The Philadelphia 76ers faced a number of questions going into Game 3 of their opening-round series against the Celtics. Philly had dug themselves in a deep 0-2 hole against Boston after two uninspired outings this week, the most recent being a 128-101 drubbing in Game 2 on Wednesday despite leading by as many as 14 at one point.
While Jayson Tatum had an off night, Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown came up big, leaving the Sixers searching for answers about how to get one win back in the series. Of course, there wouldn’t be any easy solutions for Philadelphia, which is just trying to keep its season alive at this point, and following another tough 102-94 loss in Game 3 Friday, the prognosis is as bleak as ever.
Here’s what we learned from Game 3 on Friday in Orlando:
The Sixers Showed A Lot of Heart
Despite the outcome, Philly proved that they still have a little dog left in them. With a daunting 0-2 deficit and no in Ben Simmons in the lineup, it would’ve been easy to roll over and die. But Philly showed some signs of life early, behind 12 first quarter points from Joel Embiid and nine from Tobias Harris to set the tone early.
It was a gritty, back-and-forth affair from wire to wire. Embiid was huge for the Sixers, and he did most of his damage by battling in the paint, getting 14 of his 30 points at the free throw line. And despite horrendous shooting all game long, the Sixers managed staged a 12-4 run late in the fourth quarter to tie the game with just under four minutes remaining. They also competed defensively, which led to Tatum having an off night for the first time in the series. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
The Celtics Have Too Many Weapons
Both teams struggled mightily from the field in Game 3. Philly started the game 1-for-10 from downtown, and the Celtics weren’t much better, missing 10 of 11 shots during that stretch and Tatum picking up a third quick foul that forced him to the bench for the entire second quarter.
But the poor shooting more or less canceled each other out, and the game ultimately came down to individual efforts. With Tatum going just 3-for-11 through the first three quarters, Kemba Walker stepped up big time, putting up 10 of his 24 points in the third to keep the Celtics on top.
Marcus Smart (14 points, eight rebounds) and Jaylen Brown (21 points, seven boards) were able to help buoy their team while Tatum struggled, until he made some key buckets to give Boston a seven-point lead midway through the final period. Tatum finished with 15 points but was just 6-for-19 from the field overall, including 2-for-9 from downtown. Regardless, the Celtics went on a devastating 10-0 run to close Game 3 and take a virtually insurmountable 3-0 series lead.
Ben Simmons Is Sorely Missed
Philadelphia’s offensive woes were on full display in Game 3, as they shot just 29 percent from the field (23 percent from behind the arc). Say what you will about just how much Simmons’ lack of shooting affects their spacing, particularly in crunch time, but without his ability to initiate the offense and create open looks for his teammates, the Sixers have often been stagnant and relied too heavily on iso action to manufacture points.
And isn’t just the offense that suffers. Through the first two games, we saw just how Tatum ran amok without Simmons’ size and length there to at least bother him on defense. Simmons has, justifiably, taken plenty of criticism for his deficiencies, but he has also perhaps not received the credit he deserves for his considerable talents.
The Sixers will try to avoid a first round sweep when Game 4 tips off on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on ABC.
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the entertainment industry, from shuffling movie release dates and fall television schedules to abruptly halting production on an until number of shows in various stages of filming and development. Friday brought news that at least two Netflix shows have gotten the axe as the industry reevaluates its properties and lineups moving forward.
The Hollywood Reporter learned Friday that Netflix had canceled two of its original shows — I Am Not Okay With This and The Society — reportedly due to coronavirus-related logistical issues.
The news is particularly cruel for I Am Not Okay With This, which debuted late in 2019 and got positive reviews and was quietly renewed for a second season before it became the latest renewed show to get, well, unrenewed. THR reported that while The Society had not seen scripts written for a second season that will now go unmade, the same was not the case with the teen-centered paranormal series from the makers of Stranger Things and The End Of The F***ing World.
The second seasons of both The Society and I Am Not Okay With This have been scrapped.
YA drama The Society was picked up for a second run in July 2019 and scripts had not yet been crafted for the sophomore run. I Am Not Okay With This had been quietly renewed though not publicly announced, with scripts completed for the sophomore run.
As The Hollywood Reporter noted, sources said the network was “pleased” with both shows, but as the streaming giant reevaluated the logistical hurdles getting both back underway as community spread of coronavirus still exist in many parts of the United States proved to be too much.
While Netflix was pleased with the performance of both shows, sources say the uncertainty surrounding production dates, efforts to balance the needs and scheduling availabilities of a large cast (like The Society) and unexpected budget increases because of the pandemic prompted both cancellations.
I Am Not Okay With This ended its first season on quite a cliffhanger, which had plenty of fans excited for what’s coming next in the show. It’s unclear if things can change with the show’s status in the future, but right now future episodes of both seem unlikely.
Nas dropped his highly-anticipated Hit-Boy-produced record King’s Disease Friday. The album marks the rapper’s 13th studio record and as a veteran in the industry, Nas is looking back on his illustrious career. In a recent radio interview, the rapper recalled his final conversation with the legendary Tupac before his untimely death.
Nas detailed the last time the spoke with Tupac in an interview on Ebro In The Morning. According to the rapper, Tupac actually confronted Nas about a verse in a track he thought was directed at him:
“He explained that he thought I was dissing him on the song ‘The Message,’ and I heard he was dissing me at clubs,” Nas said, referring to the line “Fake thugs, no love / You get the slug, CB4 Gusto.” “The last person I was even thinking about when I wrote that record. I was writing, I was just going. It was just going at everybody. So he thought that. […] He was like ‘Yo Nas, we brothers, man. We not supposed to go through this.’ And I’m like, that’s what I’m saying. We had a plan to squash it in Vegas. So I was out there when he was in the hospital, praying for him to come through. Rest in peace.”
While “The Message” may not have been aimed at Tupac, Nas did actually release a diss track ahead of his Ebro In The Morning interview — though this time it was directed at Doja Cat. Nas shaded the singer in his lead single “Ultra Black” with the line: “We goin’ ultra Black, unapologetically Black / The opposite of Doja Cat, Michael Blackson Black.”
Pit bulls and cats aren’t exactly nature’s best buddies. Pit bulls are terriers with a very strong prey drive, can be prone to aggression, and are bred to kill rodents.
The difference between a cat and rodent is negligible in the eyes of a pit bull, so they have been known to be aggressive, and even kill, felines.
Of course, it goes without saying, that with the proper training, cats and pit bulls can not only coexist but develop loving bonds with one another.
While a cat and pit bull being besties isn’t exactly newsworthy, there’s a pit bull that gets along with his two cat buddies so well, his owners believe he thinks he’s a cat.
When Bethany and Samantha Callister went to a local pet rescue to adopt a dog, Mako, a pit bull at the shelter, made it very clear that he had just found his forever family.
“We joke that we didn’t really pick him, he picked us,” Bethany told The Dodo. “When we went to the rescue shelter he had his back against the cage so we started petting him and he looked over his shoulder and gave direct eye contact and we just fell in love with the little guy.”
They were immediately smitten with Mako but were a little afraid he’d have a clash of personalities with their two cats, Pecan and Gizmo. The shelter told them Mako would be just fine with the cats, but they had no idea just how great they’d end up getting along.
“We initially kept the cats in a separate part of the house because we wanted to slowly introduce them to the new dog,” Bethany told Bored Panda.
But soon, the dog and the two cats became close friends, and Mako started imitating them, by climbing to places only cats would dare. He would jump on top of tables, cabinets and even make his way to the top of the fridge.
“Whenever Mako sees the boys on the counters or cabinets he hops up to join them,” Bethany said. “He really just wants to be around the cats all the time. If he is not in the room with one of us humans, he’s with the cats.”
The Castillers realized that they had a very unusual dog, but it didn’t matter one bit.
“We went online and found a dog toy that looks like a cat one so we go to the backyard and he chases and jumps after it like the cats,” Bethany said. “He also likes to lay on the tables with my cats and look out the window at the birds with them. When he sees one of my cats lay on their backs for a tummy rub he comes over and does the same thing!”
Mako goes to show that just as you shouldn’t judge a person by their race, you shouldn’t judge a dog by its breed. Heck, you can’t even judge an animal by its species. The Castillers went to the rescue to find themselves a dog and accidentally wound up with a cat.
If you’re like a lot of people during these late-into-the-pandemic times, you’re probably not watching WWE on a weekly basis — at least that’s what their ratings say. But you may still want to check out the big shows this weekend, and I’m here to help with that. In addition to SummerSlam 2020, there’s also NXT TakeOver, so before things kick off, let’s run down the cards for both.
NXT TakeOver XXX
The first show of the weekend is NXT TakeOver XXX, with the festivities starting on Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET. Regular viewers know that NXT usually puts on a stronger show, at least when it comes to in-ring work, than the main WWE roster. This isn’t the strongest TakeOver card I’ve ever seen, but it should still be a lot of fun.
Finn Bálor vs Timothy Thatcher
WWE
The Deal: Finn Bálor came back to NXT last fall to kick ass and take names. Tim Thatcher debuted early in the pandemic era and has become a staple of NXT in a short time. They’ve crossed paths a few times, and currently they both blame each other for neither of them being in the North American Championship Ladder Match. At least in Finn’s case that blame is well-justified, because Thatcher interfered and cost Finn the win in his qualifying match against Velveteen Dream. Finn would very much like to beat Tim up about it, and the feeling’s mutual.
The Likely Outcome: I think Finn probably wins here. He’s been doing a lot of putting guys over lately, but he loses the prestige to do that if he doesn’t get an occasional win, and this Takeover grudge match is the perfect time.
Adam Cole vs Pat McAfee
WWE
The Deal: Pat McAfee is a former NFL punter who does commentary and pre-show panels for WWE, and he’s picked a fight with former champion Adam Cole for … reasons. McAfee’s the heel in this feud, which makes Cole basically a babyface for the first time in his NXT career. Anyway, they’re having a match because this is WWE, and when you’re an NFL player turned sports personality, all you have to do is show up and act like a jerk and you get a match.
The Likely Outcome: I swear to god Adam Cole had better win this. I’m pretty confident he will. That whole “being a wrestler” thing ought to give him an edge.
NXT North American Championship Ladder Match: Damien Priest vs Cameron Grimes vs Johnny Gargano vs Bronson Reed vs Velveteen Dream
WWE
The Deal: Keith Lee vacated the North American Championship when he won the NXT Championship, and through a complex system of qualifying matches and last-chance re-qualifying matches, these five guys have been selected as the top contenders. The belt will be suspended above the ring, and they’ll beat the hell out of each other on their way up to it.
The Likely Outcome: There’s no way they put the belt on Velveteen Dream, after the backlash to bringing him back. I don’t think Johnny’s winning either — he’s already had bigger accolades, and I think he’s just in the match to be a steady hand. Any of the three newer guys could potentially take it. I’d like to see it go to Bronson Reed, but I know Cameron Grimes could have a lot of fun with it. I personally find Damien Priest kind of boring, but hey, maybe his run as North American Champion is exactly the thing that will win me over.
NXT Women’s Championship Mach: Io Shirai vs Dakota Kai
WWE
The Deal: Io Shirai and Dakota Kai both used to be sweet and lovable. Then Io’s heart turned cold and she became a moody heel. Then Dakota turned heel too, but she didn’t turn cold so much as she turned petty and cruel. At this point Io is back to being as beloved and rooted-for as ever, because nobody can resist a moody goth queen with an absolutely flawless moonsault.
The Likely Outcome: Io’s not dropping the belt here unless there are immediate plans for her to change brands or something like that. I’d like to see Dakota with gold around her waist at some point, but this doesn’t feel like her moment.
NXT Championship Match: Keith Lee (c) vs Karrion Kross with Scarlett
WWE
The Deal: Keith Lee is a big guy who can do all the stuff nobody expects big guys to do, plus he’s a great talker and has charisma for days. He’s only had the championship for a couple of months, and it already feels right at home on his shoulder. Karrion Kross is a big scary bald man who lives to destroy people, and he recently arrived at NXT with his girlfriend/herald of darkness Scarlett in tow. Everything about Kross says “future champion,” so it’s really just a matter of time.
The Likely Outcome: I think Kross wins the belt here, and Lee moves to Raw or Smackdown after SummerSlam. Keith’s been ready for that move for ages, and it’s time to stop waiting for a better time to pull the trigger on stuff. Times may not get better, so let’s just have the best wrestling we can. Plus Karrion Kross will make a great monster champion, and going ahead and putting the belt on him is a stronger choice than finding an excuse for him to lose this match that could hurt his momentum.
SummerSlam 2020
And then on, Sunday night at 7 p.m. ET, comes SummerSlam, WWE’s second-biggest show of the year. Of course it’s made stranger, like everything lately, by the pandemic. Back in April when WrestleMania happened with no live fans, I remember everyone talking about SummerSlam like everything would surely be normal by then. But here we are, and nope! Still, we’re entering the Thunderdome era of WWE, so we’ll see what they can pull off.
Hair vs Hair Match: Mandy Rose vs Sonya Deville
WWE
The Deal: Sonya and Mandy used to be inseparable best friends, but then Mandy fell for Otis from Heavy Machinery, who Sonya thinks is unworthy of her (or something? it was never well explained), so now they’re enemies. Sonya attacked Mandy and cut her hair, so now they’re both putting their hair on the line in one of those traditional lucha matches that hardly ever happens these days.
The Likely Outcome: Pretty sure Mandy’s winning this one, because while she’s gorgeous enough to pull off a bald head, I don’t really see what it could do for her. For Sonya on the other hand, getting a buzzcut could lead to a reinvention of her character into the lesbian badass she ought to be. Then she can leave Mandy behind and become a force to be reckoned with in the women’s division.
Street Fight: Dominik Mysterio vs Seth Rollins
WWE
The Deal: Unhinged messianic weirdo Seth Rollins has been tormenting the Mysterio family for a while now, and at Extreme Rules he (theoretically) poked out Rey Mysterio’s eye in a match where the stipulation was that the goal was to poke out your opponent’s eye, and then everybody was aghast that he did the thing the match said to do (which admittedly was a pretty nasty thing). So now Rey’s son is here for revenge, and presumably to transition into full-time wrestling.
The Likely Outcome: Seth definitely wins this match. The goal here isn’t for Dominik to win, it’s for Dominik to look like a real pro wrestler, and with Seth’s help I suspect he will. And to be honest, I haven’t let go of the theory that Dominik’s going to turn against his father and join Seth’s cult. That might happen here too, but one way or another Seth comes out on top.
United States Championship Match: Apollo Crews (c) vs MVP
WWE
The Deal: MVP’s Hurt Business faction has been butting heads with Apollo Crews, and Crews has fought hard to prove himself a worth United States Champion.
The Likely Outcome: I think Apollo probably wins here, but if he loses it’s not going to be just because MVP beats him clean. If Apollo loses, it will be because someone new joins the Hurt Business and gets around the ringside ban to interfere on MVP’s behalf, something like that.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: The Street Profits (c) vs Andrade and Angel Garza with Zelina Vega
WWE
The Deal: The Street Profits have been champs for a while, but honestly they haven’t really done much beyond play golf and basketball with the Viking Raiders. Zelina’s boys want those belts, and if they have to result to dirty tricks to get them, they definitely will.
The Likely Outcome: First of all, Zelina will definitely get involved in this match, and there’s a good chance Bianca Belair will show up to counter her. Even so, I think Andrade and Garza probably win the belts here. The Street Profits will probably have the opportunity for better title runs down the road, but I’m afraid this one has gotten stale.
WWE Universal Championship Match: Braun Strowman (c) vs The Fiend Bray Wyatt
WWE
The Deal: Braun Strowman used to be Bray Wyatt’s henchman, then they split up and Braun became a pretty nice guy. Then Bray Wyatt became the Fiend, a terrifying demon clown that lives in the mind of a sweater-clad children’s show host. Then he temporarily turned back into his old cult-leader self to mess with Braun and they fought in a swamp. Now Braun’s more of a monster, the Fiend’s still the Fiend, and Alexa Bliss is involved somehow.
The Likely Outcome: Bray has already succeeded in corrupting Braun, so I think it’s entirely likely that he wins the belt back now. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the two of them team up again for a while. Also Alexa Bliss will probably show up?
WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre (c) vs Randy Orton
WWE
The Deal: Drew McIntyre has been a great champion for the pandemic era, but ratings are down, things are weird, and Vince McMahon’s getting panicky, so we’ve got old standby Randy Orton starting a feud with the less experienced champ. Randy Orton isn’t exactly Mr. Excitement, but everybody knows what they’re getting with him, and that seems to be especially important to WWE.
The Likely Outcome: Hopefully Drew retains. It’s one thing to bring Randy in to take a run at the champ, but actually making him champion in 2020 feels like a step too far. Honestly, this match probably has a messy ending so they can fight again (and quite possibly again and again).
Raw Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks (c) vs Asuka
WWE
The Deal: Asuka won the Raw Women’s Title in the Money in the Bank match when Becky Lynch was leaving to have a baby. Then Sasha Banks won it from her with the help of her best friend, Bayley. So the two of them are Tag Team Champions, Sasha’s Raw Champion, and Bayley’s Smackdown Champion. It’s a whole thing, and these two have been killing it as heels these past few months. But Asuka has little patience for nonsense, and there’s been a lot of nonsense lately.
The Likely Outcome: Asuka’s got two matches on Sunday, and I’m betting she wins one of them (probably whichever one is first). I’m going to guess, though, that this is the one where Asuka loses, and Sasha retains.
SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Bayley (c) vs Asuka
WWE
The Deal: Bayley was once the purest of babyfaces, but now she’s the nastiest cockiest heel, and honestly it’s been tons of fun to watch. Asuka was already scheduled for a rematch with Sasha for the belt she recently lost, but then she won a battle royal so she could wrestle for this title too. Asuka knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to work hard to get it.
The Likely Outcome: You never know, especially since they keep extending this storyline, but I’m betting Asuka beats Bayley for the Smackdown title Bayley’s held for so long, and then loses to Sasha for the Raw title. That moves Asuka to a new brand to freshen things up, and it builds the tension between Sasha and Bayley for the feud we know is coming.
That’s all we’ve got for this weekend (aside from a preshow match or two). Let me know your predictions in the comments, and I’ll be back afterward to discuss everything that happens!
The Utah Jazz took a 2-1 series lead over the Denver Nuggets on Friday afternoon. Utah picked up this win in emphatic fashion, putting forth a convincing performance en route to a 124-87 win.
The Jazz were dominant on both ends of the floor all night. Their defense swarmed the Nuggets, while their offense looked nearly unstoppable. In fact, the first of our three takeaways from Game 3 sums things up pretty succinctly…
This Is The Jazz Team That Can Compete For A Conference Title
There was no super overwhelming favorite to win the title entering this year. In the West, the two Los Angeles teams were, of course, the favorites, while the Rockets and Warriors (whoops!) both had pretty reasonable odds. And then there were the Jazz, viewed as squad with the potential to make some noise and, if a few things went their way, make a run.
Utah has been up and down this season, but at their best, they’ve looked like a squad that can go blow-for-blow with anyone. They fought admirably but lost Game 1 against the Nuggets, picked up an impressive win in Game 2, and in Friday’s Game 3, the Jazz made a statement, picking up a convincing 124-87 win in which they looked like the better team from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Denver never quite threatened them, and even though the Nuggets are banged up, back-to-back convincing wins by Utah was a bit of a surprise.
When they’re humming like this — particularly to the extent they were in the first quarter, when Denver scored 14 points, had seven turnovers, and just looked discombobulated — the Jazz are a nightmare, even without Bojan Bogdanovic, who is out for the duration of the playoffs.
Mike Conley: Good!
Conley had to leave the Bubble as his wife gave birth to a son, and while he came back right after, he had to quarantine and only found out on Friday that he’d been cleared to play. He was playing some outstanding basketball before departing the Bubble, but it was a unique situation, and when Conley missed time earlier this year due to injury, the Jazz were fantastic, going 15-4 without him in December and January.
On Friday, Conley slid back into the lineup and did not miss a beat. The veteran guard scored 27 points on 9-for-13 shooting with four assists in 25 minutes of work. More importantly, he seemed like a calming presence on the floor, and the dynamic with him and Donovan Mitchell was wonderful — both guys were totally in sync with one another, and as a result, the Jazz looked great.
Utah might not need Conley to be at his best to win this series, but they need him to raise his game to another level if Utah is going to compete. If the Mike Conley that showed up on Friday night keeps showing up, then the Jazz are going to be really, really hard to beat.
Let’s Talk Centers
Both teams went into this series armed with an All-Star center who is capable of winning them ballgames at their best. On Friday, Rudy Gobert got the best of Nikola Jokic, although that kind of undersells what Gobert was able to do to Jokic on the evening.
Utah’s indomitable big man looked as good as he has all season, going for 24 points on 11-for-15 shooting with 14 rebounds in 32 minutes of work. He didn’t block any shots, but his presence was felt whenever he was on the floor. Jokic, meanwhile, really struggled: 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting, six assists, five rebounds.
It goes without saying, but Jokic has to be better. His ability to score, rebound, and distribute is unparalleled among big men, and while Gobert is a colossus in the heart of the Jazz defense, Jokic has still cooked plenty of outstanding defensive centers in the past. Keep an eye on this matchup in Game 4. If Gobert gets the best of Jokic again — particularly to this extent — it’s hard to see a path for the Nuggets to win.
Though Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2012 track “Call Me Maybe” marked her breakout as a musician, the singer’s 2015 record Emotion cemented her popstar status. The record received critical acclaim and widened her then-cult fanbase through a number on dance floor-ready pop songs. It’s now been five years since Jepsen released Emotion and while she recently shared a handful of songs, the singer celebrated Emotion‘s anniversary by unveiling two never-before-heard bonus tracks.
Much to her fans’ excitement, Jepsen debuted the Emotion b-sides “Never Get To Hold You” and “Love Again” on Friday. “It’s been such a joy to share so many beautiful memories from this record with you,” Jepsen wrote on Twitter alongside the bonus releases. Both tracks reflect Jepsen’s synth-pop Emotion era, boasting layers of bouncy bass and exuberant keys.
Ahead of the bonus tracks, Jepsen debuted an entire album of b-sides back in May from her 2019 record Dedicated. The collection flexes 12 new tracks and the singer even landed a collaboration with Bleachers for the song “Comeback.” On top of Dedicated B-Sides, Jepsen shared a quarantine-record track “Me And The Boys In The Band” this week as a love letter to her life on the road.
Listen to “Never Get To Hold You” and “Love Again” above. Dedicated Side B is out now via Schoolboy/Interscope. Get it here.
The Portland Trail Blazers’ frontcourt has not had a major piece during its series against the Los Angeles Lakers, as Zach Collins has been sidelined with an ankle issue. Unfortunately for the team, in the event it is able to pull off the upset in the 1-8 series, it will not have Collins moving forward.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that Collins’ ankle surgery, previously described as a left ankle Malleolar stress reaction, requires surgery. As a result, the big man is going to go under the knife and miss the remainder of the year.
Portland faced an uphill battle against Los Angeles even at full strength, but losing Collins makes the job far more difficult. The team has relied on young forward Wenyen Gabriel to give them plenty of minutes, while Hassan Whiteside and Carmelo Anthony will log fontcourt minutes next to Jusuf Nurkic. It’s a tricky situation for the Blazers regardless of opponent, but it’s particularly tough against a Lakers team that has a whole lot of size in its frontcourt.
Los Angeles won Game 2 on Thursday night, evening things up at one game apiece in the series. The Blazers will look to figure out a way to get a leg up in the series during Game 3 on Saturday night, which tips off at 8:30 p.m. EST on ABC.
Some celebrity couples, like Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, are so pervasive that avoiding news about their relationship is nearly impossible. Other celebrity couples, however, have been virtually forgotten by the internet. On Friday, Chelsea Handler reminded everyone of her brief relationship with 50 Cent in 2009, posting a heartfelt tribute to the rapper in order to call attention to her upcoming stand-up special on HBO Max.
Handler gave a “special shout out” to 50 on social media, naming him her “favorite” ex-boyfriend. Sharing a photo of them when they were an item, Handler said 50 is the “only ex-boyfriend I am still asked about in every interview” and even called him a “big fat teddybear.” The comedian added that she’s going to further address their relationship in her stand-up special, though Handler didn’t reveal what exactly will be discussed.
Special shout out to my favorite ex @50cent (and the only ex-boyfriend I am still asked about in every interview) who gets an extra special shout out in my @hbomax special. Now, everyone will know that you’re one big fat teddybear. Xx pic.twitter.com/j20l7XUhgE
In other 50 news, it seems the rapper is close to squashing his longstanding beef with Rick Ross. Following the success of Power, 50 was recently greenlit for by Starz for a new TV series titled Black Mafia Family, or B.M.F. for short. Because of the name, the rapper thinks Ross’ 2010 track “BMF” would be an apt addition to the series. But Ross said he was only willing to clear “BMF” on one condition — 50 has to promote Ross’ partnered brands to his 26 million Instagram followers. Ross is keeping a close eye on the rapper’s page to see if he follows through, but so far there has been no Wing Stop promotion in sight on 50’s feed.
Our journey to find the best booze for you to drink marches on. Last week, we got the chance to taste six (!) bottles from the Michter’s line. The Kentucky shingle has become one of the most lauded and sought after lines of whiskey out there. Their line is also wide-ranging. We tasted an American whiskey, a sour mash, two bourbons, and two ryes.
The real highlight was a chance to taste the soon-to-be iconic (read: unattainable) Michter’s 10 Year Old Bourbon. The expression made headlines just last month when a barrel of the stuff sold for over $200,000 at auction for charity. Then we ended on the 10 year Rye which has been gaining steam all over the whiskey world as a masterpiece.
I was joined on this journey by Single Malt Daily’s Nate Ganapathi. Nate has devoted his life to the pursuit of great whiskey (and collecting the stuff). We had a great conversation about the value of whiskey, Michter’s, and collecting bottles. You can watch the whole IGTV Live at the end of this article. For now, let’s dive into the whiskey.
Generally speaking, when you see a whiskey labeled as “American Whiskey” it’s a blend of whiskey with neutral grain spirits to help keep costs down and profits high. This expression is labeled as “Unblended” specifically because it’s juice from Michter’s barrels only. The whiskey in these bottles was aged in barrels that are “whiskey-soaked.” Once the whiskey is just right, it’s then blended and small-batch bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Fruit greets you upfront. That fruit becomes more of dried fruit with bourbon vanilla and mild caramel sweetness. The fruit is what draws a line through the taste as the warm end slowly fades out.
Bottom Line:
This works in a highball or as a cocktail base. It’s versatile and tasty.
Michter’s Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is a classic bourbon all around. The juice is aged in well-charred white oak until it hits the perfect spot. The juice is then small batched with no more than 20 barrels going into each bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This is a great yardstick bourbon. It hits a wonderful balance of bourbon vanilla and caramel with a hint of oak on the nose. There’s a sense of peach and apricot with all that vanilla-y depth and velvet mouthfeel. The sip fades fairly slowly as it warms and the oak really shines. When you add water, there’s a light wisp of smoke on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This works as either a cocktail base or a highball bourbon. I also drink it on the rocks from time to time.
Michter’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
This single barrel rye is the rye that you can measure most others against (at this price point). The well-crafted juice is warehoused until the deeply charred new white oak barrels hit just the right moment in both texture and taste.
Tasting Notes:
Peppery rye and a hint of citrus open this one up. There’s a distant line of toffee but it’s really that peppery rye that shines the most with a subtle velvet textural depth. The wood carries the sip towards a warm, spicy end that lasts just long enough to remind you to take another sip.
Bottom Line:
I use this for Manhattans and Sazeracs whenever I have it on hand.
This was the first American whiskey to be named “Whiskey of the Year” by The Whiskey Exchange just last year. The reason this is a “sour mash” and not a bourbon or rye is that the mash bill doesn’t focus on corn or rye, hence it’s just a sour mash whiskey. The juice is then aged in new white oak with a heavy char.
Tasting Notes:
Smoked plums and rye spice mingle up top. The sip really embraces the smoky dark fruit with hints of vanilla and cherry popping up on the palate. The dram carries that smoky plumminess through to the end with a nice nod to the oak and bourbon-y vanilla underbelly.
Bottom Line:
I drink this with a single rock. The water really helps to amp up the smoked fruit, mild spice, and oak.
Michter’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 10 Yrs. Old
This is the whiskey that’s about to hit Pappy levels of unavailability. This juice rests in new white oak for ten long years and is then bottled from single barrels that are hand-selected for their perfection. You’ll take a sip and realize what bourbon can be when left alone.
Tasting Notes:
That oak comes through with a fresh maple syrup sweetness. There’s a sense of bourbon vanilla but it’s dialed back as the sip edges more into the bitterness of the charred oak with a rich toffee creaminess. The maple syrup, oak, and toffee carry the sip towards a warm, yet curt end.
Bottom Line:
This is designed as a sipping whiskey. Add a rock or a little bit of soft mineral water to really open it up.
Michter’s Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 10 Yrs. Old
The fact that this is a limited edition of a single barrel that is also quickly becoming the darling of the whiskey world means it’ll not be easy to find or cheap for much longer. The ten-year aging is what helps this rye stand out from the crowd. The juice inside is what makes whiskey lovers fall in love with it.
Tasting Notes:
Toffee, almond, and vanilla dance with chili pepper. The sip takes on a candied cinnamon edge (not unlike an all-natural Red Hot) that helps usher in a flourish of orange oils. The roasted almonds and chili linger as the hefty vanilla creates a svelte mouthfeel with an embracing warmth.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bottle to break out if you want to celebrate something. Add a drop or two of water to really help this dram shine its brightest. Or buy a couple of bottles and squirrel them away for a decade.
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