NFL Draft night has become quite the spectacle ever since the league moved the first round to primetime on Thursday, allowing the best and brightest prospects to get the spotlight all to themselves, before the later rounds on Friday and Saturday. As such, Draft night fashion has become as big for players as, say, award show fashion is for actors and actresses in Hollywood.
Players make sure to look their best and show a little personality with their outfits, whether that be with a flashy suit, shoes, or jewelry. Custom chains, suits, four-figure shoes and more have become commonplace, so it really takes something special to stand out at this point, but Patrick Surtain II managed to do just that. The Alabama cornerback and son of former NFL DB Patrick Surtain is set to hear his name called on Thursday night in the first round, potentially in the top 10-15 picks.
Surtain showed off his Draft night fit to Tyler Tynes and GQ Sports, embracing his PS2 initials with the best chain in Draft history — an iced out PlayStation 2 controller (that lights up) with Surtain written on it made by Leo Frost.
spent most of the day talking to a few 1st round picks about their fits for the day, but nothing impressed more than Patrick Surtain II’s (@PatSurtainll) “PS2” chain that Leo Frost (@itcoststofrost) made for him pic.twitter.com/N1DYpKwKsE
It is a truly incredible piece and the most creative use of one’s initials in some time — the initial + number formula has been used for ages, but in this case Surtain spins it into something far better than just a chain that reads “PS2” or something. A PS2 controller charm (even if it’s a later model controller, who cares) is truly legendary, and while we’ll have to wait a few more hours to find out where Surtain is going to be starting his NFL career, he’s already won Draft night.
We’ve already seen a glimpse of what Guy Ritchie’s Wrath Of Man will look like when it steals its way into theaters on May 7. But before that, we’ve got a new Red Band trailer to really see what Jason Statham is up to in a cash truck security guard heist film. Which apparently starts with Statham’s character getting shot and watching his own son die before his eyes of his own gunshot wounds.
The bloody trailer sets the scene for revenge for Statham, who wants to track down who killed his son and ends up doing a lot of shooting along the way as an armored truck driver. The most notable part of the trailer, though, is when he kills a man listed as “Robber #6” in the movie’s IMDB page. Despite the generic name for the role, it’s rapper Post Malone, who gets an expletive-filled line in before H, at least presumably, kills him for being unhelpful in his investigation.
“If he’s not a cop, then what is he?” asks one voice late in the trailer.
“He’s a dark f*cking spirit,” another voice answers.
Here’s the official synopsis:
A mysterious and wild-eyed new cash truck security guard (Jason Statham) surprises his coworkers during a heist in which he unexpectedly unleashes precision skills. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman’s ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.
The movie is an Americanized version of another film, “Le Convoyeur,” which was directed by Nicolas Boukhrief. We’ll have to see if Statham can find the people responsible when the movie opens next month.
When it comes to crafting great whiskey (specifically bourbon, which is today’s topic) there are four main components. The first is the water. You need a great source of water to make amazing whiskey. The second is the grains. When it comes to bourbon, corn is center stage. Pair it with rye, wheat, or barley. Add water and grain to the next most important ingredient — yeast — to ferment your mash and create alcohol before distilling and filtering your spirit.
Now comes arguably the most important step in the whiskey-making process — aging. Time spent in a barrel imparts flavor, smoothens harsh edges, and adds layers of nuance to the raw “juice.” When it comes to maturing bourbon, the wood used might be the most important piece, in terms of the eventual flavor. In fact, there are specific rules about using new American Oak.
Almost as important as the wood itself is the char on that wood. Along with bourbon‘s rule about new American Oak, there are also rules that the barrel must be charred. This is done to varying degrees — with four primary levels of char. The charred wood creates a carbon filter between the wood and the whiskey. It removes congeners and various nasty flavors and aromas from the top layer of the wood, while releasing flavors like vanilla, caramel, toffee, and brown sugar. Those flavors intensify or mellow depending on everything from the level of char to the time spent in the barrel to where that barrel is rested in the rickhouse for however long it ages.
To find the best bottles to illustrate the power of the barrel, we reached out to some of our favorite bartenders and asked them to tell us their picks for bourbon whiskeys with charred and woody flavor notes. Check their answers below!
Wild Turkey Rare Breed is a barrel-proof exemplar of what a #4 Alligator char can do. There is so much flavor packed into this bad boy! Vanilla, spice, leather, a whisp of smoke. Add a few drops of water and out comes the black pepper.
Four Roses Single Barrel is an excellent choice for those who like an oak-forward expression in their bourbon. The oakiness hits right up front on the nose and evolves into raspberry, cherry, very dark chocolate, and woody spice. It makes for a deep, complex Old Fashioned especially when made with a hefty Demerara sugar syrup whose dark, molasses notes really round out and counterbalance the oak.
Black Maple Hill Bourbon Small Batch is one of my favorite charred oak bourbons. Its honey, caramel, grassy notes can be enjoyed sipping neat or on the rocks. In addition, it’s a great foundation of flavors for crafting cocktails.
Old Forester 1920
Old Forester
Austin Zimmer, bartender at Le Prive in New York City
Old forester 1920 is my pick. It’s a 115 proof with nuts, vanilla aromas, and seasoned oak. It has an excellent aroma rich and powerful, pretty unique.
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Woodford Reserve
Emily Lawson, bartender at owner of Foxhole Public House in Bentonville, Arkansas
Woodford Reserve is an excellent example of a bourbon aged in charred barrels. Impeccably smooth while still showcasing the earthy, smokey oak barrel flavor elements. We love a Smoked Manhattan made with Pink House Alchemy’s smoldered bitters and Woodford Reserve bourbon.
Parker’s Heritage 10 Year: 2020 Heavy Char Edition
Heaven Hill’s Parker’s Heritage 10 year Bourbon: 2020 Heavy Char Edition. It can be pricey and can be hard to find, as there isn’t a lot made every year. While Parker was alive, Parker’s Heritage gave him the ability to choose certain barrels every year. Every year tastes different and 2020 focused on heavy char. Using a #5 heavy char on the barrels, which are burned on the inside for around a minute and 20 seconds.
The flavors are of charred oak, vanilla, and Crème brûlée followed by baking spices. Great to sip around the campfire with friends and family. Goes great with s’mores.
Redwood Empire Pipe Dreams Bourbon
Redwood Empire
Justin Frierson, beverage director and operating partner at Eleven | Eleven in Chicago
Redwood Empire Pipe Dreams Bourbon. This bourbon has a lower proof with a nice medium body. A playful combination of jammy orange, cherry, and sweet corn. Subdued peppery/spice notes on the back. Overall, an energetic and complex bourbon that is nuanced and fun to sip. I have the best time tasting guests out on this bourbon. It always makes a great first impression and has even had guests order themselves a bottle online, on the spot.
It is also an excellent gift idea to anyone who collects bourbon. It is value-driven which also moves the entire Redwood Empire series way above expectations.
Belle Meade Bourbon. This award-winning bourbon from Tennessee is made using a blend of high-rye bourbons. It’s filled with flavors like dried cherries, maple syrup, spicy rye, and noticeable charred oak.
First released in 2014, this unique whiskey starts with Michter’s US-1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon that gets aged a second time in custom-made, toasted barrels. The result is a caramel-filled, extra oaky, vanilla bomb of a whiskey.
Similar to Michter’s. Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel begins as a fully matured Elijah Craig Small Batch that gets finished in a proprietary toasted oak barrel. This imparts extra woody, oaky, and rich honey flavors.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.
Lorde is back! Well, she’s back reviewing onion rings, at least, and we’re here for it. In her first onion ring review of 2021, the world’s most famous onion ring aficionado reviewed the Pickled Onion Rings at Auckland’s Hotel Ponsonby, which serves elevated English pub fare.
We’re talking PICKLED onion rings which is a first for this reviewer. I totally vibe the concept — used to eat pickled onions out of the jar as a youngster — however I think if you’re gonna go there, go there, and let acidity rather than sweetness dominate. Absolutely sensational batter, perhaps the best I’ve tried. 4/5 overall ringsperience.
This is a solid review and will surely lead to a ring boom at Hotel Ponsonby. It was also glowing enough to motivate us to break out the ol’ wok and try these rings for ourselves (since we’re probably not going to be in Auckland anytime soon).
To master this recipe, I looked into New Zealand pickled onion culture (yes, that’s a thing). There’s actually a fair number of recipes for pickled onions throughout New Zealand’s food media outlets. The thing is, I don’t really have a week to let something pickle in a dark cupboard. So I took my cues from New Zealander’s recipes and adapted them to make it doable in about an hour with a sous vide.
I’ve used my sous vide to make a lot of pickles (root veg, eggs, fish, etc.) in the past and it really only takes about an hour to have a fully-brined pickle. For this recipe, that sped-up process will do nicely.
Lastly, I really focused on the batter. I knew it had to be something “sensational” for Lorde to give it full marks. So I made sure I was devising something that’d have a beautifully crunchy exterior while still providing a softer interior, leading to the briny and savory pickled onion inside. That’s enough preamble, let’s get into the recipe!
A quick note on the brine. This is where I’m drawing acidity from. There’s a low amount of salt and sugar that’ll give you that “briny” edge of a pickle. Then the addition of apple cider vinegar will bring that mild pH acidic vibe to the whole thing.
Otherwise, you do you on the pickle brine spices. If you want it spicier, add more chilis. Mix and match with seeds and barks. Overall, this is a mild pickle brine with a classic edge that leans towards the New Zealand-centric pickle recipes I found online.
Zach Johnston
Ring batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 bottle or can of pilsner (more as needed)
2 egg yolks
Large pinch of salt
White pepper
Other:
Two yellow onions
Neutral oil
Aioli
Salt
Another quick note: As you can see in the image below, I’ve removed the inner skins between the layers of the onion. This is crucial for a bite-able onion ring. If you’ve ever had an onion ring that immediately slid out of the batter, it was because of that slippery film that’s between every layer. It takes a little extra time but is as easy as simply pulling the skin off after you’ve made your rings.
Zach Johnston
What You’ll Need:
Large Zip-lock bag
Sous vide circulator
Large pot
Small pot
Large bowl
Whisk
Wok or deep fryer
Slotted spoon
Metal grate and baking sheet
Paper towels
Tongs
Method:
For the pickled onions:
Set the sous vide circulator to 185F/85C in a large pot of water.
Add the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a small pot and bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from heat and let cool for ten minutes.
Peel and slice onions, making sure to remove the film between each layer of the onion as you push out the rings (it should slide right off).
Add the spices and onions to the Zip-lock bag. Pour the warm brine into the bag.
Immerse the bag into the bath and use the pressure of the water to remove any excess air and seal the bag. Use a clip to hold the bag to the side of the large pot.
Cook the onion rings for 30 minutes.
Prepare an ice bath. When the 30 minutes are up, place the Zip-lock bag into the ice bath to stop the cooking and cool the pickled onion rings.
Zach Johnston
For the onion rings:
Combine flour, corn starch, baking powder, salt, and white pepper in a large bowl.
Add the egg yolks and beer while whisking until you get a thin batter (sort of halfway between a crepe and pancake batter).
Lay the onion rings on a paper towel and pat dry.
Heat about one-half gallon of neutral oil in a wok or heavy-bottomed pot (I used sunflower) to 375F/190C.
Using tongs, dip the rings into the batter and then gently lay them into the hot oil, creating a single layer of onion rings.
After about one minute, flip the rings with the tongs to brown them evenly on both sides.
After another minute, remove the onion rings to a rack over a baking sheet. Immediately hit with a pinch of salt.
Repeat until all the rings are fried.
Serve with aioli dip.
Bottom Line:
Zach Johnston
I love fried pickle chips, so I knew I was going to love these. And, wow, thank you, Lorde, for turning me onto pickled onion rings. These are, hands down, some of the best onion rings I’ve ever tasted. And they were without a doubt the #1 best rings I’ve ever made. The onion was soft and hot with a deep pickle brine that had a touch of heat and acidity. The sweetness was there but tied more to the onion than sugar. Really though, the sweetness took a back seat to the overall brininess of the onion.
The batter was freaking sensational. The addition of corn starch allowed the batter to be super crunchy on the outside while still feeling supple on the inside. Moreover, as these rings cooled down (onion rings always get cold too fast), the batter stayed super crunchy.
Zach Johnston
Using aioli as a dipping sauce is a win as well (I used some good stuff from Spain). The lemon/garlic/mayo feel was the perfect counterpoint to the pickle brine and crunchy batter of the ring. This was comfort food in its purest form.
Finally, there was the side-by-side look of these rings compared to Lorde’s. You can judge for yourself below. I haven’t tasted my competition, but I do know that this is the only way I’ll be making onion rings from here on out. Lorde, if you’re ever near Uproxx’s offices — we got you.
When we go to magic shows, we know what we’re actually seeing are cool illusions and sleight of hand tricks, not someone’s supernatural ability to actually defy reality. Sometimes we can even figure out how a magician does it—especially in the age of the internet, where you can look. up the secrets of magic tricks—while still being impressed with how well they pull it off. Magic is a skill that takes relentless practice to perfect, and it’s fun to see someone at the top of their game.
There’s “top of their game,” and then there’s David Blaine.
David Blaine is an illusionist and endurance artist who first made a name for himself with his TV show Street Magic. He has set world records for feats of endurance and wows audiences with his magic tricks that are truly hard to believe.
In his show Real or Magic, Blaine performed his tricks on celebrities, and one incredible card trick he pulled on Harrison Ford is going viral because Ford’s reaction is hilarious. It’s an old video, but someone shared part of iit on TikTok, which has given it new life. The full video is included below.
First, Blaine tells Ford to think of a card, then hands him the deck. “Are you thinking of a card?” he asks. Ford nods. “Do I know what card you’re thinking of?” Blaine asks, and Ford shakes his head no.
“Your card just left the deck,” Blaine says. He tells Ford to look through the deck, but that he won’t find his card there. “You won’t see it there,” he says as Ford flips through the cards. “It’s nowhere.”
So far, this seems like a fairly standard mentalism trick, but then Blaine tells Ford to pick a piece of fruit from the fruit bowl on his counter that can be cut into. Ford picks up an orange from among a dozen or so apples and oranges. Blaine tells him to cut open the orange, but first asks him to name the card he’d chosen.
“Nine of hearts,” said Ford.
Together they slice open the orange, and sure enough, rolled up inside is the nine of hearts card. Ford looks stunned, and a voice off-camera says, “No way.”
Then, after a few seconds of silence, Ford’s hilarious reaction: “Get the **** out of my house.”
Harrison Ford Finds Card in Orange: Real or Magic | David Blaine
Some might think that Ford and his family were in on it, or that this was some sort of editing for television trick, but Blaine’s magic skill in real life is legendary. According to professional magicians, it’s not that his tricks are over-the-top impressive in and of themselves, but rather his skill at entertaining with magic and pulling off the tricks with a large audience that works so well. It’s not that he’s a flashy entertainer most of the time—it’s actually his understated way of talking through the tricks that makes them so amazing to witness.
Blaine’s skill with cards is where he really shines. He does sleight of hand card tricks better than most. And while there’s an explanation on YouTube of how to get a card inside a piece of fruit (that part’s actually not that hard), how he managed to get Ford to choose the nine of hearts as his card and how he got him to choose the orange remains a mystery.
At least it remains a mystery to me. I have a friend who does mentalism tricks and it freaks me out every time (and he refuses to explain how he does it—he just says it’s something anyone can learn to do). But part of me doesn’t even want to know. Being wowed by magic tricks allows us to keep a bit of childlike wonderment alive—and also gives us delightful moments like this one with Harrison Ford.
Speaking of childlike wonder, if you want to see more of David Blaine’s card tricks, his appearance on The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon does not disappoint. Jimmy Fallon practically pees his pants being blown away by Blaine’s tricks. Enjoy:
David Blaine Shocks Jimmy and The Roots with Magic Tricks
The wide receiver class in the 2021 NFL Draft is absolutely ridiculous. Even if you do not include Kyle Pitts in this — and, let’s face it, you probably should, because he should not be possible — there are a bunch of dudes who have the potential to be All-Pro pass catchers at the next level.
DeVonta Smith won the dang Heisman Trophy and will bring a mentality that every NFL coach dreams of. Jaylen Waddle is a human joystick who has the ability to make extremely fast defensive players look slow. Ja’Marr Chase plays like he is offended at the thought of defensive backs trying to check him, and as a result, he wants to punish them. Rashod Bateman is a technically sound bully who would have a shot at being the first receiver off the board in most years. He will be, at best, fourth this year.
All of these dudes will be really good. A handful of others will, likewise, be very good. Today, we’d like to follow our site-wide philosophy of “NFL teams should draft good college players” and highlight one such player: Purdue receiver Rondale Moore.
There may not be a funnier athlete in this Draft than Moore, which is saying something, because it includes a 6’3, 246 pound linebacker who runs a 4.39. The former Boilermaker introduced himself to the collective college football conscious before he ever played a game. A four-star prospect listed at 5’8.5 and 174 pounds, Moore — who didn’t enroll early, meaning he didn’t get a winter/spring session in a college strength and conditioning program — did this in the offseason leading up to his freshman campaign.
According to 247Sports, Moore enrolled at Purdue on June 11, 2018. He then did this on July 20 of the same year. He has long possessed a crazy work ethic and boasts freakish athletic ability — at his Pro Day earlier this year, Moore ran a 4.29 second 40-yard dash and mixed in a 42.5 inch vertical leap. It’s how he’s able to be a giant on the field despite being measured at 5’7 and 180 pounds, which are, to be clear, legitimate concerns as he makes the jump to the next level.
The thing with Moore, though, is that he’s realized something: It does not matter how big or small you are if no one can lay a hand on you. Moore shouldered a pretty big load when he was healthy (big caveat!) for the Boilermakers: 178 receptions, 1,915 yards, 14 receiving touchdowns; 30 carries for 248 yards and three scores; 42 kick returns for 813 yards; 17 punt returns for 118 yards. Purdue kept finding ways to get the football into his hands and he found ways to make things happen. The downside to this, of course, is how much of that production came when he was a true freshman. Behold:
Moore’s sophomore campaign was over after September due to a hamstring injury, then a lingering lower body injury held him out until November as a junior. He played very, very well when he was on the field both seasons, but getting on the field and staying on the field were issues that his future NFL team will have to manage carefully. The good news, relatively speaking, is that those teams will be able to pick and choose when they use him, while Purdue liked to run the “give the ball to Rondale” offense.
Now, in fairness to the Boilermakers, giving him the football oftentimes works out extremely well. The game that always gets mentioned was Moore dragging the second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes through hell in a 49-20 win when he was a true freshman. That team finished the year 13-1, won the Rose Bowl, and finished the year ranked third. They were helpless against Moore, who touched the ball 18 times for 252 total yards and a pair of touchdowns.
To highlight one moment from this game, watch this:
Moore’s ability to lower his shoulder and use that sturdy base to bowl through guys makes him different from other undersized jitterbug receivers like, say, Tavon Austin or K.J. Hamler. This is an archetype of receiver that is usually sensational in the open field and can shake opponents when they are in 1-on-1 situations but go down pretty easily when you can wrap them up.
That’s not the case when it comes to Moore. He’s strong enough that one guy isn’t always enough to take him down, but like others in this archetype, he has a whole lot of shake to him to make guys look silly.
Purdue tried to get Moore the ball in just about any way possible, which was understandable, but sometimes that meant getting him the ball when he’s not moving or is working back to the line of scrimmage — like on a bubble screen — which is not the best way to use his skill set (an example: the first clip here). But when they had him working on the move or downhill, it was an entirely different story. Take this play when Moore is lined up in the slot and runs a slant. The pre-snap motion by his running back tricked the defense into giving him space to run into, he gets the ball on the move, and he’s able to use his speed, strength, and balance to add another seven yards onto this gain.
This is the stuff I love with him. Moore is by no means a perfect player — he’s not a super refined route runner, although I put that more on Purdue’s offense not really needing to drill that stuff into him and think he’ll be able to learn it all pretty quickly, and his tape includes some drops that seem to be the result of him thinking of what he’s going to do before he pulls the ball in. But Moore’s ability to do stuff when he has a head of steam or he finds a pocket of space is special, no matter how he comes about it.
“As a player, what makes me dangerous is my versatility,” Moore told Ty Dunne. “I think it gives defensive coordinators a lot of problems because I can line up in a lot of different spots and succeed in all of them. I think that really makes me hard to guard and hard to prepare for. I have a lot of tools in my toolbox that enable me to go out there and make plays, whether that be running past you, making you miss, I’m really instinctive out there. There are a lot of different things that make me elusive on the field.”
In an era when NFL teams are looking for gamebreakers, Moore legitimately is one, and even though he’s not a WR1 at the next level, a smart franchise will bring him in and find ways to get him the football in space. Good things will happen as a result.
If you’re a fan of The Office, you probably already know that Peacock’s now the show’s streaming home, and viewers apparently flocked to the NBC streaming service to keep their binge watching favorite in the rotation.
Comcast announced on Thursday that it added more than 9 million subscribers to its ranks in the months following some major acquisitions, namely the above obsessive rewatch favorite and WWE wrestling content. That boost came in the first three months of 2021, which notably started with the addition of The Office to start the year and WWE Network content on March 18.
Still, what we don’t know is just how many of these “subscribers” are paying for the actual service. Much like Apple TV+, which has an unknown but sizable base of people watching Ted Lasso on a free trial, Peacock has a variety of other ways to watch. That includes an ad-subsidized free model, and the company wasn’t specific about what tier of subscribers are faring best. Still, the big boost is good news for the platform, which now has 42 million members in the U.S., which puts it on par with other platforms like HBO Max, which has 44.2 million total.
Looney Tunes Cartoons, Season 1D (HBO Max series) — This new batch of episodes couldn’t come soon enough. Tune in for Bugs to evade someone besides Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam while Daffy can’t cope with a photocopier, and Elmer Fudd’s looking for some legal advice. All in all, you’ll be able to stream 10 new shorts, and you’ll probably be left wanting more.
Lucy the Human Chimp (HBO Max film) — This ain’t the movie starring Scarlett Johansson. Instead, get ready for a more substantial film (a documentary) about Lucy Termerlin, the infamous chimpanzee who believed she was human because she was pretty much raised that way.
The Big Shot with Bethenny (HBO Max series) — Bethenny Frankel (the Skinnygirl founder) does her business-mogul thing here while allowing a gathering of hopefuls to compete for a chance to be her right-hand woman. Watch out though, because the competition will be fierce, and Frankel promises to be demanding and perfectionistic while pushing candidates through real-life challenges aimed at how they can best show off their creativity and determination.
Yasuke (Netflix series) — Netflix will up its anime game with this dazzling series from Japanese animation studio MAPPA (Attack on Titan: The Final Season), and the project arrives with quite a pedigree, given that LaKeith Stanfield executive produces on lead voice work. Stanfield voices a character who’s based upon the real-life first African samurai, who struggles to shed his past life of violence while striving to keep a peaceful existence. However, he must reluctantly pick up his sword again when a war-torn, feudal Japanese village becomes ground central for warring daimyo. The score will arrive courtesy of Flying Lotus, who also produces, and creator/director/producer LeSean Thomas will build upon his proven track record (The Boondocks, Cannon Buster, and Black Dynamite) of interweaving anime and Black culture.
Things Heard & Seen (Netflix film) — Amanda Seyfried stars as a couple that realizes that a sinister darkness plagues their marriage and fits right in with their new home’s past. The story’s based upon Elizabeth Brundage’s novel, and it takes place in the Hudson Valley.
In case you missed these picks from last Thursday:
Bigger (BET+ series) — Season 2 brings back the fan-favorite Will Packer comedy about thirty-somethings living in Atlanta, while they attempt to maneuver their way through, well, life. That would include professional, personal and other such obstacles, all while they’re searching for love and dealing with uncomfortable truths on occasion. The whole season’s dropping at once, only on BET+
Rutherford Falls (Peacock series) — The newest Michael Schur sitcom is doing the streaming thing, and this show is flat-out putting its location in the title, in lockstep with the co-creator’s fixation with location. Can Rutherford Falls match up with Scranton and Pawnee, in the long run? That remains to be seen, but Ed Helms stars as Nathan Rutherford, who is (obviously, due to the last name) inextricably tied to the town’s history, and Nathan’s not taking too kindly to a movement to eject a historical statue. There’s more to that topic than one would assume, and the wrangling of Nathan seems down to his lifelong best pal, portrayed by Jana Schmieding. This looks about as refreshingly and delightfully offbeat as one would expect from The Good Place creator because everything he touches is magic.
The Atlanta Hawks second half surge has taken them from a fringe play-in team prior to the All-Star break to, currently, fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The final nine games of the season will determine exactly where they fall, as they are a game back of the 4-seed Knicks and a game up on the Celtics and Heat in sixth and seventh, respectively.
There have been a number of factors in the Hawks second half surge, from the return of a healthy (and scorching hot) Bogdan Bogdanovic to a coaching change with Nate McMillan. The constant all season has been Trae Young, who continues to put up big numbers for the Hawks but this time is doing it for a contender thanks to an improved supporting cast around him. Young is has missed the last three games for the Hawks with a sprained ankle suffered in New York, but has been steadily increasing his on-court workload and is hoping to be back on the floor sooner than later.
On Tuesday, we got a chance to catch up with Young over the phone on behalf of BODYARMOR, as he’s part of their new One More campaign. Young talked about how his ankle’s feeling, the Hawks resurgence and the mentality shift that led to that, what playing with Bogdanovic does for him, how defense have adjusted to him in Year 3, growing as a leader, and more.
To start, how’s your ankle feeling and kind of how are you doing as you progress through this little rehab process?
Yeah, my ankle’s feeling a lot better, swelling’s getting down. It feels a lot better. So, I mean, should be back playing soon.
That’s obviously good as you guys are making this push for the seeding in the stretch run. What has been in your mind the biggest reason for this run you guys are on and the way you guys have played over the last couple of months?
Really I think just the mentality of everybody just understanding the time and situation really. Understanding we didn’t have a lot of time to keep accepting losing, and we just needed a change in winning and we just need to win. I think everybody’s mentality and everybody’s mindset really has changed and everybody’s really just has been locked in, in focusing on winning each and every day. So I think that’s the biggest change.
One of the biggest changes that you can see is the way you guys have improved in the fourth quarter and that’s something that y’all have talked about all season is learning to close out games. Is there anything you can specifically point to that changed that — obviously health makes a big difference for you guys — but just the way you guys are closing out and the comfort you have in those late game situations and turning some of those close losses into close wins?
Yeah, I think we just … Nate’s done a great job of getting everybody in their right places. And really we’ve just taken our time, and I’m starting to understand and I got guys around me, guys like Gallinari and guys like Lou Will and understand when its winning time and when it’s time to go, when it’s time to slow down. So I think just knowing when the to do certain things is something that we’ve gotten better and I’ve gotten a lot better at, especially recently.
Yeah, and you’ve gotten a chance to play more with Bogdan Bogdanovic, who is obviously having a sensational shooting stretch. What does it do for you having another playmaker on the floor like that next to you, who can take some of that load away from you and really you guys can play off of each other?
Yeah. It’s been great having him back healthy and playing. It was tough having him out for most of that early part of the stretch when we were losing all those games too. And I think really just having him back, adds a shooter, adds another weapon. I mean he’s not really, like, I just put him as a shooter, labeled him as a shooter, but he’s more than that. Like he can really shoot, really score the ball, get other guys involved. He just knows how to play. He’s a really good basketball player. So I think it’s great having him as a teammate.
You’ve taken fewer threes this year, kind of back to where you were in your rookie year in terms of the volume. Is that just the way defenses are approaching you and pressing up higher and giving you more opportunity to kind of drive and get inside, or what has changed there that’s led you to taking more of your looks toward at the rim or in the in between where you’ve really developed that floater game?
Yeah, I mean, there’s definitely more film out there of me. And a lot of people knew I like to shoot threes or whatever, so I think guys are being more physical and more — I mean, pick me up higher this year. And I think that’s been really the main reason why I haven’t taken as many threes. So I think that’s been the main reason guys are picking me up a little bit higher this year in regards to previous years where they would be a little bit more back. So, I mean, it’s just more film out there.
Definitely. Where do you feel like you’ve grown the most in your game over the last three years as a pro? From where you came in as a rookie to now what are you most proud of your development so far?
Probably just my leadership, as far as developing leading vocally. I’ve always been a really good leader by example, but just understanding being a point guard in this league you gotta learn how to do both. Be a leader vocally as well as lead by example. So, just understanding that as I’m getting older, just to use my voice more and that people are going to listen whenever I use my voice. So I just gotta use it more, and so that’s something that I think I’m proud of that I’ve gotten a lot better at. I can still continue and I’m still learning and getting better at that each and every day.
Obviously you had a lot of time from when when the season got stopped last March to when it started again in December. What was your focus in the work you were putting in at home before training camp to be ready to be able to take another step this year?
Yeah, I mean my focus was not to be in that situation again. I mean my thought process and my focus was to get us to the playoffs. I mean, I didn’t care about anything else, I just wanted to be a part of the playoffs Sitting at home and I mean training while everybody was in the bubble was really killing me. So, knowing that if the season shut down again and we had to go to a bubble, I wanted to be a part of that, that playoff that bubbles. So that’s where my focus was.
You’re partnered with BODYARMOR for this One More campaign and what have you learned about taking care of your body and the hydration and nutrition that goes into as a pro? Because that’s something that I know for some young guys is a big transition and something that they learn early on about really having to take care of your body because you’re playing so many more games than you did in college.
Yeah, it was definitely something that I had to get adjusted to was playing 80 games and then, I mean, the back to backs and things like that. And, for me, just understanding I needed to hydrate my body and things like that. So fueling my body with BODYARMOR, which I’ve been consistently doing and I know it’s very important as athlete to be hydrated and stay hydrated while you’re playing. So, it’s very important and the One More campaign is gonna be great. I’m excited for everybody to see it. It really shows — I mean, it’s focusing on the work you put in behind the scenes. And so people will get to see it and it’s gonna be really cool.
Lastly, as you guys look forward to what looks like it’s gonna be reaching that goal of making the playoffs, what do you look at as going to be the key for you guys to not just make the playoffs but being able to maybe make a run and kind of push into later rounds?
I think just keeping the same mentality that we’ve been having, and not just getting to the playoffs and accepting just being there. I know everybody we’ve been talking, I’ve just said it, that one of our goals is to get to the playoffs this year, and once we get there, I can’t just be the end goal. We can’t just be satisfied with that. And so if we have the same mentality that we’ve been having recently and in the way we’ve been playing — which I don’t see it changing — I think we’ll be okay. We can win some games in the postseason.
They both worked as shady lawyers for Donald Trump and they both had their homes raided by the feds. But just because they have a lot in common (although only one have served prison time… so far) doesn’t mean Cohen has sympathy for Giuliani.
“Here we go folks!!!” Cohen tweeted after the FBI seized cellphones and computers as part of the criminal investigation into the former-New York City’s major alleged Ukraine dealings. Trump’s former fixer also appeared on CNN on Thursday afternoon, where he shared his legal expertise. When asked what he thought about the raid, Cohen replied, “Rudy, I told you so. Donald Trump doesn’t care about anyone or anything, that he will be the next one to be thrown under the bus.” The former-president called the investigation “very unfair” and referred to Giuliani as “a patriot who loves this country.”
Later in the interview, Cohen said, “We have no idea how expansive this investigation is ultimately going to reveal itself, because Rudy’s an idiot. And that’s the problem. Rudy drinks too much. Rudy behaves in such an erratic manner that who knows what’s on those telephones or what’s on his computers?” He also believes that Rudy would turn on Trump without a second thought. “Do I think Rudy would give up Donald in a heartbeat? Absolutely. He certainly doesn’t want to follow my path down into a 36 month sentence for something as innocuous as a hush money payment to a porn star.”
You can watch the CNN clip below.
“What I told him was that Donald Trump doesn’t care about anyone or anything, that he will be the next one to be thrown under the bus,” says Michael Cohen of Rudy Giuliani.
“We have no idea how expansive that this investigation is going to [be]… because Rudy’s an idiot.” pic.twitter.com/nzWNguf9t1
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