Month: November 2021

The Boston Celtics have not gotten off to the start to the season that they had hoped, falling to 2-5 on Monday with an unbelievable collapse at home against the Bulls in which they saw a 19-point second half lead become a 14-point loss thanks to being outscored by Chicago 39-11 in the fourth quarter.

Offensive execution in the fourth quarter has been an issue in a few of their losses already, as they’ve struggled to establish much of an identity beyond hoping one of Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown can get hot and carry them down the stretch. Part of that is going to be on new coach Ime Udoka to install an offensive system that creates that identity and trust among all five players on the court, but it’s also incumbent on Tatum and Brown to be willing to give the ball up rather than trying to create 1-on-1 all the time.

After scoring just 11 against the Bulls, with both Tatum and Brown going cold late (particularly Tatum), Marcus Smart didn’t hold back about the late game issues and how it has to start with their two stars doing more for their teammates because they’ve become too predictable, via Chris Grenham of Forbes.

“I would just like to play basketball,” Smart said. “Every team knows we’re trying to go to Jayson and Jaylen. Every team is programmed and studied to stop Jayson and Jaylen. I think everybody’s scouting report is to make those guys pass the ball. They don’t want to pass the ball. That’s something that they’re going to learn. They’re still learning. We’re proud of the progress they’re making, but they’re going to have to make another step and find ways to not only create for themselves but create for others on this team to open up the court for them later down in the game where they’re always going to have to take those tough shots or take tough matchups when they do get the 1-on-1 or they bring the trap. It’s something we’ve been asking them to do and they’re learning. We just gotta continue to help those guys do that to help our team.”

Smart isn’t necessarily wrong here, but it is about as open and honest a critique as you’ll hear from a player about his teammates in a postgame situation. Brown and Tatum can slip into hero-ball mode and when that is going poorly and they don’t try to go to something else, that has to be frustrating as someone perched in the corner off the ball. Smart isn’t just airing them out, but noting that it’s part of the learning process for two players still growing into that starring role. Still, the frustration is apparent and it will be very interesting to see how the Celtics respond going forward, because things are trending in the wrong direction right now.

In the immediate, we won’t hear a response from Brown or Tatum, who both declined to talk after the loss.

Without Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris, the Philadelphia 76ers put together a rousing effort in defeating the Portland Trail Blazers by a 10-point margin at home. That victory was encouraging on a number of levels for Philadelphia but, during and after the game, the attention seemingly shifted to an unexpected storyline surrounding Damian Lillard. During the first quarter, fans at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia began to chant “We Want Lillard” while the All-NBA guard was at the free throw line.

After the game, Lillard acknowledged the love from the folks in Philadelphia.

It has been a popular notion for months that the Sixers would love to flip Simmons to Portland in a deal for Lillard and, for a brief time this summer, it appeared as if Lillard might become available in trade. However, that noise has quieted in recent weeks, and Lillard made sure to point out that he is committed to Portland — as he has now for some time.

This isn’t the first time that an opposing player received admiration from a home crowd that was at least partially motivated by a desire for that player to change teams. Still, it is notable that Lillard was showered with this kind of attention in Philadelphia, and with the Simmons saga continuing to unfold, it is clear that at least some of the Sixers faithful would love to see Lillard in a different uniform.

Last year, people were worried about “murder hornets,” a strain of insects who invaded America from Asia and whose stingers were likened to hot metal. Now, as per CBS News, there’s a less dangerous breed afoot in America, and they’re taking over Georgia with such multiplicity that some are comparing it to one of the ’90s’ best horror films, Arachnophobia, in which a deadly species of spiders from Venezuela invades small town California.

But these ones aren’t deadly. They’re called Joro spiders. They hail from East Asia and they’re large, colorful, and very good at webs. They’re part of a group of spiders called “orb weavers,” so named for their organized, wheel-shaped webs. (The ones Joro spiders weave are thick and golden.)

Joro spiders were first reported in America in 2014, but now they’re everywhere in the Southern state, and it’s believed they’ll soon spread southward, to South Carolina. It’s believed they enjoy the warmth and humidity in the state, which is similar to parts of Japan.

“Last year, there were dozens of spiders, and they began to be something of a nuisance when I was doing yard work,” one person, whose porch has been taken over by Joro webs 10 feet deep, told CBS. “This year, I have several hundred, and they actually make the place look spooky with all the messy webs — like a scene out of Arachnophobia.”

That said, Joro spiders are reportedly not dangerous. They only bite if attacked first, and one researcher who handled them without gloves said she received an occasional pinch but that they never broke her skin.

That said, it’s not clear yet what effect Joro spiders will have on the state’s environment and ecosystem, and there remain many unknowns. But they may prove to be a blessing. One entomologist said they suppress mosquitos and biting flies. They’re also one of the few spiders that will eat brown marmorated stink bugs, which have long been pests to crops.
 
“This is wonderful. This is exciting. Spiders are our friends,” the entomologist said. “They are out there catching all the pests we don’t want around our home.”

That said, maybe it’s not the best idea to let one’s guard down around world-dominating spiders.

(Via CBS News)

On Sunday, the day before Tucker Carlson debuted his multi-part “documentary” series attempting to whitewash the Capitol riot, The Washington Post dropped an epic, thorough investigative report on Jan. 6. Some of it had long been known. Other intel was new. Among the latter is a bit concerning Lindsey Graham. The South Carolina senator and “freeloader” has since come back around on disgraced former president Donald Trump, who helped incite the tragic melee. But on that fateful day, he was adamant that police take care of the invading Trump supporters.

As per the report, Graham — who was known to mock Trump behind his back — was furious that the Senate and House were being evacuated by Capitol police. But he had an idea. Furious, he began yelling at the Senate sergeant-at-arms. “What are you doing? Take back the Senate! You’ve got guns. Use them,” he said. “We give you guns for a reason,” he added. “Use them.”

That’s not what happened. Police were overwhelmed by the number and the ferocity of the Trump supporters who broke through barriers and windows, threatening the lives of all inside. Only one invading Trump supporter, Ashlii Babbitt was shot. Trumpists have since tried to turn her into a martyr, some even comparing her to George Floyd.

Graham was also one of a number of Republican leaders who attempted to reach out to Trump, to demand that he instruct his supporters to back off. He only got as far as Ivanka, who was also trying, without much success, to talk some sense into her father.

“You need to get these people out of here,” Graham told Ivanka. “This thing is going south. This is not good. You’re going to have to tell these people to stand down. Stand down.”

Instead, Trump spent over three hours doing nothing while his fan base ran amok. And as many of them are facing jail time, he again is doing nothing.

(Via The Post)

The New York Knicks magical run to the playoffs last season certainly doesn’t appear to be a mirage, as the Knicks have come out blazing to start the 2021-22 season with a 5-1 record that puts them atop the East two weeks in.

They started the season with a win over Boston in a double overtime thriller that had the masses going crazy inside Madison Square Garden, and as they poured out into Manhattan, Sidetalk NYC came out with an instantly iconic fan reaction video.

There are a lot of incredible moments packed into a one minute video — the “KD don’t you regret not coming to the Kniiiiicks” guy and the guy who just shakes violently both are sensational — but the guy who simply says “BING BONG” became an instant Knicks legend and, in the two weeks since, it has become a rallying cry for Knicks fans. The team has embraced it as well, debuting a new “Bing Bong” drop for made threes on Monday against the Raptors.

Not only has game ops latched onto it, but Mike Breen is even caught up in Bing Bong fever, as he dropped his first of the season after a banked in Julius Randle three to end the first quarter, replacing his iconic “BANG.”

The Knicks are as fun a team as there is in basketball to start the season and nothing gets the people in New York going quite like a good “BING BONG” right now.

Seriously, I might have to break up with my boyfriend to try this out.

In an interview with the New York Post, co-founders-slash-sisters Leigh and Casey Isaacson revealed that Tabby Dates was born out of the “romantic woes” of poor Casey, whose relationship was cut short due to her having a dog. So the sisters came up with the idea to “cut to the chase with something that really matters most.” Leigh added that “pets matter so much more than what a lot of other niche dating apps offer.”

Like most online dating apps, you start by creating a profile, where you’d add a picture of yourself and your cat. You’d be able to find someone with or without a cat, but needless to say, anyone on Tabby Dates is pro-kitty. From there you also get deals from pet companies, the scoop on cat-friendly locations and you can RSVP to cat events. Yes, dreams really do come true.

Contemporary dating is difficult. Add to that, finding out your suitor is allergic, or even worse, not a “cat-person” is pretty discouraging. And according to a study posted by The Conversation, the stigma is still out there, as it “suggested that some heterosexual women ‘found the men holding cats to be less dateable,’ as opposed to men with dogs.” That’s right, dudes with cats might deal with more pet prejudice than their female counterparts.

Nathan Kehn, pet influencer and brand manager for Tabby Dates, brings up a good argument in favor of feline loyalty in a statement on the dating app’s website: “People always give people with cats a bad name. Calling them crazy cat ladies because they are so dedicated to their cats. Honestly, I would love to find someone who is as dedicated in a relationship as cat owners are to their cats.”

Something tells me that Nathan has no problems in the dating world, if this picture is any indicator.

Oh, and in case any dog people are feeling left out by reading this article, fear not! The Tabby Dates team have also created a dog-centric dating app called … wait for it … Dig Dates. The knack for puns this group has is just paw-some.

If you, your date or your cat are looking for something fun to do tonight, watch Tabby Dates’ debut on ABC’s Shark Tank. It’s truly a victory for love of all kinds.

The Tiger King story has been wild both onscreen and off-, with two outsized characters — zookeeper-turned-convicted felon Joe Exotic and his nemesis, big cat conservationist Carole Baskin — providing plenty of dramatic fodder after the Netflix doc series became a sensation. So here we go again: As per The Hollywood Reporter, mere days after the trailer for the sequel dropped, Baskin has sued Netflix.

Baskin’s beef? She doesn’t want to see herself (or her cats) in Tiger King 2. In an emergency motion, she and her legal team are seeking to ban Netflix “from any use of film footage of the Baskins and the Big Cat Rescue sanctuary in Tiger King 2 or in any related promotion or advertising.”

The filing claims that they agreed that footage of her and her sanctuary, named Big Cat Rescue, would only be used in one documentary project. Baskin and her husband Howard also alleged that they never gave permission for additional filming at their place of business, and that they weren’t paid for those services.

Baskin also didn’t exactly enjoy the first Tiger King. She’s been vocal against the series before, even decrying the sequel when it was announced. In the filing, her attorney says it portrayed “Joe Exotic as a sympathetic victim and Carole as the villain.” Indeed, one of the seven episodes is devoted to a conspiracy theory that alleged, without much proof, that Baskin may have played a role in her previous husband going missing.

Not that Joe Exotic, née Joseph Allen Schreibvogel, came off all that well either. The series follows him as he’s convicted on 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder for hire, having plotted to have Baskin killed. What it doesn’t show — and which will likely be in the sequel — is him begging everyone from then-president Donald Trump to Cardi B to get him out of jail.

Tiger King 2 is set to drop on Netflix on November 17, but now it could wind up delayed.

(Via THR)

The Philadelphia 76ers were scheduled to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday evening and, for most of the day, a lot of the attention on Philadelphia’s injury report focused on Joel Embiid’s absence for rest. However, the Sixers announced within an hour of tip-off that Tobias Harris had been scratched due to the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols. From there, the reporting continued, first with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski indicating that Philadelphia was looking to garner additional information in the coming hours.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Harris is expected to miss “several games.”

At this stage, nothing is official with regard to a timeline, but with Philadelphia already playing without Ben Simmons, the 76ers will be tested in terms of forward depth. Above all, the hope would be that Harris is healthy and okay. From a basketball standpoint, though, Philadelphia started Monday’s game with a very small lineup, deploying three guards (Seth Curry, Tyrese Maxey, and Furkan Korkmaz) along with Danny Green as the team’s nominal power forward.

Additional details will undoubtedly emerge in the coming days with regard to Harris’s status. In the meantime, Philadelphia will need to piece together minutes at both forward spots, with the potential for more playing time for players like Matisse Thybulle and Georges Niang.

Peerless Distilling Co. is one of the most beloved and awarded distilleries in Kentucky. In six short years, the Taylor family has been able to revitalize their family’s heritage brand while their Master Distiller, Caleb Kilburn, has been busy crafting some of the most-lauded and delicious juice in the game. Everything about the Peerless whiskeys — they make bourbon and rye — is attention-grabbing, from the design of the bottles to flavors inside of them.

We were lucky enough to get to taste Peerless’s latest limited edition release, Double Oak, right before the drop and can tell you right now: it does not disappoint. Like the brand itself, it’s a great product with a fascinating story behind it.

At its heart, “Double Oak” is an expression created to fix a problem — the occasional leaky barrel. Over the years, Peerless has re-barrelled the whiskey inside their leaky barrels and later released those barrels as special one-off “Double Oak” single barrel drops. Often to very high acclaim. This year, the team decided to re-create these double oaked single barrels by design.

Right now, Peerless Double Oak is available in Kentucky, California, Illinois, Florida, and New York, with shipping to other states possible and always expanding. Click on the price to see if you can get one in your neck of the woods. You can also watch our live tasting on Instagram with Caleb Kilburn (who just turned 30, making him one of the youngest Master Distillers in the game) below.

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of 2021

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Peerless Double Oak Bourbon

ABV: 53.55%

Average Price: $134

The Whiskey:

The whiskey is around five to six years old and comes from one barrel that lets the grains shine through before it goes into another barrel that lets the oak shine through. That final barrel is bottled at cask strength, as is.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a nose full of salted butter next to hints of very soft leather, light notes of vanilla bean, a touch of toffee sweetness, and freshly cracked walnuts with a dry edge. The taste leans into that oak barrel with dashes of woody spices (think allspice berries, star anise, and cinnamon sticks), dry cherry tobacco leaves, salted caramel, and more of that super soft leather. That leads towards a mid-palate of dark red fruits stewed in mulled wine spices and cut with a dollop of fresh honey before the (long) finish dries out towards an old wicker chair, a very distinct hint of a cellar funk, and a touch of dried mint.

The Bottle:

Peerless’ bottles are pretty much the most iconic in the business. The bottle is a Georgia-made crystal-clear glass doubler (the one that’s actually used on the distilling floor at the distillery). The stopper is hefty — it feels like you have a damn stone in your hand when you pull that cork. The label is pure nostalgia with a fall-infused color scheme.

It’s a heavy bottle but one that you can spot from across the room.

Bottom Line:

When it comes to craft whiskey from Kentucky, you have a lot of options. Few rise to this level of innovation and deliciousness and this expression is no exception. This is subtle, nuanced, bold, warming, and really easy drinking. I’m going to probably use it for mixing Manhattans all fall and winter this year while also laying down a bottle in the vault (I was at an auction where bottle #1 of this sold for $1,500).

Ranking:

95/100 — This is a really well-crafted bourbon that feels like a fantastic sipper for fall/winter 2021.

Zillow, the sometimes parodied online real estate service, has run into a big of a snag: According to Bloomberg, the company accidentally bought way too many homes and is now looking to sell them. How many homes? About 7,000.

It’s the result of bad timing and a technical hiccup caused. After the company tweaked their algorithms, they wound up making a large number of winning bids. Unfortunately that came right as the home-price appreciation cooled. Now they have too many homes. As one analyst said, the company “leaned into home-price appreciation at exactly the wrong moment.”

Now Zillow is seeking about $2.6 billion combined for the surplus of houses. A number of them are priced for less than they were purchased.

The company purchased a whopping 8,000 homes in the third quarter of this year. They are reportedly not buying any more homes for the remainder of 2021, apart from ones for they’ve already started a contract.

Founded in 2006, Zillow began as an online real estate listings hub. But recently it began buying houses and flipping them, in a practice that has become known as “iBuying.” As Bloomberg puts it:

Zillow invites owners to request an offer on their house and uses algorithms to generate a price. If an owner accepts, Zillow buys the property, makes light repairs and puts it back on the market.

The company won’t be backing off of house purchasing. By 2024, they hope to buy 5,000 homes a month. But technical fumbles aren’t the only thing standing in their way. There’s also the pesky fact that millennials still aren’t becoming home-owners.

(Via Bloomberg)