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The New Orleans Pelicans got off to a tremendous start last season and looked like a team ready to take the leap into being a top-4 contender in the West. However, injuries derailed that promising start, as Zion Williamson injured his hamstring after 29 games and never returned, and Brandon Ingram was in and out of the lineup with ankle issues that limited him to just 45 appearances.

Without their top two stars playing consistently, the Pelicans limped home to a 42-40 record before being bounced in the first Play-In game. While this offseason saw them mostly stay the course in terms of roster moves, it wasn’t without noise, as rumors swirled about Williamson’s future with the organization. Entering this season, there isn’t the same level of excitement and optimism around what this team can be, as there is instead this lingering feeling that we may never see this talented roster reach its full potential. Hopefully that is a misguided feeling, but the NBA world will want to see it for a full season before they believe it with this Pelicans squad.

Biggest Question: How Much Will Their Starting Unit Play Together?

With most teams I have tried avoiding going with health-related questions, but it’s impossible to talk about this Pelicans team without addressing the elephant in the room. We saw last year that when they’re all on the floor they can be an absolute buzzsaw, as they have terrific balance when at full strength. Their top-6 is genuinely among the best in the league, as Williamson is an unstoppable freight train getting to the rim, Ingram has become an elite midrange scorer, and McCollum is a steady hand in the backcourt and knockdown shooter. Around those three they can go big or small, with Jonas Valanciunas, Herbert Jones, and Trey Murphy III all providing a different complementary skillset to their trio of stars.

The Pelicans even have solid depth beyond that six, but there is a ceiling on how far that can take a team if their top stars aren’t on the floor. There are already some injury concerns in New Orleans before the season even begins, but if they can get 60+ games out of Zion and Ingram each, they absolutely have a shot at being in the West playoff chase. That’s how good they are, it’s just a matter of whether they can finally sustain it for a full season or if we’re doomed to dream of what could’ve been in New Orleans once again.

X-Factor: Trey Murphy III

If we move away from the health of the Pelicans’ stars, the player who unlocks their team’s full potential is Trey Murphy III, who will be sidelined to start the season with a meniscus injury. The Pelicans do not have anyone on the wing who brings the skillset Murphy does as a knockdown shooter (40.6 percent on 6.3 attempts from three last year) and a cutter/finisher at the rim (75.9 percent shooting at the rim). His ability to space the floor and apply pressure to defenses off the ball is so important for a team with three terrific on-ball threats, and he’s continued to get better as a secondary creator and three-level scorer. Last season he took a considerable leap in terms of efficiency from every area of the floor, and his continued development is one of the things to watch this season as he can alleviate some of the pressure on Ingram in terms of wing creation.

On the other end, Murphy is a big, long defender with plenty of versatility that helps paper over some of the deficiencies on that end from their stars. Getting Murphy back on the court healthy is the first order of business for New Orleans, because they simply don’t have a replacement for all that he brings this team on the wing. If he can continue taking a step forward as an offensive playmaker, the Pelicans will be a true nightmare to deal with offensively because of the attention you have to give their top-3 already.

When autumn arrives, some beer drinkers feel like it’s time to immediately crack open dark lagers, brown ales, stouts, and porters. But we all need a break from all that heaviness now and then. That’s where a nice session beer comes in this time of year — acting as a respite from the darker beers of fall.

A session beer isn’t a single style like a lager, IPA, or barrel-aged stout. It’s not a designation that comes with a set flavor profile. Instead, a session beer is simply an easy-drinking, usually refreshing, well-balanced beer. More than that, session beers are typically lower in alcohol than most other beers (so that you can down a few “in a session.” We’re talking usually 5% ABV or less (although some sneak just past that number).

To find some of the best examples of session beers for fall sipping, we went to the professionals for help. We asked a handful of well-known brewers and craft beer experts to tell us their go-to session beers for fall. They were nice enough to let us in on their favorite easy-drinking pilsners, IPAs, English bitters, and more. Keep reading to see them all.

Lawson’s Finest Super Session Centennial IPA

Andrew Hueston, USBG bartender at El Vez in Philadelphia

ABV: 4.8%

Average Price: $12 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

I have to give this one to Lawson’s Super Session Centennial IPA. They used to change this recipe once in a while denoted by the # in the series which made things interesting. Now they have added it to their core list and honestly, I’m glad they did because they clearly picked their best recipe.

Tasting Notes:

Thanks to the liberal use of Centennial hops, even though this is a session IPA, it’s filled with citrus and floral notes that will scratch your IPA itch.

Firestone Walker Pivo Pils

Nick Purdy, president and founder at Wild Heaven Beer in Atlanta

ABV: 5.3%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

These days I’m always on the lookout for something with flavor that hits clean and crisp when it comes to a sessionable beer. One of my favorites is Firestone Walker’s Pivo.

Tasting Notes:

Reminiscent of great European beers but with a bold flavor that’s a hallmark of American craft brewing. This dry-hopped pilsner is crisp, floral, hoppy, and very drinkable.

Chuckanut Festbier Lager

Chad Henderson, head brewer and co-owner of NoDa Brewing Company in Charlotte. North Carolina

ABV: 5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

Lower-ABV Festbiers. Despite their lower alcohol content, Festbiers often pack a flavorful punch. They offer a balance of malt sweetness and hop bitterness, providing a full-bodied taste without being overly heavy. The lighter nature also makes them highly refreshing, ideal for outdoor autumn celebrations. A great example is Chuckanut’s Festbier Lager. Brewed with Vienna malts, this crisp Marzen-style lager is a great sessionable choice for fall.

Tasting Notes:

This highly balanced fall beer is known for its nice mix of malt sweetness, floral hops, and crisp, refreshing finish.

Fuller’s London Pride

Shaun O’Sullivan, co-founder and brew master at 21st Amendment Brewing in San Francisco

ABV: 4.1%

Average Price: $11 for a four-pack

The Beer:

When it’s available – and it certainly is a hard find in some areas of the US – it would have to be Fuller’s London Pride. When I am in London, I often enjoy it at the Victoria Pub near Paddington Station with fish and chips.

Tasting Notes:

This imported English bitter (that’s not bitter, folks) has a malt balance and sweet light toffee aromas with its characteristic fruity notes and is on tap at a mere 4.1%.

Yards Brawler

George Hummel, grain master at My Local Brew Works in Philadelphia

ABV: 4.2%

Average Price: $11 for a six-pack

The Beer:

The guys at Yards were very smart when they named their ruby mild: Brawler. The British style doesn’t get much love on this side of the pond. And probably because the average craft brew consumer probably doesn’t want a ‘mild’ experience.

Tasting Notes:

Linguistics aside, this garnet-colored brew showcases malt. Notes of caramel, warm biscuits, and raisins are balanced with a gentle kiss of Golding hops.

Forest & Main Dark Mild

Matthew Steinberg, co-founder and head brewer at Exhibit A Brewing in Framingham, Massachusetts

ABV: 4%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

Dark Mild, 4%, from Forest & Main Brewery in Ambler, Pennsylvania. It’s brewed with Maris Otter malts as well as a mix of dark and roasted malts as well as Fuggle and Polaris hops.

Tasting Notes:

It’s malty with mild roastiness and smooth. There are hints of coffee and biscuits. It’s perfect for the cooler weather.

Maui Brewing Kōkua Session IPA

Dan Lipke, head brewer at Clown Shoes Brewing in Boston

ABV: 4.2%

Average Price: Check Your Local Breweries

The Beer:

Maui Brewing Kōkua Session IPA. This is a project started by Maui Brewing to benefit those impacted by the Maui wildfires. Chances are your local brewery will have brewed a version. With malts and hops donated by the partner suppliers, the sky was the limit on the hop load for this beer.

Tasting Notes:

Bursting with a tropical hop aroma of mango, pineapple, and citrus from Mosaic and Waimea hops and coming in at only 4.2%, you know you can enjoy several of these and do your part to help.

DESTIHL Apple Pie Sour

Garth Beyer, certified Cicerone and owner of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin

ABV: 4.6%

Average Price: $15 for a six-pack

The Beer:

DESTIHL Brewery’s Apple Pie Sour is a fun, sessionable beer to drink this fall. Made to taste like an apple pie, it’s brewed with tart apples, cinnamon, and lactose.

Tasting Notes:

Think of this like an apple pie shot without the booze and burn. It’s thin, comes in around 4% ABV, and quite frankly, a refreshing step away from pumpkin spice but still in the direction of the fall season.

Founders All Day IPA

Michael Ng, USBG bartender at Behind the Glass Bartending in Los Angeles

ABV: 4.7%

Average Price: $11 for a six-pack

The Beer:

One of the best session beers to enjoy this fall is All Day IPA by Founders Brewing Co. It’s a fantastic session beer for fall because it combines the refreshment of a session beer with the robust flavors of an IPA, making it perfect for crisp autumn days.

Tasting Notes:

What makes this beer great is its flavor profile. It’s a light-bodied beer with a moderate alcohol content, making it highly drinkable for extended sessions. Despite its lower alcohol level, it doesn’t compromise on taste. You’ll find a delightful balance of citrus and piney hop notes, along with a subtle malt sweetness.

Firestone Walker 805

Adam Lukey, head brewer at Eventide Brewing in Atlanta

ABV: 4.7%

Average Price: $9 for a six-pack

The Beer:

I am certainly a hop head, but sometimes I don’t want a 10+% ABV quadruple dry hopped triple IPA, but rather a low ABV, balanced session IPA. My choice for session beer was Firestone Walker Brewing Co.’s Easy Jack, but they don’t make it anymore. Their 805 ale is great as well. It’s a blonde ale that gets extra flavor from the addition of sweet malts and select hops.

Tasting Notes:

At just 4.7% ABV, 805 makes throwing a few back after raking the leaves that much more enjoyable. It’s known for its crisp, refreshing flavors, sweet honey, caramel malts, and light, floral hops at the finish.

Hugh Jackman made a surprise cameo in the Rick and Morty Season 7 premiere where he played a character that only the X-Men actor could bring to life. That character: Hugh Jackman.

In true Rick and Morty-style, the in-show version of Jackman is dialed up to 11, and apparently, an old friend of Rick’s. The two hosted the Oscars together and have a history of raucous partying. When Mr. Poopy Butthole needs help getting over his ex-wife, Rick turns to Jackman who invites everyone to his home a.k.a. the “Jack Shack” where things quickly go off the rails.

Jackman proceeds to load the crew up on booze and bills as he belts out show tunes and shows off nude photos of himself. He also encourages everyone to use his Tony Award for target practice as the actor cuts loose for the cameo.

Via The Daily Beast:

Jackman is totally game to lampoon his public image and career. He uses his stage voice and belts theatrically at any chance; he has posters of Wolverine all over his house; he’s got a gigantic nude portrait of himself hanging above his trophy case. When Mr. Poopybutthole stands up to Rick about wanting to see his wife, Jackman congratulates him on “Wolverine-ing.” The man contains multitudes—he’s an X-Man and a song-and-dance man!—and this episode lets him embrace both sides of his persona.

Naturally, the episode ends in the most fitting way possible: Hugh Jackman killing the Predator. (Although, there might be a bit of cross-promotion here. Marvel just launched a new mini-series where Wolverine battles with, you guessed it, the Predator.)

As for how Rick and Morty managed to land Jackman, the actor stars in Koala Man, which has ties to the Rick and Morty production team. Plus, unlike Deadpool 3, Jackman doesn’t have to wear yellow spandex, so it was probably an easy pitch.

Rick and Morty airs new episodes Sunday on Adult Swim.

(Via The Daily Beast)

There are two types of people in this world – those who panic and fill up their cars with gas when the needle hits 25% or so, and people like me who wait until the gas light comes on, then check the odometer so you can drive the entire 30 miles to absolute empty before coasting into a gas station on fumes.

I mean…it’s not empty until it’s empty, right?

But just how far can you drive your car once that gas light comes on? Should you trust your manual?

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Now, thanks to Your Mechanic sharing this information in a recent post, you can know for sure. Of course, they also want to warn you that driving on a low fuel level or running out of gas can actually damage your car.

Proceed at your own risk.

Here’s a link to a larger version of the chart.

These are, of course, approximations that depend on several factors, including how you drive, your car’s condition, etc. So don’t automatically blame Your Mechanic if you find yourself stranded on the side of the road.

A mystery teacher has become an internet scholar after imgur user SharkyTheSharkDog shared photos of the extra credit questions on their exams.

While the first six are really fun—you should see if you can get them all correct—the last one is pure torture in the form of public humiliation.

Don’t read too quickly, students.

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1. How many seasons was “Full House” on the air?

2. Complete the verse… “I been in the game for ten years makin’ rap tunes…”

3. What color pants does Jake from State Farm wear?

4. Okay, this one’s going to be tough for you.”Yesterday, during my lecture, I quickly mentioned that only a pink pen will save you tomorrow. Draw a stick figure below in that pink pen.”

5. Describe the dumbest conversation you overheard recently.Guy: Do you like Bon Jovi?Girl: No thanks, I don’t eat Italian Food.

6. Including “The Revenant,” how many times has Leo DiCaprio been nominated for an Academy Award?

7. And this one’s a true test of your reading strategy.

First person to read this, stand up proudly on your chair, and yell at the top of your lungs, “Oh Captain, My Captain!” will receive a 95% on this exam.
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*Just kidding. Name the drummer for The Beatles.

This article originally appeared on 05.01.19

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is back on the air, with another killer lineup of musical guests planned for this week (October 16 to October 20). For those tuning into the popular late-night show, here’s what (and who) to expect.

Feist — Monday, October 16

Tonight, Feist will be performing as the musical guest. The Canadian rocker is a solo performer, and she was previously a member of Broken Social Scene. Her latest album, Multitudes, dropped back in April.

Tuesday, October 17

There is no musical guest set for this Tuesday. Instead, Paris Hilton and comedian Jared Freid are on the lineup.

David Kushner — Wednesday, October 18

David Kushner is a rising singer-songwriter. The 23-year-old has found recent success with songs like “Daylight” and “Mr. Forgettable.” This episode will also feature Issa Rae and Ronnie Wood.

Victoria Monét — Thursday, October 19

Monét will be The Tonight Show‘s musical guest this Thursday, promoting her recent album, Jaguar II, which she released over the summer. Bad Bunny is also set to be featured on the episode, but likely just for an interview.

2 Chainz and Lil Wayne — Friday, October 20

What better way to close out a stacked week than with 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne as the guest performers? The two rappers will be presenting their ColleGrove 2 collaborative project, which fans have been waiting for.

Do you feel the need? The need for a Top Gun-inspired docuseries? Because Nat Geo sure does.

The network announced Monday its plans to film a show that gives fans an inside look at the Navy’s top-secret Advanced Flight Training Program. The series hopes to capitalize on the renewed interest in the film franchise after the success of Top Gun: Maverick by following a handful of officers on their journey to becoming elite fighter pilots.

“With so many millions of fans of the film around the world, I was immediately drawn to this series – these elite jet pilots are not only extremely accomplished and impressive, but all have very different stories to tell,” EVP of Global Factual and Unscripted Content Tom McDonald said.

The show plans to follow the pilots as they complete rigorous training and tests required of the Navy’s fighter squadron including landing on an aircraft carrier at sea. Cameras will follow them in and out of the classroom, diving into how the demanding military program affects their home lives before ending with a select few being chosen to serve in the unit.

According to McDonald, the series will be an “exhilarating, visually jaw-dropping and fascinating journey into the intensely competitive world of elite flying.” Now if only they could figure out how to get Tom Cruise to kidnap James Corden for another in-flight meltdown to promote this thing …

(Via Deadline)

Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns this week with a slate of guests including Christina Aguilera, Simu Liu, Martin Scorcese, and Snoop Dogg. The musical guests include Lil Yachty, Myke Towers, Chelsea Cutler, and October London. You can check out more on the musical guests for the week of October 16-20 below.

Lil Yachty — Monday, October 16

Lil Yachty is currently on the Field Trip Global Tour promoting his most recent album, Let’s Start Here. Even though you’d think he’d be crazy busy with tour, he’s been ridiculously productive as a collaborator lately, releasing new songs with JID, J. Cole, and Drake.

Myke Towers — Tuesday, October 17

The Puerto Rican rapper has been flying high since the March release of his new album La Vida Es Una, which incorporates Afrobeats, R&B, and house music to his usual reggaeton and Latin trap stylings. In addition to collabs with J Balvin and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Towers also got a tremendous look on the soundtrack for Fast X alongside reggaeton legend Daddy Yankee.

Chelsea Cutler — Wednesday, October 18

Pop star Chelsea Cutler is just days removed from the release of her third studio album, Stellaria, which dropped on the 13th via Republic. Uproxx’s Megan Armstrong interviewed Cutler about the album, which Cutler says is “about noticing and being present and seeing what’s right in front of you.”

October London — Thursday, October 19

It’s only right that the old-soul singer takes the stage during his namesake month. It’s also fitting that he’ll be performing as Snoop Dogg guests; he’s signed to Death Row, which Snoop recently acquired, and dropped his first project on the imprint, The Rebirth Of Marvin, in February (his previous releases were under Doggy Style Records, so he and Snoop go way back).

Friday, October 20

Friday’s guests are to be confirmed.

Martin Scorsese‘s latest lengthy masterpiece was partially inspired by another three-hour movie. No, it’s not Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, although I would enjoy it if “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” becomes his new “Sympathy for the Devil.” The filmmaker told the Irish Times that the movies of director Ari Aster, specifically Midsommar and the bladder-testing Beau Is Afraid, helped influence the pacing of Killers of the Flower Moon.

“I very much like the style and pacing of good horror films like Ari Aster’s Midsommar or Beau Is Afraid,” he said. “The pacing of those films goes back to the B films of Val Lewton, Jacques Tourneur’s Cat People, or I Walked With a Zombie. Just going a little slower. A little quieter.”

Scorsese was “very concerned about allowing scenes that were not narrative into the story, scenes to do with the Osage culture — leaving in those scenes of custom, like the baby namings, the funerals and the weddings — so we could begin to understand a little more about the people. I felt confident that a lot of people would allow themselves to be immersed in the world of the film. One has to take these chances. At this age, what else can I do?”

Every Scorsese interview turns into a reflection of death. Don’t take a new film of his for granted. There might not be many left.

(Via the Irish Times)

The Uproxx 2023 Fall Travel Hot List is live! Visit here for the full experience!

Fall is in the air and with that comes people preparing for the holiday travel season. While there’s still time to secure a cheap flight leading up to Thanksgiving, the winter holidays are right around the corner after this corner — posing a whole new set of potential travel woes. December is notorious for being the most expensive month of the year to travel, so your holiday plans may include dropping double or triple the dollars to make it home for Christmas Eve.

Knowing that the holidays pose extra stress on travelers, travel companies have started utilizing AI technology to help prospective travelers orchestrate the perfect trip. Earlier this year, new AI travel startup Tripnotes launched its “generative” model to help travelers plan their ultimate travel itinerary and maximize the most of their time. This technology offers an interesting starting point, to which intrepid travelers can add a “more personal, human touch.”

Just this week, KAYAK rolled out a holiday version of its popular Best Time To Travel Tool. The tool supposedly has over 8,000 routes worldwide that travelers can test to see when to book and find the cheapest days to fly for a four-day, seven-day, or 14-day trip. The tool promises to be as simple as entering your home airport, final destination, and length of travel. In return, KAYAK will theoretically recommend the cheapest days to depart and return for your holiday trip, even going as far as recommending the best time to book for the cheapest price.

This sounds great…in theory. Yet when we went ahead and tried it for six different routes, we kept getting an error message and were informed the tool “didn’t have sufficient data” to supply us with what it promised.

According to KAYAK’s website, the tool uses data derived from KAYAK’s internal historical searches for the winter holiday travel period, encompassing departure dates between December 15th to December 31st and return dates between December 26th to January 8th. Additionally, flight price forecasts are estimated based on KAYAK’s analysis of current and historical minimum roundtrip prices for a single travel in economy class, taking into consideration the projected departure and return dates.

Having lived in four states over four years, I’ve had my fair share of holiday travel difficulties trying to make it back home. To test out the tool, I tried plugging in my current home city of Asheville, NC to get some data on when to fly home to my Western New York hometown. Unfortunately, I was met with a dead end with no data available.

While annoying, it could make sense considering Asheville is only a small, regional airport.

I tried this for my previous home bases in Denver, CO, and Salt Lake City, UT, as over the years it was incredibly hard to secure a holiday flight for anything less than $600. I was still met with a dead end, which is troubling considering all three are international airports.

So what’s the catch here?

Basically, while it looks good on paper, the tool seems to lack quite a bit of what the common folk need to… actually use it. Most of its 8,000 routes come from the large airport hubs of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Miami. While these are great, many people aren’t necessarily flying into these cities to spend time with their families for the holiday season. There are definitely a lot of gaps and the tool doesn’t seem ready to be fully utilized by as many prospective holiday travelers as KAYAK might assume.