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The 2021 men’s national title game did not go as most anticipated, as Baylor jumped all over Gonzaga from the opening tip and ran away with what eventually became an 86-70 win to claim the school’s first men’s basketball national championship.

It was a stunning performance as they did to Gonzaga what the Zags typically did to their opponents, dominating every facet of the game early on and leaving the Bulldogs with a massive hole to climb out of, which they never were able to do. If it seemed as though Baylor entered the game more fired up than Gonzaga, there may be a reason for that. Baylor big man Mark Vital recently spoke with Sirius XM College about the title game and that furious start, and explained why the Bears had a little extra juice coming into the game after learning how Gonzaga was apparently already making preparations for a big celebration by ordering six cases of champagne.

The Bulldogs were the favorites, but only by 4.5 points so if they were making such plans and overlooking the Bears, it was a foolish mistake. That said, it’s also very possible that someone told the Baylor players that Gonzaga had been ordering cases of champagne to give them a little added motivation, when that wasn’t actually the case. If that’s what happened, it certainly seems to have worked. You can see Vital still upset at the thought that Gonzaga felt they were going to cruise past Baylor, and whether it’s actually what went down or simply some well-placed bulletin board material, the Bears certainly had some extra fire in their bellies and made good on their plans to “destroy” the Zags as Vital put it.

In the longer-than-expected wait for Drake’s Certified Lover Boy album, the rapper has broke Billboard and Spotify records, appeared in a State Farm Super Bowl commercial, endured an unfortunately knee injury that’s delayed the project’s release, and more. Now, he can add being a victim of a social media prank to the list. Instagram user TravQue, who has pranked rappers like DreamDoll and Lil Mosey, caught up with Drake at a bar. With camera in hand, he made a large order — 2000 cases of Virigina Black whiskey, 400 cases of Bumbu rum, and three cases of tequila — then requested it all be put on the rapper’s tab. Drake was not having it.

Drake is far from the first person to be pranked as a part of TravQue’s “Put It On His Tab” series. Just last month, he attempted to place 10 bottles of Moet, 10 bottles of Casamigos, and 5 bottles of Hennessy on rapper Cam’ron’s tab. Dave East has also fallen victim to TravQue’s antics.

The wait continues for Drake’s upcoming Certified Lover Boy album, but in the meantime, fans can continue to enjoy his EP Scary Hours 2. Just a week after its release, the three songs from the project all debuted within the top three positions of the Billboard singles chart, making him the first artist to ever achieve this.

You can check out the prank in the video above.

Spring is a time of rejuvenation. A time for thawing out from our long winter slumber. A time to cast away the stouts, porters, and barrel-aged brews in favor of white ales, wheat beers, bocks, Kölsch-style beers, and pale ales.

The snow is melting and the temperatures are rising. Sure, most of us are in for a rain-filled few months, but the time for lighter, more crushable beers has undoubtedly begun. To mark the full-on shift in beer seasons, we asked a handful of our favorite bartenders to tell us the best beers for early April.

Sion Kölsch

Tom Garvin, beverage manager at Tribeca’s Kitchen in New York City

I think more people should be drinking Kolsch-style beers heading into the spring. Sion Kölsch is one of my favorites. It is easy drinking but has enough of a hoppy flavor to warm you up a little on the last of the cold days.

There are some nice fruit flavors on the nose, and the beer has great malt and honey flavors to taste.

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Goose Island Sofie

Chandra Richter, vice president of beverage development & chief mixologist at Drinkworks

For me, the transition from winter to full-on spring is the perfect time of year for a great Saison. There are so many good ones to choose from, but my favorite is Goose Island Sofie. From the bright citrus and spice notes to the refreshing effervescence, you can’t help but get excited for the warmer days ahead while sipping it. The extra bubbles and spiced citrus notes are the perfect reflection of early April.

Average Price: $12.99 for a 4-pack

Rogue Dead Guy

Austin Zimmer, bartender at Le Privé in New York City

Rogue Dead Guy Ale is the perfect beer to bridge the gap as April gets kicking. It’s a great combination. Deep honey in color with a malty aroma and rich hearty flavors.

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Crash Boat IPA

Francisco Fonseca, bartender in Puerto Rico

Living in tropical island weather like Puerto Rico helps me enjoy all year with a Crash Boat IPA from Boqueron Brewing Company. This English-style beer with a Caribbean twist with a perfect balance between bitter and malty with a mixture of three different hops.

Average Price: $5 for a pint.

Untitled Art Juicy IPA

Maren Nazera Erickson, bartender in San Antonio, Texas

I’m currently obsessed with all the Untitled Art brewery products and their Juicy IPA is a great beer to get you ready for the spring thaw. Prominent citrus notes with a medium body that’s slightly creamy but rounded.

Great for IPA lovers but not overwhelmingly hoppy.

Average Price: $12.99 for a 4-pack

Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’

Johnny Swet, bartender and owner at The Jimmy at The James Hotel in New York City

My pick is Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’. It’s a hoppy pale ale with a smoothness, yet it does have a strong ale finish perfectly suited for late winter/early spring drinking.

Average Price: $9 for a six-pack

Middle James Carolina Sky Lime Lager

Juan Fernandez, food and beverage manager at The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina

The best beer to drink to ease your way from winter to the crazy spring days in Charlotte, North Carolina is Middle James Carolina Sky Lime Lager. It has a gentle touch of yeast (or as I like to call yeast in my beer, “salty water crackers”), and a nice amount of lime, but it is well balanced.

This beer is refreshing and goes well with fresh raw seafood or crunchy spicy sushi.

Average Price: $10 for a 32-ounce growler

Troegs Cultivator

Frederic Yarm, USBG bartender in Boston

Spring makes me think of Bock beers that were often brewed as sustenance during Lent. While I love the classic German ones, America does it well too but in its own unique way. Troegs Cultivator has those toasted bread and grassy notes that are true to the style with an American flare of hopping to add peach and citrus elements to round out the nose and swallow.

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Green Flash Tangerine Soul Style

Joseph Fredrickson, bartender at Society Lounge in Cleveland

As spring rolls on, I love to get back into citrus IPAs, their crisp, and refreshing delivery is perfect for a sunny day yet bitter backbone keeps you grounding knowing that there are still some cool days to come. My go-to is Green Flash Tangerine Soul Style. Its tangerine zest and cascade hops give floral, crisp, and citrus notes that are a perfect reminder that better days are to come.

Average Price: $8.99 for a six-pack

Writer’s Picks:

Brewery Ommegang Witte

Early April is the perfect time of year for this hazy, Belgian-style white ale. It’s filled with the flavors of citrus zest and cloves and pairs well with the last cool days of the year.

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Last weekend, The New York Times reported on a particularly sleazy way the Trump campaign earned donations in the final months leading up to the 2020 election: They pre-checked yellow boxes asking supporters to make their payments recurring. Many didn’t un-check that box and were astounded, even devastated financially, upon finding their bank accounts unwittingly drained. Now there’s a similar trick is afoot, this time with an over-the-top, threatening message to go with it.

As per the Times, a group called the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has been sending out donation forms, also with a pre-checked box denoting a monthly charge. There’s also some rather intense text to go with it.

“We need to know we haven’t lost you to the Radical Left,” it reads. “If you UNCHECK this box, we will have to tell Trump you’re a DEFECTOR & sides with the Dems.”

Bullying language and all-caps words aside, it’s the same ploy the Trump campaign used, forcing donators to uncheck the box to stop recurring payments they might not want or be able to pay. Consumer advocates called the measure a “dark pattern,” especially considering the Trump team was forced to pay $122 million in refunds during the 2020 cycle to their own supporters. (Donation refunds are not uncommon, but compare and contrast with the Biden campaign, which refunded almost $100 million less during the same period.)

Still, people were surprised by the new, cartoonishly aggressive language.

It seemed unlikely that Trump would be told about each every so-called “defector.”

But it does seem likely some of his supporters would believe that.

More than that, it just seemed weird.

And culty.

And it drove many to simply make jokes.

Welcome to SNX DLX! Before we get into this week’s offerings, we felt like we should mention that the Frosted Blue Yeezy 500s are being rumored for an early Monday drop. We would’ve included that release here, but because it hasn’t been confirmed by Adidas we’re going to err on the side of caution. Our gut tells us it’s not happening!

This week is another big week for Jordan heads (surprise surprise), thanks to the re-release of the legendary Toro Bravo or Raging Bull AJ 5 colorway. That’s going to be a tough cop, so be sure to hit aftermarket sites if you end up taking the L using the notoriously buggy Nike SNKRS app.

Aside from the Jordans we also have some new drops from NOAH and Vans, Supreme, Timberland, and a few links to drop if you missed out on Bad Bunny’s pastel pink Easter Egg sneakers that surprise-dropped over the weekend. The Easter Eggs had their Latin American market release this week, which means the aftermarket should be flush with new pairs for those hunting them.

Let’s dive into this week’s best shoe releases.

Air Jordan 5 Toro Bravo

Easily the biggest draw of the week (and probably why you’re here if you aren’t already a regular SNX devotee), this week’s Toro Bravo Air Jordan 5 is a refresh of a 2009 colorway. Dressed in a fiery University Red colorway, the Toro Bravo features a premium suede upper with a red-tipped shark tooth pattern at the midsole and embroidered “23” branding.

It’s a classic, and this week is your chance to finally make it yours.

The Air Jordan 5 Toro Bravo is set to drop on April 10th for a retail price of $190. Pick up a pair at GOAT and Flight Club.

Nike LeBron 7 Baseball Blue

It’s quite a time to be an LA sports fan — the Lakers are the current favorites to win the NBA Finals and the Dodgers pulled together a World Series win last year. To celebrate the city’s prominence in professional sports, Nike and LeBron James are launching a special Baseball Blue colorway of the LeBron 7.

The Baseball Blue features a distinct palm-tree patterned blue mudguard with baseball stitching at the heel and chrome detailing throughout with a soft pink upper that helps the red and blue paneling to pop. It’s a surprisingly well-put-together design for the LeBron 7, which tends to dip into over extravagance. That or my LA bias is showing.

The Nike LeBron 7 Baseball blue is set to drop on April 9th for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair at GOAT.

Bad Bunny x Adidas Forum Low Easter Egg

The sneaker scene has a new star. Bad Bunny already has one highly successful Adidas collaboration under his belt and now, with the spring-centric Easter Egg, the reggaeton giant has just landed his second. The Easter egg utilizes Adidas’ Forum Low silhouette and features an upper of mixed suede and leather, a thick strap over the lacing system, and sports the signature Bad Bunny eye graphic on the thick double-layered tongue.

So far Bad Bunny has released a sneaker inspired by coffee, and now Easter eggs (and a Croc, but we try not to talk about that ). We can’t even imagine what’s next — that’s refreshing!

The Bad Bunny Adidas Forum Low Easter egg is out now, hit up aftermarket sites like StockX or GOAT to pick up a pair.

Supreme x Dr. Marten’s 5-Eye Shoe

Dr. Marten’s has been having quite a year, thanks to a handful of high-profile collaborations that have other brands putting a fresh spin on classic Doc silhouettes. But none of those even come close to how dope this link-up between the doctor and streetwear giant Supreme is. Dropping in three colorways including tan, black, and our favorite, zebra print, this low-profile hard shoe is elegant without being too stuffy and, while it’s technically not a sneaker, it should pair nicely with the streetwear staples in your wardrobe while offering range if you want to class it up a bit.

The Supreme x Dr. Marten’s 5-Eye shoe is set to drop on April 8th for a yet to be announced price. Pick up a pair exclusively at Supreme.

Kim Jones x Converse Chuck 70

We’re always down for a redesign of the classic Chuck 70, but we’re especially psyched for this new iteration from designer Kim Jones, aka the current Artistic Director for Dior Men’s and Fendi womenswear. For his take on the iconic silhouette, Jones encased the sneaker in a translucent plastic sleeve and beefed up the midsole for a chunkier, more modern presentation. The full collection drops in either an all-off-white colorway or a simple black and white.

The Kim Jones x Converse Chuck 70 collection is set to drop on April 8th for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair at the Converse webstore.

NOAH x Vans 24 LX

Inspired by the curb and street skaters of late ‘80s Venice California, this latest collaboration between NOAH and Vans is dripping with Southern California style. Utilizing Vans’ often forgotten 24 LX silhouette, this take features a camouflage upper in hot pink and black or green and white with a rubberized toe for increased durability.

These sneakers are made to take a beating, promising an increased life span for skaters on the roughest streets LA has to offer.

The NOAH x Vans 24 LX is set to drop on April 8th for an unannounced price. Pick up a pair exclusively at the NOAH webstore.

Aimé Leon Dore x Timberland 3-Eye Lug

First, we listed the Supreme and Dr. Marten’s joint and now here we are giving some shine to another piece of footwear that isn’t technically a sneaker. We say who cares — this team-up between Timberland and New York-based streetwear label Aimé Leon Dore is dope, and in SNX that’s all that truly matters. (Plus, we’ve covered slides and sandals before. If it’s cool, anything goes.)

Featuring a leather upper in tan, rich brown, and navy blue, this boat shoe features a matching lacing system and eye-catching golden eyelets with dual branding via the embossed Timberland logo and the Aimé Leon Dore stitching.

The Aimé Leon Dore x Timberland 3-Eye Lug is set to drop on April 9th at the Timberland webstore for a retail price of $170.

Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.

Cobra Kai showrunner Josh Heald has already helped resurrect The Karate Kid as a spin-off YouTube and Netflix series, but for his next project he’s thinking even farther outside the box: According to Deadline, he’s turning Ancient Aliens into a movie. Yes, Ancient Aliens — the longtime History Channel documentary series that’s a scourge amongst historians and experts but which has long been a ratings bonanza.

Details are currently being kept under wraps, so it’s not clear if the project — to be directed by Heald and written by Luke Ryan — so it’s not clear what direction it will take. Since 2010 and over 200 episodes, Ancient Aliens has delved into hypotheses concerning aliens visiting Earth throughout history. Will the movie be a globe-trotting adventure, jumping around the various sites purported to have been visited by E.T.s? A Stargate-esque sci-fi extravaganza? Maybe even a comedy?

The latter isn’t that far-fetched. Among the producers are Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, best known for birthing the Harold and Kumar series, as well as creating Cobra Kai, which doesn’t play things as straight-faced as the original Karate Kid series. Whatever the case, they may wind up having to deal with scientists and the like pointing out that there is no hard proof that aliens even know we exist, and vice versa.

(Via Deadline)

The Matt Gaetz sex-trafficking allegations have become the biggest political scandal since Donald Trump left office. The Republican congressman from Florida is being investigated by the Justice Department for having an alleged “sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him.”

Gaetz is known as one of Donald Trump’s most fervent supporters and was among the Republican Congressman who fanned the conspiracy flames that many say led directly to the Capitol riot on January 6.

The intrigue around the scandal known as “Gaetzgate” shows no signs of slowing, and there’s one innocent bystander who will have no peace until it does, Matt Gertz of Media Matters.

Gertz is a senior fellow at the nonprofit “progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.”

His main beat is Fox News, who he takes to task on the Media Matters website as well as his Twitter feed.

So for two men involved in politics, there could be few who are less alike. However, Gaetz and Gertz are forever linked on Twitter because their names are only off by a letter. So, Gertz is constantly getting vitriol for Gaetz’s alleged behavior.

It’s hard to say whether it’s a spelling error that turns Gaetz to Gertz on Twitter or the fact that some people may think that Gaetz’s name is Gertz. But Twitter is a pretty confusing place in general.

For the most part, Gertz takes the Gaetz mix-up with the appropriate grain of salt and even finds it pretty funny. But it still seems pretty exhausting to get yelled at all day for something you didn’t do. Especially when we’re talking about a major offense, as opposed to say, unpaid parking tickets.

One of the “best” mix-ups came last summer when a filmmaker named Morgan J. Freeman — no, not the one you’re thinking of — came after Gertz.

This Morgan Freeman is known for producing the hit MTV reality show “Teen Mom” and the spinoffs, “Teen Mom 2,” and “16 and Pregnant.”

via Matt Gertz / Twitter

Gertz thought the guy who probably has the same problem as him lighting him up was pretty funny.

via Matt

Freeman clearly understood the error and apologized to Gertz. “Truly sorry I accidentally tagged @MattGertz instead of @mattgaetz but let’s harness this great energy and take down the evil Mini-Trump GAETZ now!!!” he responded.

Recently, Gertz has received flack because Gaetz is potentially leaving office to take up a job at the ultra-right-wing TV network Newsmax.

Others have warned Gertz that the “weasels are closing in” on him.

According to MSNBC, Matt Gertz did something so bad that not even Donald Trump will defend him.

One Twitter user took a screenshot of the countless times Gertz is forced to say “wrong guy” every day.

On Tuesday, the “Morgan Freeman” problem popped up again. A man with the name Ray Donovan, just like the TV show starring Liev Schreiber, mistook Getz for Gaetz and hilarity ensued.

via Matt Gertz / Twitter

via Matt Gertz / Twitter

via Matt Gertz / Twitter

The good news for Gertz is that he’s gaining some positive attention for the fun he’s having with Gaetzgate. He says he’s gained over 50,000 followers on Twitter since the allegations first dropped. He’s sure to have tens of thousands more by the time Gaetzgate is settled.

The Falcon and the Winter Solider doesn’t only give us Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes. It also brings back Helmut Zemo, the main villain of Captain America: Civil War, played by Daniel Brühl. But there’s a twist: he’s one of the good guys, sort of. When last we saw him, he was a brooding terrorist. Now he’s suddenly gained a sense of humor. The German actor has leaned into the latter aspect, and one of the best parts of the show so far is a stray moment when the guy who once terrorized the Avengers playfully plays with Bucky Barnes’ chin.

“That was improvised,” Brühl told The Hollywood Reporter. Thing is, he had to do it several times, over several takes. But that only made it funnier. “I knew how much Sebastian was suffering. There were a couple of takes where he couldn’t deal with it.”

It’s all part of the new Zemo, who has changed dramatically in the five years since Civil War, which ended with him locked up. Still, don’t think he’s fully flip-flopped. When asked if Wilson and Barnes should trust him, he said, “No, never.” But he also thinks that makes it more realistic:

“If it’s hard to read and tell what somebody is up to, that ambiguity — which people always enjoy and I do enjoy — is always fun. So, yeah, you shouldn’t really trust him. But I guess it has become apparent that he is not an evil supervillain; there’s more to him, which we already know from the other movie. But in the conversations between the three of them, we have intensified the very human side of Zemo. I disagree with his radical methods, but it’s understandable based on where he comes from. So I understand if people empathize with Zemo, and I would understand if everybody joins Team Zemo by the end of the show.”

Brühl was also asked about one of his other former colleagues in the MCU: Chris Hemsworth, with whom he starred in Ron Howard’s racecar movie, Rush, from 2014. The two have never shared a scene — the Asgardian was one of the ones AWOL from Civil War — but Brühl said he hasn’t “dared” bug Marvel honcho Kevin Feige about allowing a reunion. ¨I’m a huge fan of what Chris has done with his character,” Brühl said. “So that would be a nice rendezvous.”

(Via THR)

The last few years were quiet ones for New York rapper Belly after he released his Roc Nation debut Immigrant (renamed from Midnight Zone) in 2018. However, while he wasn’t releasing music for the last two years, that doesn’t mean he wasn’t working on it. Today, he made his long-awaited return to the spotlight with two new singles, “Money on the Table” featuring Benny The Butcher and “IYKYK.” Both singles support the upcoming release of Belly’s third studio album See You Next Wednesday.

While the former track finds both Belly and Benny in their typical boastful modes, “IYKYK” is a more vulnerable and introspective song, on which Belly admits to feeling “neurotic” and addresses the pressures of life. The tone’s consistent with his recent social media messaging, with which he shares his struggles with his health, both mental and physical. A press release for the new singles promises that his upcoming album, named in honor of filmmaker John Landis, will contain similar content, while the singles themselves show Belly hasn’t lost a step and remains as lyrically sharp as ever.

That pen game served him well in 2020; he helped co-write his XO Records label boss The Weeknd’s hit single “Blinding Lights,” which spent 56 weeks on the Billboard Top 10 songs chart. Stay tuned for him to complete his comeback with See You Next Wednesday, due later this year on XO/Republic.

Listen to “Money On The Table” and “IYKYK” above.

Over five years ago, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson first revealed his casting as the DCEU’s Black Adam in a standalone movie, and back then, we did not know that it would be a follow up on the success of 2019’s Shazam! It sure looked like production on the long-gestating comic-book movie would begin last year, and The Rock even posted some training photos to that effect, but you-know-what happened. After another very long year or so of waiting, The Rock is ready to finally get down to filming, and it sure looks like he’s gotten serious about how his legs will look in tights.

In other words, The Rock appears to have been skipping cheat meals, but he surely has not skipped leg day. While adorned in very long sleeves and a healthy dose of sweat, he could resist showing off those jacked legs. “It’s always the work we quietly put in when no one is watching that changes the game,” he wrote. “Grateful for the grind… (and the face of my Warrior Spirit always watching my back)… Production kicks off this week.”

Previously, a deleted Shazam! scene (included in the Blu-Ray release) suggested that Black Adam’s arrival was imminent. Yet the film’s planned take on this character, who was once Egypt’s greatest champion, remains somewhat nebulous, even in the recently brightened-up DCEU. The comics-version of Black Adam has danced between supervillain-or-antihero to varying degrees, so yeah, The Rock’s incarnation could go either way. About a year ago, The Rock did call his character “a rebellious, one of a kind superhero” with “powers equal to SUPERMAN.”

So… superhero (or antihero) and probably not a villain with corrupt powers still intact? It may not matter because everyone will be staring at those legs.

Black Adam will arrive in theaters on July 29, 2022.