Despite causing over a billion dollars to go missing from the cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, which he’s accused of running as his own “personal fiefdom” causing its disastrous crash, Sam Bankman-Fried is free on bail for the holidays. However, it wasn’t cheap. His parents had to put up their house to secure his whopping $250 million bail, and the disgraced crypto bro will be severely limited in his movements and expenditures.
Under the bail arrangement, Mr. Bankman-Fried will live with his parents in Palo Alto, Calif., under strict electronic monitoring, including a bracelet that will be placed on him before he leaves the courthouse.
The $250 million personal recognizance bond — a written promise to appear in court as needed — will be secured by his parents’ interest in their home, the judge said. He was also required to surrender his passport and to receive mental health and substance abuse treatment. Any expenses above $1,000 would require prior approval by the government.
The judge, Gabriel W. Gorenstein, made it a point to warn Bankman-Fried that if he violated the terms of the bail agreement, he’d be thrown in jail and his parents would be forced to pay the entire bond in full. While prosecutors argued that Bankman-Fried is a “flight risk” and that he should be denied bail, the judge disagreed after determining that the disgraced crypto CEOs fortunes have been severely depleted and pretty much everyone knows who he is now.
“It would be very difficult for this defendant to hide without being recognized,” Judge Gorenstein said. “So I believe that the risk of flight is appropriately mitigated.”
In short, he ain’t going nowhere, and man, talk about salt in the wound.
On top of all of the food, twinkling lights, parties, and generally revelry associated with the holidays, the time off just might be the best part. Even if you have your in-laws visiting, you still probably get a few days (if not a week or more) off for the holidays. This extra time at home is a great opportunity to enjoy some of the incredible winter beers currently available.
What else are you going to do from now until New Year’s? Spend time with your family? Why not enjoy a beer or three while you’re at it!
Since winter is such a great time for beer, we understand the idea of rounding up the best, most flavorful winter beers is a bit of a daunting task. This is why we decided to do the work for you. Keep scrolling to see our 20 favorite seasonal brews ranked by overall flavor.
One of the more well-known winter warmers on the market, Harpoon Winter Warmer has been a Boston classic since its inception in 1988. Known for its mix of sweetness and wintry spices, it’s a warming hug on a cold winter night.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is spicier than we’d prefer with cinnamon and nutmeg making an appearance along with toffee. The palate continues this trend with roasted malts, vanilla, and caramel pairing with a heavy dose of wintry spices. It could use a better balance between malts and spices.
Bottom Line:
Maybe this one is more nostalgia, but that’s okay by us. It just tastes like frigid winter day. It’s just a little heavy-handed on the spices for some drinkers.
Only available in November and December, Old Man Winter is a 7.5% ABV winter ale brewed with ale yeast, three types of hops, and two types of malts. It foregoes the wintry spices for roasted malts, chocolate, caramel, and slightly bitter hops instead.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas of roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, and lightly floral hops greet you before your first sip. On the palate, you’ll find notes of dried fruits, roasted malts, caramel, and a nutty sweetness.
Bottom Line:
While we don’t prefer overly spiced winter ales, this one is lacking a little in the flavor department. It’s malty, but just a little light as winter seasonals usually go.
This beer is named for the “fireside chats” or evening addresses by then-president Franklin D. Roosevelt. It’s even adorned with an image of the former president sitting beside a roaring fire. It’s a warming, seasonal English-style ale with wintry spices.
Tasting Notes:
The nose isn’t overly exciting, but there are hints of cocoa powder, caramel, ginger, and orange peels. These scents give way to a palate of brown bread, candied orange peels, gingerbread, chocolate, toffee, and just a hint of floral, resinous pine at the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is another spiced winter ale that just doesn’t completely hit the mark. It’s decent but is just lacking in overall aroma and flavor.
Besides a Christmas tree or a menorah, there are few things more associated with the holidays than a wooden nutcracker. That’s why Boulevard named its 7.5% ABV winter warmer after the iconic nut-crushing soldier. It gets its flavor from a variety of malts and Chinook hops.
Tasting Notes:
Brown bread, candied nuts, dried fruits, molasses, and slightly floral, piney hops are noticeable on the nose. The palate features more caramel malts, brown bread, molasses, piney hops, and gentle wintry spices. The finish is slightly hoppy and bitter.
Bottom Line:
This isn’t a bad beer. It’s just kind of mislabeled. The imagery makes you think it’s going to be a spiced, wintry beer when it’s really just a malty, lager-like winter warmer. Nothing really special here.
The brewers at Dark Horse refer to 4 Elf as “holiday cheer in liquid form” and we couldn’t agree more. This winter warmer gets its memorable, seasonal flavor from the addition of malt and hops as well as brown sugar, honey, clove, cinnamon, and even nutmeg.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is surprisingly spicy with orange peels, cinnamon, nutmeg, and floral herbal hops. Drinking it adds to the seasonal appeal with flavors like clove, candied orange peels, caramel malts, cinnamon, and more spicy, floral hops at the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a well-made winter warmer for fans of spice. It would be better served with a little more caramel malt flavor to offset the hops and spices though.
As winter beers go, this is about as far from a winter warmer as you can get. This 6.5% ABV hazy, winter IPA is released in December to be enjoyed during ski season or by anyone looking for a respite from darker beers. It gets its snappy, juicy, citrusy flavor from the addition of Mosaic, Lotus, Strata, and El Dorado hops.
Tasting Notes:
This IPA’s aroma is citrus through and through. There’s a ton of tangerine, lime, lemon, and earthy, resinous pine. It’s a great start that leads into a memorable palate of grapefruit, candied pineapple, lemon zest, tangerine, and a nice kick of slightly bitter pine.
Bottom Line:
As hazy IPAs go, this one isn’t as juicy and tropical fruit-filled as expected. It’s a little more one-dimensional, relying on citrus almost exclusively.
Anderson Valley set out to create a classic winter warmer with its Winter Solstice and they did just that. It’s brewed with Pale 2-row, Crystal, and Munich malts as well as oat flakes, house yeast, and Northern Brewer and Chinook hops.
Tasting Notes:
A complex nose of toffee, brown bread, dried fruits, and wintry spices greets you before your first sip. On the palate, you’ll notice layer upon layer of caramel, toasted malts, dried fruits, cinnamon, and other seasonal spices. A lot is going on with this beer.
Bottom Line:
This is a well-made winter warmer. It has the caramel malts and the spices, but nothing is overdone. The only thing holding it back is the fact that it could almost use even more wintry spices to round it out.
This 6% ABV winter ale is known for its complex, balanced flavor profile featuring a heavy dose of caramel malts as well as Fuggle and Golding hops. The result is a malty, spicy, slightly hoppy beer for the cold nights ahead.
Tasting Notes:
The aromas is all brown bread, raisins, dried cherries, toffee, and herbal, floral hops. It’s a good start and it only gets better when you take a sip. This is where you encounter notes of sticky toffee, figs, raisins, bready malts, honey, vanilla, and lightly bitter, floral hops.
Bottom Line:
This is an interesting, flavorful, balanced winter warmer. Its only downfall is that at such a low ABV for a winter warmer, the flavors are slightly muted.
This aptly named award-winning beer isn’t your usual winter sipper. Instead of the usual winter warmer or other dark beer, this is a Northwest-style red ale. Brewed with Chocolate and Caramel malts as well as a healthy dose of hops (Alchemy, Eureka, and Cascade), it’s a great take on the wintry style.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is loaded with toffee candy, brown bread, candied orange peel, dried fruits, and pine needles. On the palate, you’ll find flavors like orange peel, caramel, freshly baked bread, vanilla, and earthy, herbal, piney hops. It’s subdued in the best way possible.
Bottom Line:
While this beer isn’t over-the-top when it comes to seasonal flavors. It’s in its balanced simplicity where it shines.
While we’d never suggest climbing into a toboggan at the top of a steep hill after you’ve had a few beers, we do suggest you try this seasonal favorite from Two Beers. This 6.8% ABV winter ale was brewed with 2-row, Vienna, Munich, Black Prinz, Crystal 60, Crystal 150, and white wheat. It gets its snappy kick from the addition of Columbus, Galena, and Cascade hops.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a ton of raisins, dried cherries, butterscotch, vanilla, and brown sugar on the nose. It invites you to take a sip. This is where you’ll find even more flavors like figs, raisins, toffee, treacle, chocolate, and even cinnamon. It’s a very fruity, rich beer that you’ll be craving all year long.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to winter beers, this is definitely something different and that’s not such a bad thing. It’s heavy with fruit and caramel and just as heavy with happiness.
Highland Brewing has been making this perennial winter classic for the last twenty-six years. It’s brewed with 2-row, Pilsen, Vienna, Chocolate, Caramel 40, Caramel 60, and wheat as well as Cascade and Mt. Hood hops.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find aromas of dried fruits, cinnamon sugar, vanilla, caramel, and roasted malts. The flavor is highlighted by brown bread, toffee, brown sugar, cinnamon, roasted malts, chocolate, and other wintry spices. Sweet, warming, and memorable.
Bottom Line:
Cold Mountain is a little lighter in ABV than many winter warmers, but somehow it’s still loaded with balanced seasonal flavors and aromas.
This 7.4% ABV winter warmer is aptly named as it’s known for its warming mix of caramel malts and sweet, dried fruits. It’s also one of the earliest winter beers to hit shelves as it launches at the end of October.
Tasting Notes:
Before your first sip, you’re met with aromas of vanilla beans, caramel malts, freshly baked bread, ginger, and gentle spices. This leads to a palate of sticky toffee, vanilla, dried fruits, cinnamon, and roasted malts. It’s malty, sweet, with just a hint of wintry spice.
Bottom Line:
This winter warmer has everything winter beer fans could want. It’s higher in ABV, warming, malty, and doesn’t overdo it with the holiday spices.
This holiday favorite is a mischievous mix of Chocolate, Munich, and Pilsner malts paired with honey and five different kinds of cherries. It’s bold, indulgent, sweet, malty, and well-suited for winter drinking.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is all cinnamon sugar, toffee, vanilla beans, wintry spices, and a whole wallop of dried cherry flavor. The palate follows suit with notes of caramel, roasted malts, chocolate, Christmas spices, and sweeter, tart, delicious cherry flavor.
Bottom Line:
This one is for the cherry fans. It has the wintry spices and flavors winter beer fans love, but it’s put over the top with the dried cherry flavor.
Nobody wants to be snowed in, but they might not mind if they found themselves with a sixer (or hopefully more) of Odell Isolation Ale. Simply brewed with Rocky Mountain water, roasted and caramel malts, and Nugget hops, it’s a true seasonal favorite.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find brown bread, roasted malts, butterscotch, and just a hint of dried fruits. On the palate, you’ll find flavors of bready malts, caramel candy, dried fruit, roasted malts, and gentle herbal, earthy, slightly piney hops at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This popular winter beer is a great example of balance. Bready, caramel malts give way to light herbal hops, creating a classic winter beer.
6) Carton Decoy
Carton
ABV: 12%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
As winter beers go, this one is truly unique. This 12% ABV Belgian-style strong ale is flavored with Special B malts and Belgian candi sugars as well as coriander, cumin, lavender flowers, Sichuan red peppercorns, and even honey.
Tasting Notes:
A complex nose of sweet honey, peppery spices, raisins, figs, caramel, vanilla, and earthy, floral aromas come first before the first sip. Drinking it brings forth notes of dried cherries, plums, honey, vanilla beans, roasted malts, and just a hint of wintry spices.
Bottom Line:
This one should appeal to fans of Belgian beers and Belgian-style beers. It’s complex, spiced, and perfect for a cold winter night.
This 9% ABV wild dark strong holiday ale is brewed with Styrian Aurora, Fuggle, and Tettnang hops as well as Pilsner Malt, Wheat Malt, and Chocolate Malt before being aged for a full six months in oak.
Tasting Notes:
This beer smells like a fruitcake with dried fruits, caramel malts, brown bread, and a nutty aroma. The palate is more of the same with candied almonds, raisins, dried cherries, figs, vanilla beans, toffee, and an almost wine-like fruity flavor throughout.
Bottom Line:
In a world of spiced winter warmers, Jolly Pumpkin Noel with its wine-like, oaky flavor profile is a nice respite.
This complex winter ale was brewed with Rahr Pale, Simpsons Munich, Simpsons Crystal Dark, and Carafa III malts as well as Chinook, Citra, El Dorado, Galaxy, and Mosaic hops. It’s known for its dried fruit, caramel, and lightly piney flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
Caramel, brown bread, roasted malts, grapefruit, candied orange peels, dried berries, and gentle, herbal pine can be found on the nose. Sipping it reveals notes of caramel, vanilla beans, light citrus zest, dried fruits, and pine needles. The finish is dry, sweet, and gently spiced.
Bottom Line:
This is a classic winter ale. It has a great mix of caramel, winter spices, and pine. Everything is in perfect unison.
There are few winter beers more popular than the classic Sierra Nevada Celebration. The best part? It isn’t anything like any of the other well-known winter beers. This is because it’s a fresh hop IPA brewed with Cascade and Centennial hops.
Tasting Notes:
This change of pace seasonal beer begins with grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon zest along with caramel malts, and pine needles. The palate continues this with cereal grains, caramel, tangerine, grapefruit, and a bitter, floral, piney finish.
Bottom Line:
Often, we don’t think of IPAs when we think of winter beers. But Sierra Nevada Celebration is just that. A bold, bright, hoppy IPA perfect for respite from darker, maltier beers.
2) Deschutes Jubeleale
Deschutes
ABV: 6.7%
Average Price: $11.99 for a six-pack
https://www.totalwine.com/beer/specialty-styles/winter-warmer/deschutes-jubelale/p/101728126
The Beer:
There’s a reason Deschutes Jubelale is one of the most popular winter beers. Brewed with Pale, Crystal, Extra Special, Carapils malts, and roasted barley, it gets its hop flavor from the addition of Bravo, Cascade, Delta, Us Tettnang, and East Kent Goldings. The result is a malty, slightly spicy, piney winter beer worth remembering.
Tasting Notes:
Roasted malts, toffee, raisins, dried cherries, brown bread, honey, and wintry spices are the first aromas found on the nose. On the palate, you’ll find notes of treacle, chocolate, caramel candy, brown sugar, dried fruits, wintry spices, and lightly floral, herbal pine.
Bottom Line:
Light spices, caramel, herbal hops, this warming, rich, sweet winter warmer have everything you could want in a winter seasonal.
This 8% ABV imperial winter ale is available in November and December, but it’s the latter where it really shines. It’s brewed with 2-row Pale, Munich, C-120, Chocolate, and Carafa 2 malts as well as roasted barley, Columbus, US Goldings, and Willamette hops.
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this beer’s nose. There are aromas of graham crackers, raisins, fudge, sticky toffee, and Christmas spices. The palate continues this trend with flavors like cocoa, caramel candy, cinnamon, ginger, and herbal, earthy pine.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the most well-balanced winter beers on the market. The malts and hops are in perfect symmetry and it doesn’t have any over-the-top spices to hold it back.
The Flaming Lips‘ Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots is a classic, immersive record, so it wasn’t that big of a surprise when in 2007 it was announced that it would be adapted as a musical. It was set to be directed by Des McAnuff and Aaron Sorkin, they revealed at the time. The project, however, never came to life.
In a new interview with Yahoo!, Flaming Lips bandleader Wayne Coyne opened up about what went wrong. He explains that Sorkin wanted the “Pink Robots” to symbolize “the evil George Bush empire,” and that the aftermath of 9/11 got in the way of the concept.
It’s a long story, so read Coyne’s full explanation below.
“The Aaron Sorkin part is… I mean, I don’t remember it all that precisely, but we did a meeting. We were in New York City — I think we were going to be on the David Letterman show or something — and in the afternoon we were going to meet with some potential writers. And one of them was Aaron, which was like, ‘Oh, of course Des knows him!’ But at the same time, there was a strike on Broadway that day, which meant all their theaters were shut down. I think it was something in the union that didn’t let anything play on Broadway. And of course, that’s millions of dollars leaving; that’s people out of work. And in Aaron’s case, that’s a big deal. He had two or three [shows] that were shut down that day, and Des as well had two or three that were shutting down that day. So, they had a lot of stuff on their minds. And here’s my little record, and they’re talking about what it could be! We were only allowed to meet for probably 20 minutes or something.
“You’ve got to remember, this is… not that long after the World Trade Center planes, the 9/11 stuff, all happened, and we were still dealing with George Bush Jr., who was the president. And Aaron wanted to make it about that. He saw the ‘Pink Robots’ as being the evil George Bush empire. And I really don’t know why I was so opinionated, but I just said, ‘Oh, I don’t really like that idea.’ Not that I had a better idea, but I just didn’t see this music as being connected to politics and stuff, you know? I mean, I felt like Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots is going to last forever, but George Bush will be gone in a couple of years, so who cares? But I think [Aaron] was like, ‘Oh, so you’re going to say no to my idea?’ I mean, he wasn’t mean, there was nothing bad said, but I just got the feeling that he was like, ‘Well, that’s the way I see it. And if you don’t see it that way, see you later!’”
Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. The holiday season is about to come to a close so if you still haven’t picked up a pair of kicks for the favorite sneakerhead in your life, you’re in luck — the brands are going big this week in a last-ditch effort to drop some great shoes (and gobble your holiday cash).
Now, nothing dropping this week is going to break the internet but Nike and New Balance are dropping some big-name collaborations before the holiday weekend hits with new shoes from Stüssy, Salehe Bembury, A-COLD-WALL, and of course, Jordan Brand. Given the sort of output we’re used to at this time of year, it’s actually pretty surprising how many notable drops are coming our way, I guess you could even say it’s a Christmas miracle!
After you scan these shoes make sure you hit up our Ultimate Sneakerhead and Ultimate Streetwear gift guides for some last-minute gifts if your holiday shopping list still has a bunch of names on it that haven’t been crossed off. Let’s dive in!
Nike Air Max 1 Pecan And Yellow Ore
Nike
Also known as ‘The Ugly Duckling’ this Pecan and Yellow Ore Air Max 1 features a pigskin nubuck upper with an embroidered duck at the heel and a gradient colorway that moves from deep browns at the base to bright yellow at the laces and outsole.
It’s hard not to love this Duck-influenced pair of the Air Max 1 whether you’re down with ducks or not. But I mean come on, who doesn’t like ducks?
The Nike Air Max 1 Pecan and Yellow Ore is out now for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Nike Air Penny 2 x Stüssy Black/Vivid Green and Black
Nike
Last week we shouted out this Air Penny 2 collaboration with Stüssy and this week it gets a wider SNKRS release in two colorways, Black and Vivid Green and Black. Both sneakers feature a hemp canvas upper with visible air cushioning and subtle Stüssy embroidered branding.
The Nike Air Penny 2 x Stüssy Black/Vivid Green and Black is out now for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Air Jordan 7 Neutral Indigo and Bright Crimson
Nike
Given everyone’s focus on the holiday weekend, this bold-colored Jordan 7 is dropping under the radar, which means it’s probably the easiest Jordan to cop all year. Inspired by the colorway worn by MJ during his ’92 season, the Neutral Indigo and Bright Crimson Jordan 7 features a premium leather upper and drops in a full-size run.
Get it before anyone notices it’s out there!
The Air Jordan 7 Neutral Indigo and Bright Crimson is out now for a retail price of $225. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Converse x A-COLD-WALL Geo Forma Boot
Nike
Samuel Ross’ luxury brand A-COLD-WALL is linking up with Converse for Geo Forma Boot drop in two colorways. Featuring stretch bootie construction, this futuristic boot sports a zip-up shroud, a platform outsole, and a minimalist design that looks unlike anything you’d find in the typical winter boot aesthetics.
The Colorways include a snowy all-white version and a bolder black and neon green makeup with louder branding.
The Converse x A-COLD-WALL Geo Forma Boot is out now for a retail price of $150. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or your favorite aftermarket sites.
NikeNike
Nike Terra Forma x Off-White Summit White and Psychic Purple/Wheat and Green Strike
Nike
There isn’t a month that goes by where I don’t think deeply about what modern sneakers and streetwear might’ve looked like had Virgil Abloh never passed away. This week we get a little taste of that with the latest Terra Forma drop, Abloh’s first originally designed silhouette with Nike.
The Terra Forma is inspired by late ’80s and early ‘90s Nike hiking silhouettes with a suede overlay, mesh underlay, and wood grain details. The sneaker features a large oversized tongue, a zip shroud, and a design that recalls the Air Jordan 6, which just happened to be Abloh’s favorite silhouette in the Jordan lineage.
The sneaker drops in two colorways, Summit White and Psychic Purple, and Wheat and Green Strike. Both turn heads in the way only Abloh could.
Jordan-heads have one more colorway to celebrate this week in this stealthy Black and University Blue rendition of the Jordan 13. Featuring a tumbled leather upper with mesh underlays and embroidered branding, this sneaker sports a University Blue midsole wrap with that iconic holographic panther eye that makes the Air Jordan 13 special.
The Air Jordan 13 Black and University Blue is set to drop on December 23rd at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Salehe Bembury x New Balance MADE in USA 990v2 Misty Rose with Terra Cotta and Purple Passion
New Balance
If you missed last week’s super limited Salehe Bembury x New Balance drop, it’s getting an official release through New Balance that should be considerably easier to cop. Built on the v2 iteration of the 990 silhouette, this sneaker features a mesh upper with premium hairy suede overlays and is inspired by the coral-pink sand dunes of southwestern Utah.
Over an ABZORB midsole, this Salehe Bembury-designed sneaker features reflective details at the vamp, a fingerprint heel window that recalls Bembury’s Crocs collaboration and a Chenille N logo.
The Salehe Bembury x New Balance MADE in USA 990v2 Misty Rose with Terra Cotta and Purple Passion is set to drop on December 22nd at 7 AM PST for a retail price of $199.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance.
Lizzo, TikTok’s top artist in 2022, posted a delightful 15-second snippet of her and Butler singing “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” The caption teased, “If we show up as Christmas carolers at your house wyd?”
Special is nominated for Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album — while “About Damn Time” is up for Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Remixed Recording — at the 2023 Grammys. In January, we’ll find out if Butler nets his first Oscar nomination like most are expecting.
On Monday, a pair of title hopefuls met inside the Bayou’s Smoothie King Center, when the New Orleans Pelicans welcomed the Milwaukee Bucks to town. There are still roughly four months remaining in the regular-season, but this duel quickly cemented itself as one of the most fascinating matchups of the young year. There will be juicier, more in-the-moment entertaining games, yet ones informing playoff perceptions will likely be much harder to unearth.
For the first time since Nov. 25, Zion Williamson failed to score at least 23 points. His Pelicans fell, 128-119, marking their fourth consecutive loss and first one at home since Nov. 10. The Bucks deviated from their scheme of siphoning off the arc and packed the paint against Williamson. They conceded 45 three-point attempts — more than 45 percent of New Orleans’ field goals came from deep, well above Milwaukee’s season-long defensive rate of 34 percent and New Orleans’ season-long offensive rate of 31 percent.
The Bucks were already embracing a new defensive scheme this year that deterred threes and amended it again to account for the opponent. Earlier this season, in a Dec. 2 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, their devotion to not helping off shooters cost them against a poor-shooting, paint-heavy team like Los Angeles. So, Monday, they came ready to remedy that problem.
Repeatedly, it was easy to spot some issues with the Pelicans’ roster construction, at least it pertains to immediate championship contention. Their three foremost wing-sized, point-of-attack defenders — Herbert Jones, Naji Marshall, and Dyson Daniels — are all shaky shooters. Milwaukee exploited that and often stashed Defensive Player of the Year candidates Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo on one of them to act as a roamer who muddied Williamson’s drives or face-ups.
Offense, really, was not the troublesome side of the ball, though. The Pelicans generated a 113.5 offensive rating (52nd percentile this season, per Cleaning The Glass). The half-court was a bit stickier (94 offensive rating, 43rd percentile), but Brandon Ingram did not suit up. He would provide some stark, necessary diversity alongside Williamson, especially given his penchant for the midrange, a region the Bucks are content to let teams populate — they’re 27th in opposing midrange rate this year. He’s also a tremendous release valve. Sure, hitting 18 of their 45 attempts beyond the arc suggests regression if other teams employ this tactic, but the majority of those looks were wide open and New Orleans made 40 percent of them.
The more pressing matter, at least as I watched this game, was the defense. Milwaukee, with Khris Middleton sidelined, posted a 122.1 offensive rating (78th percentile), including 108.8 in the half-court (83rd percentile). It shot 92 percent (23-for-25) at the rim, 78 percent (32-for-41) on twos, and went to the charity stripe 31 times. New Orleans could hardly slow this group down inside the arc. There’s a glaring lack of size and rim protection in the rotation. While Larry Nance Jr. missed Monday’s game, he is more of a switch big than a looming interior deterrent.
The Pelicans allow the seventh-lowest rate of shots at the rim (31.4 percent), but are dead last in opposing rim field goal percentage at 71.9 percent. Milwaukee, piloted by Antetokounmpo, the league’s premier rim rattler outside of Williamson, are a distinct matchup. Lopez’s presence as a versatile off-ball scorer who doubles as a stout, unflinching defensive anchor furthers that atypical composition. Yet the Bucks are hardly the lone high-level club who employ double-big starting units or apply voluminous pressure at the rim.
The Memphis Grizzlies are first in points in the paint, 10th in rim frequency, and trot out a Jaren Jackson Jr.-Steven Adams frontline. The Denver Nuggets are fifth in rim frequency. The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers sport double-big starting fives. All these teams may not be designed specifically to hamstring New Orleans on both ends like Milwaukee, but the premise of the Bucks not being peerless in broad makeup rings true, although the blend of creation from Antetokounmpo and floor-spacing of a stretch 5 in Lopez is unrivaled by the other four teams.
New Orleans does not have a rim protector. Valanciunas is an impressively versatile scorer and hulking rebounder who can mix between drop and playing at the level to produce tenable ball-screen coverage. He is not, however, a defensive force at the rim. Opponents are shooting 2.3 points better within 6 feet of the hoop when he’s the primary defender, per NBA.com.
The team’s glut of point-of-attack stoppers and penchant for takeaways (ninth in turnover rate) coalesce for rim prevention. The problem is that doesn’t always work. Milwaukee turned it over 17 times on Monday, yet was systematic and dominant on the other trips to counter those gaffes.
Throughout much of the game, it felt as though the Bucks’ offensive potency and defensive savvy forced the Pelicans to make substantial concessions in their lineups. Either that fifth dude was a defensive-minded wing aimed to slow Milwaukee’s attack or a floor-spacer to open up Williamson’s endeavors. Concessions occur with any rotational option, but the degree to which those concessions reshaped the process on either end is concerning for New Orleans.
As the trade deadline inches closer, two archetypes emerge as most beneficial to the Pelicans’ chances of solidifying themselves as a championship contender: a wing shooter and backline 4. Stocked with a trove of future draft picks and various young players, avenues to improvement are attainable. The trade market, of course, has to comply, and it’s impossible to predict if that will happen.
Most of their effective, high-volume outside shooting/spacing stems from small-ish guards (CJ McCollum, Devonte’ Graham, Jose Alvarado). Trey Murphy III is the lone frontcourt player shooting at least league average from deep with a three-point rate above .400. Daniels (41.7 percent, .391) is close, but the rookie doesn’t really garner respect as a marksman right now. Adding one more forward (or even a bigger guard) with plus shooting credentials could elevate the offense to a level that trumps any defensive plights. Maybe Ingram (37.8 percent from three as a Pelican), who hasn’t played since Nov. 25 with a toe injury, is that dude and a notable move is unnecessary.
Names like Doug McDermott, Buddy Hield, Josh Richardson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Gary Harris, and Kyle Kuzma all intrigue me to one extent or another, although the finances are hazy with some of them. As for the sweeping, backline 4 for defensive purposes, Jarred Vanderbilt and Kenyon Martin Jr. are plausible and on movable contracts. Vanderbilt is owed $9 million over two seasons and Martin is owed $3.7 million the next two years. Martin also requested a trade this summer.
Neither alleviates the defense-spacing tradeoff enforced by Jones, Marshall, or Daniels, but they’re both bigger with more helpside rim protection chops. Martin’s a perceptive cutter and sprightly finisher (74 percent at the rim this year, 83rd percentile among forwards). Vanderbilt provides more on-ball aptitude defensively and is a nifty connective passer who’s elevated his three-point volume. At the very least, New Orleans would be prudent to broach their availability with each front office.
The Pelicans are excellent. They’re one of three teams among the top 10 in offensive and defensive rating. Only the Boston Celtics join them among the top seven in both categories. They are, nonetheless, a team with apparent flaws. But those can be temporary, if they so choose. This club has the flexibility to its shortcomings. The Bucks highlighted many of them Monday. As both teams progress and eye prosperous playoff ventures, that game should be earmarked and remembered.
I have a confession to make: I didn’t think Portia’s outfits on The White Lotus were that bad. I mean, sure, some of them would make Miranda Priestly drop dead on the spot, but this one wasn’t too bad. And I enjoyed this sweatshirt. Besides, attacking Portia’s fashion choices is an attack on Haley Lu Richardson herself, and I will not stand for that.
The White Lotus actress (who is finally getting the recognition she deserves following scene-stealing performances Support the Girls, The Edge of Seventeen, and After Yang) took to Instagram to share a photo of herself with the caption, “With a heavy heart I can confirm I dress identical to Portia in real life.” Good for her, speaking her truth.
Following the season two finale, Lu Richardson defended Portia’s chaotic airport outfit. “In the script, it said that she had a big hat, and then she put on sunglasses at the airport to be incognito,” she told Variety. “[Costume designer] Alex [Bovaird] found that hat and I as Portia was always drawn, if I was given an option, to the thing that was less expected and more off. Because I think that it makes sense for her. Like, she is off.”
Lu Richardson continued, “The people sh*tting on that outfit in particular — it’s like, she literally has been kidnapped. She’s been in the same outfit for two days. She literally just almost died. So what do you expect her to be, like, a fashion icon? I’m confused what people expect of this young woman.” Fair enough, but if Portia was trying to be “incognito,” she failed.
Flame Broiler, like Subway and Panera, is one of those chains that exist for people who want the convenience of fast food but don’t really want to eat fast food. The menu is totally devoid of fried foods and it’s one of the rare national chains that didn’t jump on the Popeyes bandwagon and release a chicken sandwich in the wake of the great chicken sandwich wars (unlike Subway and Panera). Even Panda Express has a chicken sandwich! But what is one supposed to do if they want to eat healthily but still want to, you know, have a little fun with their food? Enter Flame Broiler’s new broiled chicken wings.
For a limited time only, participating Flame Broilers nationwide have started selling flame-broiled wings as a two-piece side, a dedicated plate with rice, and a single order of a dozen. The bone-in wings are made from the same antibiotic-free chicken made with zero oil or breading that makes Flame Broiler, you know, Flame Broiler but they offer a more hands-on form factor.
So are they any good? We decided to find out!
Flame Broiler — Flame Broiled Wings
Dane Rivera
Tasting Notes:
For this taste test, I tried Flame Broiler’s five-piece charbroiled wings plate which features five wings over a bed of rice, a cabbage salad, and a big ass slice of orange. The wings are doused in what Flame Broiler calls “magic sauce” which as far as I can tell is some sort of simplified version of teriyaki sauce. Think teriyaki without the mirin or sake. If you like your wings light and crispy this, unfortunately, is not that. Since these are cooked over a flame and not fried, the skin never gets as crispy or thinned out as what you’d expect from wings, instead, the fat here stays… fatty.
That sounds like a bad thing, but if you can handle your wings being a bit chewier than you’re used to there is little to complain about — fat is flavor, after all! The chicken is incredibly tender, once I bit into it the meat easily tore off the bone, and that savory mix of sweet soy-based sauce and charbroiled flavor from the fire is a winning combination. These wings taste great and Flame Broiler didn’t cut any corners by ditching the fryers for this one.
If you’ve frequented a Flame Broiler you know that the menu is at its best when the dishes are elevated with the side sauces, and the charbroiled wings are no different. Flame Broiler has four side sauce options: Hot Sauce, Jalapeño Hot Sauce, Seoul Scorcher, and the Secret Korean Spicy Chicken Hot Sauce, I tried all four with the wings and each one elevates the dish with an extra hint of flavor. I like the vegetal and peppery quality of the Jalapeño Hot Sauce the most but the strong kick coming from the Seoul Scorcher is a close second.
If these wings end up being successful enough to earn permanent menu status, I hope Flame Broiler starts cooking the wings in the sauces. Then Flame Broiler would truly be competing with the big wing chains flavor-wise, and having a healthier option out there is a win for all of us.
The Bottom Line:
Flame Broiler took a big swing by introducing wings to its menu and frankly, I’d say they knocked it out of the park. While these aren’t the fried variety that comes to mind when you think “chicken wings,” no sacrifices have been made in the flavor department. Get ’em while you still can!
If you need a surprise guest to show up at your white nationalist gathering, Marjorie Taylor Greene is your gal. And if you need help planning an insurrection at the Capitol, she might be down to sit in on a brainstorming session or two. But it turns out that when it comes to conspiracy theory-loving congresswomen, unhinged MAGAs might have taken more of a shine to Colorado’s favorite “Karen,” Lauren Boebert.
Politically-speaking, Greene and Boebert are typically pretty closely aligned on most issues. One thing they definitely do NOT agree on is whether Kevin McCarthy should be Speaker of the House when the GOP regains control next year. Boebert says no; Greene says yes. Greene also says that any talk of another viable candidate, etc. coming from Boebert — or Matt Gaetz — is BS.
Their disagreement on this point has spilled over into the public, with the two of them spending much of the past week taking pathetic little potshots at the other. While it’s an entertaining enough diversion (for a time) for non-Republicans, Ali Alexander — a prominent far-right activist and key organizer of the Stop the Steal rally — is not OK with the snitty little stink bombs MTG has been throwing in Boebert’s direction. And he let her know it!
As Raw Story reports, Alexander called out Greene on his Telegram page for the regular attacks she’s been launching against Boebert when he posted: “MTG is now attacking Rep. Lauren Boebert like a trailer park hoodrat.”
Sadly, that could be the full extent of Alexander’s MTG takedown. Earlier this month, Alexander agreed to head up Kanye West’s presidential campaign, so… we’re pretty sure he’ll be real busy with that.
While The Last Dance was primarily the story of Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls, the documentary could not have happened without the various antagonists that popped up over the course of Jordan’s career. High on the list were Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons squad famously known as the “Bad Boys,” who were a frequent thorn in Jordan’s side as he attempted to win his first championship.
Jordan, to put it lightly, is not a fan of Thomas, to the point that he called him an asshole in the documentary. Well, it’s been nearly three years since The Last Dance dropped, and on a recent episode of The Pivot Podcast, Thomas got asked about Jordan calling him out that explicitly.
“I was upset, I was highly upset,” Thomas said of Jordan calling him an asshole in the documentary at the 33:07 mark of the above video. The Hall of Fame guard then explained that his relationship with Jordan was pretty good while he was establishing himself in the city that Thomas called home.
“I was upset of watching a documentary of a guy being an asshole to everybody, but then called me a asshole, and I ain’t been nothing but nice to this dude,” Thomas said. “Now, this is real talk, go back and document it. You can go back on the west side of Chicago. I ain’t talking about Michigan Avenue, where they used to kick me off for shining shoes. I couldn’t shine shoes on Michigan Avenue, I couldn’t shine shoes on Rush Street, they kicked me outta there. On the west side of Chicago, that’s where I’m from, OK? Now, on the west side of Chicago, when Michael Jordan got to Chicago, I made it real easy for him to walk those streets on the west side of Chicago. My family took care of him. My sister and his brother hung out as friends. My little nephew lived with Michael Jordan. I’ma say this again: My little nephew lived with Michael Jordan. Now, I’m being extremely good to this dude. I’m calling his house during this period of time. So all this, ‘Isiah was an asshole,’ no no no no, dude, I was looking out for you.”
Thomas then brought up when the teams would play — Detroit famously had their “Jordan Rules,” which involved the team being ultra-physical with the Bulls star. But he was quick to point out that he never hit anyone, with Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn putting hands on players, whether they were opponents or Thomas himself.
Thomas has said that he did not realize just how strongly Jordan felt about him until after The Last Dance aired, and it’s pretty obvious the whole thing still rubs him the wrong way.
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