Author: jkcrawley1

The Chipotle Revolution

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by Joshua Crawley
Johns Creek High School

When the CEO of Chipotle, Brian Nicoll, came out and made a video contradicting Chipotle naysayers, most people didn’t know what to think.

“We always want to give people big portions that get them excited about the food,” he said.

There were trends of people holding up their phone and recording their order, and walking out mid- order if they felt they didn’t get enough food., TikToks also showed people testing the portion difference when ordering food in person versus online pickup. Nicoll said in his video that if you wanted more food, all you had to do was give the employee a little head nod. Many were skeptical and continued to do what they had been doing.

The saga started when Keith Lee, a popular food critic called out Chipotle for serving sizes in a Tiktok video. He complained about his portion of chicken and the quality of food in the rest of the bowl. That prompted many others to come out and call out Chipotle as well and started a revolution. 

A few weeks after Lee’s video, a rumor was swirling that if you recorded Chipotle while they made your order, they would give you more food. People flocked to the restaurant to try it and some went to extreme measures to be funny. One man brought in a whole camera crew to stand behind him while he ordered. Some Chipotles eventually started telling people they could not record. They said it was disrespectful to the employees.

Next, people started the walk-out trend. People would leave the restaurant and force Chipotle to throw out the food if they felt they weren’t receiving enough food. This became a viral trend on TikTok, setting the Chipotle revolution in full force. People were unwilling to fork over their money if Chipotle was unwilling to fork over better portions.

Many teenagers had opinions on the portion sizes that contradicted those of adults. Devin Wang, a rising senior from Huntington Beach, California said depending on who he’s with will dictate whether or not he pays. He goes to Chipotle about once a week and likes the restaurant. 

“I’m a little disappointed with the protein portions,” he said., “But they’re just trying not to get fired.”

Rising high school freshman Amari Hines of Lawrenceville, Georgia calls himself a “Chipotlean.” He said he goes 3-4 times a week.

“I think they’re pretty consistent with the meat,” he said.

Chipotle will continue to be under heavy scrutiny until they find a solution customers don’t complain about. Some have suggested they get measuring cups so the portions are the same every single time. Regardless, Chipotle continues to make a large profit and continues to run a very successful business. Nicoll feels they are doing a great job.

“Our goal is to get people really excited about what I believe is really delicious food.”

Are Parents Slowly Tearing Down Youth Soccer?

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by Joshua Crawley
Johns Creek High School

“Ref make the damn call!” Two minutes into the game and the parents were already going. “Referee how is that not a f****** foul?!” Maybe because the kid tripped over his own feet. “This ref is shit!” Not even halftime yet and I’ve heard everything and more. “Ref go to h***!” These are 9 year old kids out here playing recreational soccer, it can’t be that deep to you.

These were the kind of things I heard the first game I worked as an assistant referee. My first game ever. From the minute the first whistle was blown, it seemed like the parents were more worried about me than their own kids out on the field. They yelled and verbally abused me the whole game.

It ranged from screaming, to profanity, to things 8 year old kids just shouldn’t be hearing. Every time I made or didn’t make a call, it seemed like a fire went off behind me. I remember one dad slamming his hat on the ground and stomping and screaming at me and my other referees. Sometimes, they would even come up behind me and yell. 

Now that I have much more experience as a referee, I am more composed under circumstances like those. At the time though, the whole thing had me a little shaken. Not too long ago, I was refereeing a final of a tournament all by myself. The parents were worse than the first time, at one point a dad stepped onto the field arguing a call I made. At that point, I stopped the game for a minute and told the whole sideline to let the kids play. I tried to say it as confidently as I could, but under these circumstances, it became hard. 

This is just a small example of a bigger problem though. Across the United States, parents abusing referees is turning into a major problem. Just a few years ago in 2021 in California, a man angry about a call in a recreational game of 11 year olds ran across the field and decked a referee that was half of his size. The parent received a red card, but the issue was clear to see. Parents have gotten out of control in youth soccer.

 Another problem with this is that they teach their kids that this is ok. That it’s ok to act like that when you don’t get your way, that it’s ok to mistreat officials, that it’s ok to be aggressive with people whenever you want. At the end of the day, parents have to do better.

Sometimes, parents wonder why they don’t have enough referees. This is why. Earlier this year in February, in Pennsylvania, the state referee administrator announced that they were in need of many referees to let games go on as scheduled. CBS News reported that the main reason for the lack of referees stems from people unwilling to deal with unruly spectators. It’s not only Pennsylvania though, as across the country, referees are needed in many places. Many of these referees are teenagers, and when crowds of 50 year old men are yelling at us forever, it becomes a lot to deal with. 

Regardless of what’s happening on the field, parents’ behavior is not condoned. Even if referees do make mistakes, parents need to be patient. We don’t have all the technology and perfection required to get every single call spot on at the youth level. With that being said, referees are human and just like other people. Parents need to focus on cheering and supporting their kids and focusing on the game itself. The referees are there to make the game run, but lately parents seem to want to make the game about the refs. 

Since I was a kid, my parents have always respected referees, so I have followed suit. Other than the occasional “c’mon ref,” they don’t do too much. A “c’mon ref” is ok. What’s not ok is the screaming profanities, the inappropriate comments, and disrupting the flow of the game. My parents come to the game and cheer on my team. A bad call here and there goes unnoticed because the game is so fast and they make the game about us players. When parents stop worrying about the refs, the game flows and is a lot more enjoyable to watch. 

“Ref make the damn call!” Sometimes refs want to react, but they are told that is not their place. Solutions to this are hard to come by right now. For me one time out of all my times refereeing, an assignor came over and told the parent he needed to calm down or leave. That calmed the man down until the assignor was out of earshot, and then he was at it again. Parents are going to be parents, but they need to be better. 

The Jovial Joe Dennis

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Some people know what they want to do from the time they’re young. For Joe Dennis, it was a different story.

“I don’t want to write,” he said during his teen years, “That’s boring.”

That was Dennis’ response when asked to write for volleyball at his freshman orientation. His whole life had been defined by his many hobbies and different interests, and journalism never even came of interest to him until he realized he could cover his crush, Tara Fenske. He is from Naperville, Chicago and a proud sports fan as well as many other things to this day. Dennis’ many hobbies, interests, and skills are what shape him to this day.

Dennis grew up on the South Side of Chicago, originally wanting to be a baseball player. Even though he wasn’t good enough to get too far with it, his love of baseball never left him. He is still a passionate but disappointed White Sox fan to this day. He also supports the Chicago Bulls and Bears, but they haven’t had much success recently either. 

If Dennis is in the vicinity, chances are a fedora isn’t far behind. 

In 2012 while at the Peabody awards, Dennis ran into a street vendor selling fedoras that was looking to sell. When he was told he would look good in a fedora, a new door was opened for him. From that moment on, Dennis’ fedoras have become a part of his identity.

“I’m Filipino, Bruno Mars is Filipino, and he rocks the fedora, so maybe I can do it,” he said. “Now it’s kind of like part of my image.”

While growing up, the radio was always on for Joe.

“I loved listening to the radio every night, doing my homework in my bedroom,” Dennis said. “So I became a professional disc jockey, and emulated that energy that [radio hosts] had to their shows.”

He even chose North Central College with the goal of going somewhere with a good radio program. With that skill, Dennis finds himself the public address announcer for the Georgia hockey team. This has always been a passion of Dennis’ and something that helped him get to where he is today.

From Dennis’ obsession with Kesha, to the AP stylebook, there are so many things that make him unique. All of these have helped him get to where he is today in journalism. 

“Every experience you have on this earth informs,” he said. “Makes you a better journalist.”

Joshua Crawley

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When people ask me about who I am, I usually don’t know what to say. I could say I’m a soccer player, An athlete, a student, a brother, a runner, a reader and writer, a child of god, a volunteer, or a referee. I could say all these things and many more, but I never feel like that alone can show people who I really am. I am 16 years old going into my junior year at Johns Creek High School. I am amazing and I have everything and more.

My soccer journey started as an adventurous 7 year old that was drawn to soccer. From playing recreational soccer for fun to now playing on a team that travels out of state for games and tournaments nationally, I have come a long way. I became a captain of my club soccer team Atlanta Fire United, played for my high school soccer team, and played in high profile matches in North Carolina and Orlando. Playing soccer got me into refereeing. Part of me just felt like I wanted to get a job, and a part of me wanted to get a job with something I would truly enjoy. I have refereed for about a half year now, and have learned to enjoy everything that comes with it. The crazy screaming parents and coaches along with the occasional fracas on the field are something I have embraced and become entertained by. Cross country was something I recently got into to help me as a runner and an athlete and also to meet new people. Anyways, that’s basically the athletic part of me, but there’s still so much more that encompasses me.

“At my Fathers house, there’s a place for me, I’m a child of God, yes I am.” These are the lyrics of a song we sing at church and as I have progressed forward in my understanding and relationship with God, this couldn’t be more true. Since joining North Point Church a year and a half ago, I have met so many amazing people and grown so much in my faith. From summer retreats to Daytona Beach, to weekends with my brothers in Christ, to Sunday afternoons together, I don’t take any of it for granted. I am a brother to two, and one of the things I have tried to do with my brothers is help them get closer to God as well. My younger brothers mean the world to me and I love them so much. ‘

I do great in the classroom. I get good grades and am a member of different clubs. I’m going to go to an amazing college one day. I am an A student and an avid reader and writer. I am a part of Beta Club which does volunteer work in the school and community. I joined that club for the volunteer hours and recognition initially, but it is something I now find joy in and willingly do. Writing is something that I feel came to me at an early age. I remember once writing a narrative in my fifth grade class, and my teacher later telling me that it was one of the best in the class and that I had a talent for it. I have enjoyed writing a lot and see it as a way to express myself. A career in writing is something I will eventually look to pursue, but nothing is set in stone yet.

My experiences and things I’ve done in this life don’t quite define me or tell my full story, but it gives you an idea of what I’m all about. As I continue to move forward in my life, I will add new things to my palette and grow into an even more amazing person, with a greater story to tell.