Category: News

Monday Night Football’s move to ESPN at the end of the 2005 season is part of the last big shuffle of National Football League broadcast rights, but according to a report, ABC is looking to get back into the football game once more.

According to Front Office Sports, Disney is maneuvering to bring Monday Night Football back to ABC, and a source says there’s a good chance the deal actually happens. According to the report, ABC is in an “increasingly strong position” to land the deal with the NFL.

Negotiations between the NFL and network partners ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC Sports, and CBS Sports for the next round of TV rights are still in their early stages and nothing is finalized.

But sources on both sides of the negotiating table say Disney is making a strong push to bring ABC back to the NFL TV lineup. If ESPN retains MNF, the games could also be simulcast or megacast on ABC. “Both Disney and the NFL want it to happen,” said a source.

ABC had the rights to Monday Night Football from 1970 to 2005, when the networks shuffled a bit and ESPN swapped out Monday Night Football for Sunday Night Football. NBC took the latter over, eventually getting a significantly better pick of games in the process. ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast contract runs up until 2021, and Front Office Sports reported that a deal with ABC could put the network into the rotation of networks that airs the Super Bowl, which right now stands at NBC, Fox, and CBS.

ABC has moved on from Monday Night Football in a variety of ways in recent years, most notably turning that time slot into the Bachelor zone. But a return to broadcast television would be significant here, and it looks like Disney wants to make it happen very soon if the reports at to be believed.

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has left IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida — where the 2020 WNBA season is being held — due to personal reasons, the team announced Saturday.

“Our team’s commitment remains on the 2020 regular season and playoffs,” the Mercury’s statement read. “Our players and coaches will have no additional comment on the matter.”

The news comes after Griner missed Phoenix’s game against the Minnesota Lynx on Friday night, in which the Lynx won 90-80, due to personal reasons. The loss to Minnesota was the team’s third consecutive loss, and in Griner’s absence, Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith couldn’t do enough as Phoenix really missed having her interior presence. Kia Vaughn stepped in to replace the 29-year-old, but only managed three points and two assists to go with five rebounds.

This season, the Mercury have struggled to meet expectations, currently sitting in sixth place in the league standings with a 6-7 overall record. Considered a title contender heading into the 2020 season, the Mercury look frustrated as they are unable to string together consistent wins. The Mercury’s final regular season game is scheduled for Sept. 11 against the Seattle Storm, and if they stay among the top eight seeds, their stay in Bradenton will be extended for the playoffs.

If Griner returns to IMG Academy this season, she will likely have to quarantine before being allowed to return to action.

Despite facing some recent struggles in his campaign, Kanye West is pushing full steam ahead in his attempt to run for president. The rapper recently celebrated his appearance on a number of ballots in states across the country including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, and Tennessee. While that may have been a good sign for Kanye, the rapper has reportedly missed an important financial deadline for his presidential run according to TMZ, one that points to trouble for his campaign’s already slim chances.

The report reveals that Kanye missed an FEC deadline, which was August 20, to file a financial report for when he raises or spends $100,000 on his campaign. Filing this report is required by the FEC, so Kanye not doing so it means one of two things: he missed the filing deadline or he failed to raise or spend $100,000 on his campaign. Neither are good news for his presidential run.

The news comes after Wisconsin banned Kanye from appearing on the presidential ballots after The Wisconsin Elections Commission, a bipartisan panel consisting of three Democrats and three Republicans, voted 5-1 to ban the Chicago rapper from the ballot due to late qualifying paperwork. Prior to that, a poll from Politico/Morning Consult revealed Kanye was polling very poorly among Black voters, gaining only 2% of their vote for his presidential run.

(via TMZ)

The Orlando Magic stunned the Milwaukee Bucks in the first game of their opening round series Tuesday. It was a legitimate shock, as the Magic looked terrific and the Bucks — which sleepwalked through the Bubble’s seeding games — appeared to have some questions to answer. A few days and two games later, and boy, does that all seem pretty funny in retrospect.

Milwaukee trounced Orlando in Game 2 and once again asserted themselves in Game 3 on Saturday. Thanks to their most recent effort, a 121-107 win that wasn’t quite as close as the final score indicated, the Bucks are now 2-1 up in the series. As usual, Giannis Antetokounmpo magnificent: 35 points on 12-for-14 shooting, eight rebounds, six assists, and a steal.

Welcome To The Playoffs, Khris Middleton

No one on the Bucks needed a big game more than Middleton. He scored 14 points and shot horribly in Game 1, and despite the win in Game 2, the All-Star forward scored two points. While his abilities to rebound and distribute were there, the scoring and shooting that makes him such a valuable player — particularly next to Antetokounmpo — had abandoned him.

He still isn’t at his best, but Middleton had himself a nice Game 3. He scored 17 points on 7-for-17 shooting while connecting on three of his seven attempts from deep. Middleton also pulled in eight rebounds and doled out six assists. Again, this is not the level that Middleton can reach at his best, but using this series as a springboard to achieve the level he’s capable of achieving is gigantic for Milwaukee going forward.

The Bucks Have To Play 48 Minutes

At one point in the third quarter, Milwaukee found itself up by 34 points. It’s not an unfamiliar spot for them to be in this year — the Bucks were quite good at mashing opponents during the 2019-20 season, and normally, the fourth quarters are just formalities, as both teams end up clearing their benches and going on cruise control.

The thing that’s so interesting is that while Milwaukee picked up two double-digit wins, both included them switching off for a bit and Orlando staging a comeback. This time, the Magic got within 12 in the fourth quarter. They never got closer, and Milwaukee was able to create some space between the two teams before Orlando rallied late, but the fact that they made it to that point made me raise my eyebrows.

Part of this is due to the fact that Orlando plays really, really hard and has zero sense of quit in them. But as the postseason goes on, the Bucks can’t have these sorts of big lulls that give an opposing team a chance to rally back and close the distance. A team like the Magic — especially this extremely hobbled version — don’t have anywhere near the firepower to really threaten Milwaukee. Teams like Boston, Miami, and especially Toronto do.

A Moment Of Appreciation For The NBA’s Most Fun Backup Backcourt

God, watching D.J. Augustin and Terrence Ross when they’re both cooking is a blast. The pair played really well off the bench for Orlando on Saturday — the former had team-highs with 24 points and six assists, while the latter chipped in 20 points. Both shot 8-for-13 from the field and connected on four threes.

The Magic are almost certainly not going to be championship contenders any time soon. They’re in a position to consistently be a very solid and very annoying team going forward, particularly if they can stay healthy, but it’s hard to see them competing for a ring barring something unforeseen. Still, whether it happens in Orlando or elsewhere, it’d bee really cool to see Augustin, 32, or Ross, 29, suit up for a title contender sometime before their careers come to an end. Every team could use Augustin’s steady hand and ability to run an offense, or Ross’ ability to catch fire and score in bunches. And if they take another game off of Milwaukee in this series, odds are at least one of those two dudes will be a big reason why.

The 2020 MTV VMAs are almost a week away and to ensure the show goes on despite the pandemic, they’ve set up a livestream ceremony to be hosted by Keke Palmer. The initial list of performers was revealed at the beginning of the month, with Roddy Ricch, The Weeknd, and more added later. Unfortunately, Roddy Ricch has since revealed he will no longer be able to perform.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be performing at this year’s VMAs as announced,” Roddy wrote in an Instagram story post. “My team and I did everything in our power to make this work, due to COVID compliance issues at the last minute we had to call off the performance. My team and I are safe and everyone’s health is a main priority, as well as giving a quality performance. I appreciate MTV for the opportunity to perform and I hope I can see y’all next year. STAY SAFE.”

While Roddy’s cancellation may be a disappointment towards his fans, they have some reason to be optimistic: He revealed in a recent GQ profile that his upcoming sophomore album will be a “full-blown masterpiece.”

Roddy Ricch is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

It may have grossed three quarters of a billion dollars, but 2016’s Suicide Squad was still considered something of a disappointment, enough so that a chunk of its cast — chief among them Will Smith’s Deadshot and Jared Leto’s Joker — wound up not coming back for the confusingly named sequel. But at least there’s plenty of new cast members to make up for that. In fact, the teaser dropped at this weekend’s DC Fandome showed nothing but its new Squad members, one after another for two whole minutes.

Of course, some of them were coming back: Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney’s Boomerang, plus non-good villains like Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag and Viola Davis’ government stooge Amanda Walker. But there were plenty of newbies — 13 to be exact. The biggest news was that we learned what characters will be played by three of its most famous additions: Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Pete Davidson as Blackguard, and John Cena as Peacemaker.

Here, for the record, is the rest of the main cast, a number of them regulars for new director James Gunn, who replaced David Ayers:

• Michael Rooker as Savant
• Flula Borg as Javelin
• David Dastmalchan as Polka Dot Man
• Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher
• King Shark (actor not revealed)
• Mayling Ng as Mongal
• Peter Capaldi as Thinker
• Alice Braga as Solsoria
• Nathan Fillion as T.D.K.
• Sean Gunn as Weasel

Alas, you’ll have to wait almost a year to see them in action. The Suicide Squad is due to hit theaters on August 6, 2021.

You can watch the trailer in the video above.

James Gunn recently teased that no one had correctly guessed Idris Elba’s The Suicide Squad role. We already knew that it wouldn’t be Deadshot, since that supervillain’s hanging in reserve for Will Smith’s eventual return to the franchise, and Gunn suggested that he’d be revealing the Elba detail at this weekend’s DC Fandome. Well, that’s happened and more. Not only did we learn about Elba’s role but also that of Pete Davidson (whose role people actually accurately guessed awhile back), John Cena, Nathan Fillion, Peter Capaldi, and the rest of the new cast members. Let’s do this:

– Idris Elba as Bloodsport: Robert DuBois is an enemy of Superman, and a mercenary who wields high-powered firearms and weaponry that’s loaded with Kryptonite bullets. He’s a Vietnam War-obsessed, deranged supervillain who was employed in the comics by Lex Luthor to take on the Man of Steel.

– John Cena as Peacemaker: Christopher Smith is a pacifist diplomat who prefers using non-lethal weaponry and other combat mechanisms, which are consistent with his commitment to achieving world peace. That doesn’t work out so well, and he gradually becomes more violent in his vigilantism.

– Pete Davidson as Blackguard: Richard “Dick” Hertz has a super-criminal record but previously was a solo operative who gained powers after his recruit into the 1000. They eventually sought to execute him, but he escaped death and later joined the Suicide Squad, where he clashed with The General.

Here’s the rest of the gang, some returning and some new:

– Harley Quinn – Margot Robbie
– Amanda Waller – Viola Davis
– Colonel Rick Flag – Joel Kinnaman
– Savant – Michael Rooker
– Javelin – Flula Borg
– Polka Dot Man – David Dastmalchian
– Ratcatcher 2 – Daniela Melchoir
– Mongal – Mayling Ng
– The Thinker – Peter Capaldi
– Sol Soria – Alice Braga
– TDK – Nathan Fillion
– Weasel – Sean Gunn
– Captain Boomerang – Jai Courtney
– King Shark – Unknown

That includes one hell of a freshened-up Task Force X. (RIP Slipknot.)

Gunn also revealed that this film, which has been characterized as a franchise relaunch after David Ayer’s 2016 blob-filled extravaganza, Suicide Squad, will function as a sequel to the John Ostrander-written comic books. He also promised a ton of explosions, which feels like a given, but it’s still nice to hear, since we’re all missing the movies.

The Suicide Squad will release on August 6, 2021.

We’re deep into whiskey awards season. That means we’re also getting into more niche awards where small groups of experts gather to taste and award spirits their medals of honor. In this case, an industry publication, The Spirits Business, has gathered two expert judges to declare The American Whiskey Masters of 2020. Thie year they called out the best bourbons, ryes, and Tennessee whiskeys.

This year’s experts were The Whiskey Exchange ambassador Billy Abbot, who’s also one of the world’s leading voices in all things whisk(e)y. The second expert judge was The Spirit Business‘ editor and chair of their awards committee Melita Kiely. For us, this is what makes this particular list interesting. These are whiskeys that are judged by two people who live and breathe whiskey every single day of their lives. Their palates are dialed in and they know their whiskey.

The seven bottles below are the American whiskeys Abbot and Kiely agreed upon as the Masters of all the whiskeys they tasted from America (they also awarded gold and silver medals). Unsurprisingly, Buffalo Trace’s options dominated the high echelons of the awards. We also linked to some delivery options for these expressions. But, be warned, prices for several of these bottles are on a rapid rise and availability is not always nationwide.

Super Premium Bourbon: Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Master)

ABV: 45%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

Eagle Rare 10 is the Eagle Rare that you should still be able to find and enjoy for a fairly fair price. This expression is sourced from hand-selected barrels that are no less than ten years old. The resulting bottle is highly sought after for being a classic and refined expression of bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a deep sense of worn leather next to burnt orange peels, honey sweetness, charred oak barrels, and a rich toffee creaminess. Marzipan covered in dark chocolate ebbs as a slight herbal note lurks in the background. The sip lasts on the senses as a warmth edges in along with the leather, oak, and orange.

Bottom Line:

This is a great “impress my guests” bourbon to have on hand. It’s stellar with a little water or in Manhattan.

No Age Statement Bourbon: Legent Bourbon (Master)

ABV: 47%
Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory)
Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

This specialty bourbon marries Kentucky bourbon distilling, California wine country, and Japanese blending in a single bottle. The juice is made under the watchful eye of Jim Beam legend Fred Noe and partially aged in new American oak and red wine and sherry barrels. The juice is then blended by Japanese whisky blending legend Shinji Fukuyo of Suntory.

Tasting Notes:

The whiskey opens with a clear sense of vinous notes next to dried fruits and a mild creaminess. There’s a crème brûlée feel to the sip with a fresh vanilla pod foundation and light caramel. In the end, it’s the plummy fruit that really shines as the sip warms you up.

Bottom Line:

Check out our full review with a Black Manhattan cocktail recipe here.

No Age Statement Bourbon: Weller CYPB Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Master)

ABV: 47.5%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
Average Price: $500

The Whiskey:

This is a fascinating expression brought about by Buffalo Trace asking the general public to “Craft Your Perfect Bourbon.” C.Y.P.B. was born out of the consensus of what bourbon lovers look for in their dram. In this case, that was a wheated bourbon that was aged around eight years on the highest floors of the rickhouse.

Tasting Notes (from Buffalo Trace):

“A light aroma with citrus and oak on the nose. The palate is well rounded and balanced, with a medium-long finish and hints of vanilla.”

Bottom Line:

This is a very limited release and a very lauded bottle of booze. It’s what I would deem as a bottle you should try at a tasting only. If you dig it, you do you.

Super Premium Tennessee Whiskey: Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey (Master)

ABV: 50%
Distillery: Nearest Green Distillery, Shelbyville, TN (Sourced)
Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

Uncle Nearest is trailblazing the re-introduction of Tennessee whiskey as the powerhouse that it can be. The brand is also part of a re-awakening of the great influence Uncle Nathan “Nearest” Green had on American whiskey-making as the master distiller for Jack Daniel’s first distillery. That makes this an important whiskey while also being a damn tasty one too.

Tasting Notes:

Peaches baked in maple syrup meet a sense of freshly baled straw and a hint of county fair kettle corn up top. Those peaches dry out as the maple carries on with a hint of wildflowers and a whisper of cinnamon and nutmeg. There’s a mealy, vanilla-y depth on the warm end that lingers just the right amount of time.

Bottom Line:

This is a solid mixer that I like in a highball with nice, minerally water or as the base of a cracking cocktail.

Ultra Premium Rye: Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Straight Rye Whiskey (Master)

ABV: 50%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
Average Price: $90

The Whiskey:

This expression from one of the Buffalo Trace’s high-end lines is a standout. The mash bill is mostly rye with a small dose of malted barley and no corn whatsoever, making this a real spotlight for the rye on the palate.

Tasting Notes (from Buffalo Trace):

“The result is an aroma full of dried fruit, black pepper, and a touch of fresh dill. A small sip brings an array of flavors both sweet and savory with a terrific balance of dark spices and subtle caramel overtones. The finish is especially pleasing with an oaky dryness that lingers just long enough.”

Bottom Line:

This one is already topping out price-wise for casual consumers, so you might want to get your hands on some now … if you can find it that is.

Ultra Premium Bourbon: Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Master)

ABV: 63.2%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
Average Price: $75

The Whiskey:

This expression has been cleaning up awards this year. This bourbon is touted as being uncut, unfiltered, and aged for just shy of a decade. That un-fussing with accounts for high ABV, which adds to the love for this bottle.

Tasting Notes (from our own Chris Osburn):

“Right off the bat, there’s a sweet, caramelized brown sugar flavor that slowly walks its way into rich, well-aged leather. That’s just the beginning of the Stagg, Jr. flavor rollercoaster. Just when you think you’ve reached the depths of its flavor; you’re met with rich cocoa sweetness followed by subtle Christmas spices before finally ending in a crescendo of creamy maple candy and toasted oak.”

Bottom Line:

I love this whiskey as much as the next person and am a little saddened it’s about to become almost unattainable for so many. This is an excellent cocktail base or a solid sipper with a little water or a single rock to really open up those flavor notes.

Ultra Premium Bourbon: Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Master & Taste Master)

ABV: 50%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is all about how well-aged barrels can be blended into an ultra-refined final product. That refinement made this expression both a Master and this year’s Taste Master for 2020. This is also where you start on your Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. journey to get a baseline on the brand before you try the other, checks notes, ten expressions under the Colonel’s name.

Tasting Notes:

This sip starts off a classic with notes of bourbon vanilla and then immediately veers into different territory with a flourish of black licorice. That licorice runs through the palate as a sense of county fair kettle corn dripping with caramel is counterpointed by an ever-so-mild spice. That spice builds towards a peppery finish as the caramel edges towards vanilla laden butterscotch and a final wisp of fresh tobacco smoke.

Bottom Line:

This is advertised as a sipping whiskey and it certainly is great for that (especially with a little water to open it up). But I love using this one in a Sazerac or Boulevardier. That licorice and tobacco work well in bold cocktails.

James Ennis III and Marvin Williams were ejected during game three of the first round playoff series between the Orlando Magic and the Milwaukee Bucks following a tussle. During one play in the second quarter, Ennis and Williams collided under the basket while boxing out for a rebound, and as the play moved to the other end of the court, the pair got into a shoving match.

As the two forwards were being separated by officials and coaches, they exchanged words and Ennis appeared to swing his arm at Williams. It is unclear if he was trying to throw a punch or aggressively stop Williams from grabbing his jersey.

Following the incident, the referee gave both players double technical fouls and ejected them from the game.

The series between the Magic and the Bucks is currently tied at 1-1, but Orlando is already undermanned after injuries to Mo Bamba, Aaron Gordon, Michael Carter-Williams, Jonathan Issac, and Al-Farouq Aminu. It is unclear if either Ennis or Williams will face any sort of reprimand for this incident. As for the game itself, the first half didn’t go particularly well for Orlando, as Milwaukee swarmed them on both ends of the floor to take a 70-43 lead into the locker rooms at halftime.

On Thursday, Megan Thee Stallion confirmed what much of social media already assumed in an Instagram Livestream. She revealed that Tory Lanez was indeed the person who shot her last month in the Hollywood Hills. Megan’s words on the livestream arrived after the Houston rapper grew frustrated with rumors spreading about the shooting on social media, to the point where she posted the pictures of her bullet wounds on Instagram in response.

Extending a hand in support to Megan, Chance The Rapper called for justice for her in a tweet Saturday.

“I hope Meg really gets justice for what Tory did to her,” Chance began in his tweet. “And that we can all learn from this, how near and constant and serious, the threat of lethal violence and abuse is for every Black woman.” The justice that Chance calls for in his tweet may arrive soon as a report from TMZ earlier this week said the Los Angeles district attorney is reviewing the shooting incident and considering a felony assault charge for Tory Lanez on top of his possession of a firearm charge he received on the night in question.

Chance The Rapper’s tweet arrives after JoJo confirmed she would remove Tory’s verse from her upcoming deluxe album. This marks the second artist to do so, as Kehlani confirmed she would do the same with her deluxe re-issue.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music.