia and raised in Australia, Sampa effortlessly fuses influences from across her life into a wholly unique soundscape. Her music is rap. It’s R&B. It’s Zamrock, a genre that itself blends African music, blues, funk and psychedelic rock.
It’s her.
The album opens with “Shadows,” a mysterious track set to kalimba (I think), horns and more impossible to identify sounds. Here, Sampa isn’t searching for herself; she’s past that. “I can be anything under the stars,” she says. She knows who we are, too, but implores us not to lose ourselves in the search for meaning.
“Shadows” is followed by “Lane” featuring Denzel Curry and Powers Pleasant. It’s a light and breezy confirmation from Sampa that she’s in charge. Curry’s feature comes in at 30 seconds, and he uses it to reaffirm a central theme of the album — only you have the power to define yourself.
“Never Forget” picks up the pace once again, and it’s my favorite song on the album. The song is a celebration of African culture, triumphant and expansive in both features and languages. She’s joined by her sister Mwanjé, plus Chef 187 and Tio Nason, and between the four of them they cover English, Kinyarwanda and Chewa.
“Who did music, made that shit language / African branded?” Sampa asks, and just as quickly answers, “We did, never forget.”
The features continue on “Mask On” with Joey BadA$$. I love the heavy, oppressive intro and Sampa’s final verse where she raps almost too quickly to keep up.
Sampa shows off her own language skills on “Bona,” effortlessly blending Southern Sotho (so says Google) and English. It’s another impressive fusion of cultural influences, though not my favorite on the album.
“Can I Live?” featuring W.I.T.C.H. gives Sampa the opportunity to demonstrate her vocal versatility, jumping between growls, yells and singing. Here she starts to explore her relationship with fame, asking if the adoration of fans is love.
The theme of fame continues on “Imposter Syndrome” featuring James Sakala, as does the linguistic variety. I can’t find the lyrics online, so I can’t say what the language is, but it sounds cool. (Side-note: If you google “James Sakala,” half the results are about the Zambian musician, and the other half are about a priest who apparently died after letting himself be buried alive).
Anyway, the next three songs are more of the same from Sampa, and that’s a compliment. “Tilibobo” is an incredibly fun word to say, and “Lo Rain” brings back Sampa’s sister Mwanjé for another feature.
“IDGAF” featuring Kojey Radical has the misfortune of opening with a beat very similar to “Build a Bitch” by Bella Poarch, but it’s miles ahead. Here, Sampa mixes humor with her genuine carefree attitude. Listening to gossip about herself is beneath her now, she says, and she doesn’t give a (what) what people say.
The album’s closer, “Let Me Be Great,” features Angélique Kidjo, a clear inspiration for Sampa. Kidjo is fresh off a Grammy win for Best Global Album with “Mother Nature,” a record that celebrates African cultures with features on almost every song.
Incidentally, Kidjo has just given the 1,000th Tiny Desk Concert featuring Sampa, and everyone should watch it. While you’re at it, watch Sampa’s, too.
“Let Me Be Great” is a perfect wrap-up to the album. “I’m an exhibit on my name / I’m Sammy, I’m Tembo, I’m Eve, I’m Sampa, I’m Great,” she says. All those aspects of herself are on full-display for this project, and she weaves them together flawlessly.
Sampa the Great, indeed.
Rating: 9/10
SAMPA THE GREAT RELEASED HER NEWEST ALBUM ON SEPT. 9. PHOTO BY BRUCE BAKER, CC BY 2.0, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
scottsr2@miamioh.edu @SeanRScottt
Jennette McCurdy is glad her mom died, and I’m glad for her
CONTINUED FROM FRONT insults and degradation,” McCurdy writes. “The Creator knows how to make someone feel worthless.”
If you have been keeping up with entertainment news, you’ll recall that Schneider split from Nickelodeon in 2018 following reports of verbal abuse. McCurdy doesn’t only discuss The Creator’s verbal abuse in her book: She also describes uncomfortable experiences with him.
She writes about an instance in which she met The Creator for lunch to discuss the “iCarly” spinoff, “Sam and Cat.” While at lunch, The Creator pressured McCurdy into drinking alcohol despite the fact she was underage. He also put his jacket on her and gave her an unsolicited shoulder massage.
Later on, following the cancellation of “Sam and Cat,” McCurdy received a call from her managers. They informed her that Nickelodeon offered her $300,000 if she would not speak out about her experiences at the network, specifically pertaining to The Creator.
McCurdy turned it down. She felt as if the offer was hush money.
Following the release of “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” other former Nickelodeon stars began to speak out in solidarity with McCurdy.
Alexa Nikolas, who played Nicole Bristow on “Zoey 101,” recently protested outside of the network’s headquarters. She held a sign that read, “Nickelodeon didn’t protect me.”
In an interview with TMZ, Nikolas said, “I want to make [Nickelodeon] safe for kids because in my personal experience, working on ‘Zoey 101,’ I didn’t feel safe … Jennette and all of us deserve an apology … I definitely don’t want to hear one more story of a Nick star having a traumatic experience.”
Daniella Monet, who played Trina Vega on “Victorious,” also spoke out about her experience at Nickelodeon.
In an interview with Insider, Monet recalled some uncomfortable incidents she had during the production of “Victorious.” One scene in particular, where Monet’s character eats a pickle while applying lip gloss, made her feel uneasy.
Monet expressed her concerns about this to Nickelodeon’s executives, but, unfortunately, they aired the questionable scene regardless.
“Do I wish certain things, like, didn’t have to be so sexualized? Yeah. A hundred percent,” Monet stated in the interview.
“I feel like [iCarly] robbed me of my youth, of a normal adolescence where I could experience life without every little thing I did being critiqued, discussed, or ridiculed … The world won’t let me be anyone else,” McCurdy writes in her book. “The world only wants me to be Sam Puckett.”
It’s disheartening to hear the actors you grew up watching describe their negative experiences on the shows you loved as a child. But what’s more important is that Nickelodeon takes action and accountability for its wrongdoings. Hopefully, McCurdy’s memoir and the amount of support from fellow Nick stars will make a change.
I strongly suggest giving “I’m Glad My Mom Died” a read. It’s extremely personal and raw, yet McCurdy still manages to shed light on her trauma and incorporate humor into her heart-wrenching story.
It’s just the kind of insight into the children’s entertainment industry that we need. It will inspire more child actors to speak up, and it will allow victims of abuse to realize they are not alone.
Rating: 10/10.
Armstrong’s Aramark advancements: a ranking of the student center’s new dining options
AMES RADWAN
FOOD EDITOR
Changes have come to the Armstrong Student Center over the summer in the form of new food court restaurants. Returning students may notice a certain lack of familiar names like Sumeshi, Sundial and Toasted Bagel (RIP), and in their places, new spots like Field to Fork and Eiffel Pizza.
This is all due to a dining overhaul that occurred over the summer after the Aramark Corporation took over Miami dining on June 1, in which Aramark set a goal to improve the quality of dining on Miami’s campus.
Of course, I wanted to test out these so-called improvements. I was already pretty happy with Sundial and Sumeshi, though Curve definitely needed some work (read: flavor). To make up for the loss of these foods which I held so dear, Aramark was going to need to dream big.
So during the first weeks of school, I took it upon myself to eat lunch or dinner at every one of the four new restaurants in Armstrong: Field to Fork, Evergrains at Haines, Eiffel Pizza and Kabar. Let’s see how they did.
Tuesday lunch: Field to Fork (salad)
Field to Fork offers only one option: a build-your-own salad for $8.25 a pop. This comes with a drink, and you start from the bottom up, first choosing a base (I went for baby spinach) and then adding as many toppings as you desire. I took advantage of this, choosing shredded carrots, feta cheese, black olives, green peas and marinated artichoke hearts.
Overall, it’s very personalizable and reminiscent of a (slightly) cheaper Dividends — and the portion matches the exorbitant price, thankfully.
The salad was good, too. It’s a salad, so it’s hard to mess that up. I was a little disappointed that, on day 2 of school, Field to Fork was already out of some items I wanted, such as corn and French dressing, but overall, a solid option — and healthy, too.
However, I still have my complaints, and they’re big ones. I hit Field to Fork during the Armstrong lunch rush, at 12:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, and it took 20 minutes to put together a salad because of how backed up they were. With only two people working the assembly line, it was incredibly slow — a third person working refills alone would have sped it all up by a lot.
Finally, I found something in my salad that didn’t look anything like any of the toppings I ordered — small and brown, I still haven’t figured out what it was. But it was likely a different topping that, in the Field to Fork employees’ rush to serve, landed in a wrong topping bin. Seeing as how Field to Fork serves allergens such as cheese and eggs, this cross-contamination could be a serious problem.
Overall, it’s good, but the wait, the lack of topping availability and the cross-contamination issues almost make Field to Fork more trouble than its 8-dollar salads are worth.
Rating: 5/10
Tuesday dinner: Red Zone (a surprise contender!)
Nooo, they changed Red Zone! There go my cheat days of nacho cheese fries and veggie burgers, though at least they kept the fried pickles, thank goodness. Haines was closed, the Kabar line was crazy and Eiffel was already out of vegetable pasta on Tuesday night for dinner. I went straight to an old favorite, only to find out that the Red Zone menu also got a refresh. Its vegetarian option is now a BBQ sandwich of pulled oats, so naturally, I had to try it. And, making my Southern roots happy, it serves hush puppies now, too! You know those went straight onto my order. Though the plating left something to be desired and used way too many boxes to be good for the environment, I am excited to say that Red Zone will remain a favorite.
For the BBQ sandwich, the sauce was sweet and tangy, the bun a great cross between crispy and soft and the “meat” wasn’t dry at all. It also came with curly fries, which were an excellent surprise and delicious (if a little soggy from sitting under the sandwich). The fried pickles remain the same, as yummy as ever.
Best of all, the hush puppies lived up to my Southern roots and expectations. They are fantastically crunchy and taste as corny as a hush puppy should; I wish there had been more than five. I did not get a sauce with them, but I should have, as they can get a little dry at the end — but overall, a definite win for Red Zone.
Rating: 9/10
Thursday lunch:
Evergrains at Haines’
I’d heard Evergrains, or Haines’ as it’s better known, described as a “Mediterranean Chipotle,” and I think that works pretty well for this build-your-own-bowl-style Armstrong restaurant.
Personally — are you ready for this? — I asked for hummus, feta cheese, kalamata olives, falafel and chilled roasted sweet potatoes, all atop a bed of romaine lettuce. I also bought a one-dollar side of pita, for the heck of it.
And, you know, I was pleasantly surprised. The bowl, albeit much smaller than a Field to Fork salad, had a great ratio of toppings to lettuce, and I wasn’t just left eating plain romaine at the end. (The exception to this was the feta, of which I could only find a couple of pieces.)
It also tasted pretty good, but the sweet potatoes could have used more flavor and the falafel was really dry. I didn’t end up eating the last piece — I just couldn’t get through it.
On the plus side, they give you a lot of pita for just $1.
Rating: 8.5/10
I then got COVID and missed a week of possible lunches and dinners, but when I returned, I was determined to finish out the list.
AMES’ SALAD FROM NEW ARMSTRONG RESTAURANT FIELD TO FORK WAS MADE UP OF SHREDDED CARROTS, FETA CHEESE, BLACK OLIVES, GREEN PEAS AND MARINATED ARTICHOKE HEARTS OVER BABY SPINACH. PHOTO BY AMES RADWAN
Tuesday dinner: Eiffel Pizza
Eiffel has been out of their vegetable pasta every time I’ve tried to eat there, so finally, I caved and just ordered veggie pizza and cheese sticks Tuesday night. I had not eaten pizza on campus since a very bad experience with dining hall pizza during my first month of first year, so I was expectantly wary.
Surprisingly enough, the veggie pizza was kind of a win. The vegetable mix that tops it is, I’m pretty sure, the same as the vegetables that are used in Dividends’ veggie panini — which I love, so the taste was pretty solid. Plus, the texture was that of normal pizza instead of cardboard, although the slice itself was kind of cold.
As for the cheese sticks, let me just say — I miss Sundial’s bosco sticks, and I think I’m not alone in that regard. Whereas Eiffel’s pizza is a pretty solid hit, Eiffel’s cheese sticks are a swing and a miss — cold, far too crunchy and topped with badly congealed cheese. Also, it doesn’t automatically come with marinara sauce — shame on you, Eiffel. I had to eat my cheese sticks plain.
Rating: 7/10 Thursday lunch: Kabar
By the look of the Kabar line throughout the weeks, I maybe should’ve guessed that Kabar would have a strong showing. But after Curve’s lack of flavor during my last few years on campus, I didn’t have high expectations.
If I had, though, Kabar would’ve surpassed them.
I am a big fan of many Asian foods, so I ordered three in the hopes that one would be good: the vegetable spring
rolls, vegetarian potstickers and fried rice topped with tofu. Complaint #1, right off the bat, is that I didn’t get the latter; instead, I got some kind of tofu and vegetable stir-fry on white rice, drenched in a delectable sauce. It was delicious, but not what I ordered — and worst of all, I have no idea how to order it again. The vegetable potstickers tasted good and were crunchy in parts and soft in others — but they were a little cold, and the sweet chili sauce tended more towards chili than towards FROM EVERGRAINS AT HAINES’, AMES BUILT A BOWL OF HUMMUS, FETA CHEESE, KALAMATA OLIVES, FALAFEL AND CHILLED ROASTED SWEET POTATOES OVER ROMAINE sweet. The winner here, hands down, LETTUCE, PLUS A SIDE OF PITA BREAD. was the spring rolls. Crunchy, tasty PHOTO BY AMES RADWAN and the perfect temperature, they were reminiscent of Garden’s veggie spring rolls from my underclassman dining-hall days — of which I would eat literal platefuls. I will definitely be returning for these. But be warned: Kabar is expensive. $6.49 for four spring rolls? Seriously?
Rating: 9/10
Of course, I have my complaints outside of these new restaurants. Pulley Diner no longer serves breakfast after 10:30 a.m. (bring back my 6 p.m. dinner omelets!), and neither Bell Tower nor the Panera Bread that is taking over Toasted Bagel’s old home will open until fall of 2023 — as a Bell Tower groupie and longtime Panera lover who will have graduated by then, I’m not thrilled about that either. There are good and bad about the new Armstrong dining options, but in the end, I think I’ve found some new favorites. Catch me getting lunch in the student center more often. radwanat@miamioh.edu AMES’ KABAR FEAST, PICTURED, INCLUDED VEGETABLE SPRING ROLLS (TOP LEFT), VEGETABLE POTSTICKERS (TOP RIGHT), AND A TOFU STIR-FRY ATOP WHITE RICE (BOTTOM CENTER). PHOTO BY AMES RADWAN
ELOTEEE... the recipe
ISAIAH DURAN
THE MIAMI STUDENT
Elotes are arguably one of the best things to come from Mexico, maybe better than colored television or popcorn. I mean, who would expect such an odd combination of ingredients to taste so amazing? The creamy corn with the subtle (or not-so-subtle) spice and crumbled cotija cheese makes for a perfect comfort food year-round.
What makes this traditional Mexican street food so special (and, in my opinion, amazing) is the opportunity for personalization. By altering the ingredients, you can make your elote as creamy, spicy or cheesy as you want. You can have them on the cob or a cup, whatever you please.
Personally, I love them all loaded up with plenty of toppings. I love it when every bite is as creamy as the last.
Despite being at Miami University for only a couple of weeks, I was already feeling a bit homesick recently. When I was growing up in Chicago, getting an elote would be as simple as grabbing $4 and going on a short 10-minute walk. In Mexico? They were on nearly every street corner!
Here? I’m not sure it’s even possible to obtain one.
However, using what I remembered about them, and with a bit of help from my older sister, I was able to create a very simple recipe fit for the average broke college student. With this recipe, you’ll be able to create a taste of Mexico in your very own residence hall.
You will need corn, mayonnaise (for best results, I suggest using a lime-flavored one), lime juice and tajin seasoning, which, oddly enough, can be found in the produce aisle at Kroger and not with the other Hispanic foods.
The cheese is tricky, as traditionally you use crumbled cotija cheese, but grated parmesan works as a perfect substitute. (Cotija can also be found at Kroger, this time in the Hispanic foods section towards the back.) You can choose to use different cheeses, but the flavor may be off.
Some people also opt to add Valentina hot sauce, as it gives the elotes an extra kick of spice.
Finally, you’ll need Parkay Squeeze Margarine Spread, which is commonly found in the dairy aisle. Oddly enough, most recipes leave this out, but in my opinion, it is what makes the elote. Every street vendor I’ve seen uses it, and it’s responsible for that creamy, buttery taste.
To sum that up, a list of ingredients:
• Corn of your choice • Mayo (lime-flavored is preferable) • Grated cotija or parmesan cheese • Tajin seasoning • Valentina hot sauce (optional) • Lime juice (if you didn’t get lime-flavored mayo) • Parkay Squeeze Margarine Spread
For starters, the corn. Like this entire recipe, this portion is entirely up to your personal preference.
Although grilled is my personal favorite, I opted to microwave my corn. If your corn is still in its husk, simply remove it, then wrap it in a moist paper towel and microwave it until the kernels are tender, which should be roughly 3-5 minutes. You can also boil it, or go the simplest route and buy it canned.
Then simply remove the kernels from the cob. This is most easily done with a fork.
Now you can go ahead and begin assembling your elote by creating a mixture of mayo, Parkay Squeeze, tajin and cheese in a cup. It’s important not to use too much of any one ingredient as it could overpower the corn, but the ratio is completely up to you!
You will then dump your corn into the cup, leaving space for a final layer of, again, Parkay Squeeze, mayo, tajin and cheese. Finally, squeeze in a bit of lime juice (if you used plain mayo) and drizzle your optional hot sauce as a final touch.
And with that, you now have your own elote in a cup. This honestly came out incredible when I made it and tasted just like the ones street vendors in Chicago make. The flavors brought me back home and cured a bit of my homesickness.
This is something you can make over and over, as the ingredients aren’t meant for onetime use, and best of all, corn is extremely cheap. I mean, we are in Ohio, after all.
Rating: 10/10
durani@miamioh.edu
What should Miami’s next chain restaurant be?
MEREDITH PERKINS
COLUMNIST
The latest change to Miami dining is, for the first time in Miami history, an option for national brands to have locations on campus.
When I first stopped by Armstrong this year, I was shocked to see the new on-campus Panera Bread location (set to open in Fall 2023).
Although I enjoy a Panera caramel latte, I couldn’t help but have some mixed feelings.
Will Armstrong’s foot traffic be impeded by long Panera lines wrapping around the firstfloor dining area? Is this going to ruin Cafe Lux’s business? Will the prices at Panera — already one of the pricier fast-food chains, with my typical Panera order averaging around $20 — be marked up even higher?
While I do have some healthy skepticism about the effect of chain restaurants on campus dining, I am glad to hear that for our next addition to Miami’s food scene, the university is turning to its students for feedback.
The Associated Student Government has announced that the university is seeking student input on our next national brand, and is encouraging students to respond to its survey asking for said input.
So, what national brand should earn the honor of being our next campus chain?
First, I can tell you what brands should probably not.
Logically speaking, it wouldn’t make sense to choose a chain that is already available on High Street. While Jimmy John’s, Chipotle and Subway all offer great menu options, why would we add a restaurant on campus that is already just a short walk from Armstrong?
Additionally, restaurants that are too closely related to other on-campus dining options would not help diversify the array of dining options on campus. Specifically, I think a pizza chain like Papa John’s would be an odd choice, given Eiffel Pizza and the availability of pizza at all dining locations (not to mention the fact we have multiple pizza restaurants Uptown).
While I want a Raising Cane’s in Oxford as badly as everyone else, Cane’s doesn’t exactly have a diversified menu, and for our campus’s vegan and vegetarian population, this dining option would be basically unusable unless they wanted toast and fries.
So, what should we bring to campus?
Whatever restaurant we end up choosing, I think it should — at the very, very least — be a national brand that has a wide array of menu options, has vegan, vegetarian and allergen-friendly options and has a price that college students could reasonably afford on the daily (I’m looking at you, Panera Bread).
My suggestions?
1. Panda Express
The closest Panda Express to Miami’s campus is over 30 minutes away, making the addition of an on-campus Panda Express a way to bring a new national brand to the Oxford community.
With rice options, noodles, steamed vegetables, shrimp and meat dishes, Panda Express would have an extensive menu that could offer filling, fast meals that satisfy a variety of tastes.
Despite having a history of not being vegetarian-friendly, the chain has recently introduced Beyond Meat vegetarian options (including a meatless orange chicken recipe) and includes a variety of vegetable-based meals, making it – for the first time – potentially vegetarian-friendly.
Price-wise, Panda Express is competitive with many current on-campus dining rates, with an entree and side typically costing $7.50.
2. Taco Bell
When it comes to affordable fast food, you really can’t beat Taco Bell prices. Ordering a Cravings Box with a Crunchwrap Supreme, taco, soft drink and nacho chips only costs $5 — less than the price of a typical Starbucks coffee.
The nearest Taco Bell is a distant walk for on-campus students, and a Taco Bell on campus would be the only Mexican restaurant on-campus, which would ensure it would not steer business away from other on-campus dining options.
Additionally, the Taco Bell menu has many different options for vegetarians. With an entire plant-based menu that includes various blackbean and potato-based recipes, vegetarians could enjoy this location too. There are various gluten-free options here as well, including the Power Menu Bowl and the Crunchy Taco.
Plus, Taco Bells are featured in food courts — and college campuses — across the country, which ensures that a Taco Bell could operate within the constraints of an on-campus restaurant location.
As the cost of living continues to soar, everyday college students aren’t looking for fancy juice bars or overpriced sandwiches; students need the best bang for their buck, and I think options like Panda Express and Taco Bell truly give that.
Whether you agree with my propositions or have another excellent idea for an on-campus chain, I encourage you to submit your ideas to the Associated Student Government survey — your restaurant might just be the one that gets picked!
Redhawks Prevail In Home Opener
AVEON SMITH WINDS UP FOR A THROW AGAINST ROBERT MORRIS PHOTO BY JESSICA MONAHAN
IAN ENDERS
THE MIAMI STUDENT
Miami Redhawk Football is officially underway as the Redhawks faced the Robert Morris Colonials at 6 p.m. Saturday night in Yager Stadium. The game featured many positives and a few areas in need of improvement for the Redhawks.
Offense
It was the first career start for Aveon Smith, redshirt first-year quarterback. Smith had a solid first start, completing 14-of-22 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns in the Redhawks 31-14 win over the Colonials. Smith said that he wants to be more composed and decisive in future games.
Smith would throw one interception, however it wasn’t a bad one. He made the correct read by throwing to tight end Nate Muersch, but Robert Morris defensive back Sydney Audiger made an even better play on the ball to intercept Smith.
Smith also overthrew his receivers a few times and missed a few opportunities to put points on the board, but he showed he has potential as a QB. He looked like he could hold down the fort until star quarterback Brett Gabbert returns from his injury.
Nate Muersch, sophomore tight end and Mac Hippenhammer, redshirt senior, were responsible for some key plays for the Redhawks in the receiving department. Hippenhammer would catch four of his six targets for 52 yards and two touchdowns. Muersch grabbed four of his seven targets for 55 yards which included a 30-yard reception.
Sophomore running back Kevin Davis flashed the potential to be one of the best players in the Mid American Conference (MAC) with five carries for 63 yards (12.6 yards per carry), plus two receptions for 24 yards. Davis possesses cheetah-like speed, and when he’s given space he’s going to be very dangerous to opposing teams. Davis is the type of player that should excite Redhawk fans.
Defense
Miami’s defense had a good showing outside of the opening drive for Robert Morris that featured a well-executed play action pass from quarterback Anthony Chiccitt that went
for 79 yards to the Colonials’ tight end Dylan Smith.
They didn’t score on that play thanks to the hustle of redshirt junior defensive back Michael Dowell who stopped Smith on the 1 yard-line, but the Colonials would score three plays later on a two-yard touchdown run by running back Anthony Purge. Over the course of the game the defense would force two interceptions and allow one meaningless touchdown in the closing seconds.
Wrap up
With a win this past Saturday at Yager Stadium, the Redhawks are in sole-possession of college football’s fourth longest home winning streak at 15 wins in a row. They are now ahead of football powerhouse the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Miami Head Coach Chuck Martin stressed the importance of accountability in his post game press conference.
This team possesses playmakers on both sides of the ball that can help the Redhawks fly over their 7-6 record from a year ago and win a MAC Championship. Everyone just has to control what they can control and do their job.
Miami hits the field again Saturday, Sept. 17 against Cincinnati at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
endersis@miamioh.edu @IEnders13
Two Takeaways From Week 2
SOPHOMORE DEFENSIVE BACK, DIVES TO BREAK UP A PASS LAST WEEK PHOTO BY JESSICA MONAHAN
EDWARD ORZECH
STAFF WRITER
The Miami RedHawk football team beat Robert Morris University (RMU) 31-14 Saturday. Here’s two takeaways from Miami’s first win of the season.
Aveon Smith can play
After star quarterback Brett Gabbert went down last week with a shoulder injury, redshirt first-year Aveon Smith took over the starting job for the RedHawks. He performed well, finishing 14/22 in completions, with 155 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Smith said he was satisfied with his performance in his first career start.
“It was a pretty surreal moment, I’m not gonna lie,” Smith said. “It’s been three years since I’ve actually stepped on the field and competed.”
He touched off his excellent night
“It was a pretty surreal moment, I’m not gonna lie...It’s been three years since I’ve actually stepped on the field and competed.” -Aveon Smith
with an arching pass to wide receiver Mac Hippenhammer for a 19-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The RedHawks offense was still able to function well despite Gabbert’s absence, as they amassed 408 total yards. Coach Chuck Martin said the team played well without their star quarterback.
“Anything we didn’t do well tonight had nothing to do with Brett Gabbert,” Martin said. “There’s plenty of things we didn’t do as well as we liked tonight, and it’s not gonna have anything to do with number five not playing.”
Martin said the team still wishes Gabbert was healthy, but he knew Smith was talented enough to play. He said he loved Smith’s confidence because he wasn’t sure if he’d freeze up in the big moment.
“You know when the lights go on,” Martin said.
Young defense steps up
After allowing 37 points to Kentucky last week, Miami’s defense readjusted to hold RMU to just 14 points (and only seven allowed by the first string). This included forcing seven three-and-outs.
The RedHawks defense botched the second play of the game by allowing a 79-yard gain to RMU wide receiver Dylan Smith. The Colonials put home the first touchdown of the game three plays later. Martin said the first defensive drive was a disaster.
“You don’t do your job, you’re not where you’re supposed to, they’re gonna make you pay,” he said. “Doesn’t matter who you play.”
After that play, the RedHawks defense shut RMU down.
Sophomore defensive back John Saunders Jr. helped keep the Colonials at bay with an interception in the second quarter and an incredible diving play to break up a deep completion in the third.
Saunders said he should have intercepted the ball instead.
“It felt good, but I can’t let them get behind me like that, y’know?” Saunders said. “I should’ve been on top of him so I could have been able to intercept that one. If I was in a better position I wouldn’t have had to dive.”
Smith and Saunders will look to continue their good performances next Saturday against Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium. orzeched@miamioh.edu @edward_orzech
College Football’s Tournament Is Expanding — And It’s Leaving Us
MICHAEL VESTEY
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
This was inevitable.
The move to a 12-team College Football Playoff makes economic sense in a decisive way that few previously conceived tournaments have ever matched. The administrators of the game at the highest level can waffle all they like about “fairness for student athletes” and “competition at the highest level,” but everyone can see through it – and it’s only really a surprise that it didn’t come sooner.
Billions of dollars of extra television revenue is expected to be generated by the expanded set of games. The presumed first round is being planned for teams to play on college campuses, before quarter and semifinals are held at the six locations of the New Years’ Six bowl games.
The format of including the six highest ranked conference champions and six at-large teams is an initial bone thrown to the current Group of Five conferences, though which conferences will be where in the pecking order after the current period of realignment remains to be seen.
One thing seems for certain, though – while the American Conference, the Mountain West Conference and the Sun Belt Conference have either maintained their status or made gains during realignment to date, Conference USA (CUSA) and the Mid-American Conference (MAC), the latter of which being the home of the Miami RedHawks, sit clearly behind the bunch.
CUSA was the victim of raids by the American and Sun Belt, losing 11 of its 14 members before adding four; two smaller schools in the periphery of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and two schools from the subdivision below them, FCS Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Meanwhile, the Mid-American Conference sits almost alone, as a conference already at the bottom of the FBS pack and refusing to push for the addition of new members, even despite the apparent interest of (relatively) nearby schools in Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State.
The current revenue split for the College Football Playoff allots $6 million to a conference for each of their teams entering a semi-final game, and $4 million for each of their teams participating in the other four non-Playoff bowls which constitute the New Years’ Six bowls.
The numbers are likely to change with the move to a 12-team playoff system, but the principle will probably remain – conferences receiving payment, directly alongside the number of their teams reaching the Playoff. In 2019-20, the MidAmerican Conference received the lowest amount of College Football Playoff money out of any conference, as it also did in 2018-19.
With the shift of power between conferences after the realignment to-date, we’re less likely to see a distinct Power Five and Group of Five power split as we’ve seen since the introduction of the College Football Playoff.
The Big Ten and Southeastern Conference (SEC) are likely to sit alone at the very top, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and a weird huddle of the Big 12, Pac-12 and Sun Belt, depending on further realignment which seems all but imminent. Then sits the Mountain West, in good position to challenge for the sixth Playoff auto-bid with a good season from a top program like Boise State, and at the bottom, Conference USA and the MidAmerican Conference.
As I’ve detailed in a past column on the topic, college football is about money more than anything else. Increasing the amount of money going to a broader amount of teams and conferences is good for the sport – parity should bring competitiveness that hasn’t been seen too much lately at the top of the game – but the simple fact is, the Mid-American Conference in its current state is extremely unlikely to have one of the six best conference champions, and thus a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Missing out on millions of dollars every year, and watching the conferences that were their former equals cash in as their occasional star program made the run required to claim that sixth spot, means the MidAmerican – and Miami – will only fall further behind.
That means a greater focus on conference football – which is fun, especially during weeknight MACtion near the end of the season – but a greater and greater disparity between it and the rest of the FBS where it ostensibly belongs.
That means more blowout losses in out-of-conference matchups, more losses to FCS teams (as both Buffalo and Bowling Green from the MAC East suffered on Saturday), and less national attention – which itself becomes its own vicious cycle, as conference officials find themselves with continuously weakening leverage in broadcasting deal negotiations with the major networks.
That means yet another blow to the Victory Bell rivalry game (which I also wrote about in a previous column), as Cincinnati’s move to the Big 12 gives them what is almost certain to be an even greater slice of the pie that the RedHawks can only dream of tasting.
Miami football isn’t in trouble – far from it now, with the best quarterback in the conference and a stable, experienced head coach who has worked excellently to rebuild this program and is now entering his ninth year in the job – but when the RedHawks take the field on Saturday at Paul Brown Stadium for the 126th meeting between Miami and Cincinnati, don’t be under any illusions that the blowout Bearcat victory that seems all but certain will be the last of its kind.
