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NBC Sports routinely garners the highest NFL ratings of the season on its tentpole channel, but the dedicated sports network that bears its name will reportedly end in 2021.

John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reported on Friday that NBC plans to shutter NBC Sports Network, a huge move in the sports world that would see several sports leagues broadcast elsewhere among the company’s network of channels. The network, which began its life as a sports channel billed as Outdoor Life Network when NBC started broadcasting NHL games on it, had grown to cover a variety of sports including the English Premiere League, college basketball and NASCAR.

But Friday word rocked the sports world that the network would soon be no more, leaving uncertainty about where those broadcasts would be shown instead and what would happen to the broadcast teams viewers grew to expect covering them.

Further reporting brought things more into focus: NBCSN would shutter, with broadcasts for the NHL, NASCAR and others moving to USA.

The fear from many about NBC shuffling things around is that they would shelter more sports content on Peacock, the streaming service that has already taken many English Premiere League soccer matches away from broadcast television since it launched. But putting sports on USA isn’t new, either: Olympics coverage would often wind up on the network as well as some EPL matches on big days, and overflow sports broadcasts would also end up there if games in progress did not end in time.

Still, it’s a troubling move for sports fans and those in the sports entertainment industry, and there’s now plenty of uncertainty about big contracts with leagues like the NHL and NASCAR moving forward. And as other companies make strategic decisions with the growth of their streaming services in mind, it’s hard not to frame the decision to shutter NBCSN as more of the same.

Phoebe Bridgers’ career has been on an upward trend since the very start. She has become more and more beloved with each project she releases, and this year, she earned her first Grammy nominations. Now she is set to do something else that very few artists get to put on their resume: Bridgers will be a musical guest on an upcoming episode of Saturday Night Live.

After being on break since mid-December, SNL returns with new episodes starting at the end of this month, and they’re bringing some firepower with them. The January 30 episode will be hosted by John Krasinsky with musical guest Machine Gun Kelly, while the February 6 episode will feature Dan Levy and Bridgers and the February 13 episode will see Regina King and Nathaniel Rateliff. None of the hosts have hosted the show before and none of the musical guests have previously appeared on the program in that capacity either.

Bridgers reacted to the news with a two-image post on Instagram: The first is of the cards SNL shared, and the second is a blurry, close-up photo of Bridgers smiling with eye make-up running down her cheeks.

Here’s hoping that Bridgers can find her way into a sketch as well. She often shows off her strong sense of humor and she has a bit of sketch experience, like with the one she and Conor Oberst did for Conan about a year ago.

The most impactful moment coming out of last weekend’s NFL Divisional Round was Patrick Mahomes crumpling to the ground after a dangerous running play as he scurried to get a first round for the Chiefs, and it led to a day-by-day tick tock of news from NFL reporters about Mahomes’ status for Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.

The wait is over, as Mahomes told reporters on a media call Friday that he has cleared the NFL concussion protocol and will be active against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

While the hit appeared quite hard and Mahomes certainly got up in a daze and had trouble standing afterward, he and the team have been diligent about clearing all the right steps throughout this process. Even after announcing he would be good to go this week, Mahomes denied credit for any “grit” related to playing this week, and focused on the fact that he had been medically cleared.

Of course, this is huge news for Kansas City as well. Their chances against Buffalo get a huge boost with Mahomes behind center rather than Chad Henne. The Chiefs are favored by somewhere in the neighborhood of three points on the betting markets. The AFC Championship game will kick off at 6:40 p.m. ET on Sunday in Kansas City.

The Nets really need a center to play defense around their new Big Three, and reportedly will sign former Sixers backup Norvel Pelle as one option to fill that hole, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

This move is directly related to the trade that brought James Harden to town. As part of that deal, the Nets sent Jarrett Allen, who had started to get minutes in the starting lineup and looked to be a potential major contributor to this team’s success, to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

That forced veteran DeAndre Jordan into a huge role as effectively the only traditional center on the roster, and while he’s played fine over the first few games of this new era, it wasn’t tenable to move forward with only him in that spot. As just one illustration of the problem, nearly every rotation player for the Nets played 40-plus minutes in an overtime game against Cleveland earlier this week.

As Joel Embiid’s backup last year in Philadelphia, Pelle played nearly 10 minutes per game and averaged more than a block per game. He was with the Sixers as recently as the Bubble. Pelle brings legit NBA size and athleticism with decent defensive instincts. He won’t be the difference between Brooklyn’s defense being passable versus championship-caliber, but he will give the Nets depth, and as Wojnarowski also noted, Brooklyn still has three more roster spots open to add players.

Pelle must clear the NBA health and safety protocol rules before officially joining the Nets.

Eminem’s love for combat sports is no secret. Anytime he can mix his music with his passion for boxing or mixed martial arts, he really goes for it. Just check out the soundtrack for Southpaw, the 2015 boxing drama inspired by him that he was originally billed to star in. He also dabbles in boxing himself, although he told Mike Tyson he wouldn’t be stepping into the ring professionally anytime soon.

With that said, he has found a way to participate in the upcoming rematch between Justin Poirier and Conor McGregor at UFC 257. Rather than taking part with his fists, he’s using the fight as a cross-promotional activity for his Music To Be Murdered By single “Higher,” premiering the video for the song during a broadcast this Saturday on ABC. To help hype up both the premiere and the fight, ESPN released a teaser announcing the video, which also features cameos from Dana White and ESPN’s Michael Eaves, according to its press release. It’ll also likely feature some fan-produced content, judging by this tweet Eminem sent earlier this week:

Em’s 2020 was better than most, as Music To Be Murdered By broke a 50-year-old Billboard record with its “Side B” deluxe version.

Watch the teaser for the “Higher” video above. You can watch the full video on ABC Saturday, 1/23 at 2 pm ET.

Season 46 of Saturday Night Live will continue with new episodes starting at the end of January. NBC announced on Friday that the sketch comedy show will return to taping on January 30, with a trio of new episodes following into February with some big names attached, at least in the streaming world.

John Krasinski will host on January 30 with Machine Gun Kelly taking the performing duties as musical guest. On February 6, Dan Levy will host, and Phoebe Bridgers will perform. The final new episodes announced is scheduled for February 13 with Regina King hosting and Nathaniel Rateliff performing in Studio 8H.

The Office alum hosting may be a bit of promotion work for A Quiet Place Part II, which was scheduled for release in 2020 but was pushed to April 2021 because of the pandemic. Levy, meanwhile, will ride his tenure as showrunner and star of Schitt’s Creek to an SNL hosting gig and King’s work directing One Night In Miami has drawn strong reviews on Amazon Prime.

The show will have, uh, certainly missed a lot during its winter break so it will be interesting to see where they go with cold opens and Weekend Update in a post-Trump presidency. The show wasn’t making new episodes during the MAGA coup attempt or Biden’s inauguration, for example, but by the time Jim from the Office takes the stage in New York, I’m sure there will be another big crisis to highlight.

A couple days ago, Garth Brooks continued his tradition of performing at presidential inaugurations by singing “Amazing Grace” during Joe Biden’s ceremony. That’s the kind of moment you want to look your best for, and Brooks apparently got some assists from Lady Gaga’s makeup artist Sarah Tanno and hairstylist Frederic Aspiras.

After the ceremony, Brooks took to Twitter to compliment Gaga and thank Tanno and Aspiras for seemingly helping him in his hour of need. Brooks wrote, “. @ladygaga, You were fabulous today and everyday. A national treasure. Please tell Frederick and Miss Sarah thank you for me! They saved a cowboy today. Oh, and tell Miss Sarah to hug her momma for me! love, g.”

None of the folks Brooks thanked have responded publicly yet, nor do we know what Tanno and Aspiras did for Brooks, but the two of them did offer some insight about Gaga’s look on Inauguration Day. Tanno took to Instagram to write of Gaga’s make-up, “Our creative process at Haus of Gaga is something we take incredibly seriously… considering every detail, each of us contribute to the whole. It is a sacred process and one that we all honor and celebrate. Here, we are making sure that we choose the perfect shade of red lipstick to compliment @ladygaga’s dress. Lined just right to contrast the bright red hue of the lip. We also made sure that the eye was balanced so the lip could take center stage. This is prior to @frecericaspiras adding the ribbon to her braids. Every detail counts. This look is timeless, romantic and vibrant just like our muse #ladygaga.”

Aspiras also explained Gaga’s hair, writing, “This Halo Braided Updo was inspired by classic beauty that is timeless, heavenly & oh so GAGA. Creating a romantic feel with a sense of pride and hope for this very special Inauguration event. Thank you @ladygaga for this opportunity to give someone like me, a son of an immigrant, the chance to change the course of other children of immigrants. There is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s not always on but if you try hard enough to look for it you will find it! My mom would’ve been so proud! I know she’s looking down from heaven with so much pride.”

In the Black Mirror episode “Be Right Back,” Hayley Atwell’s character communicates with her dead boyfriend through an AI program that used his social media profiles, texts, and videos to essentially resurrect him virtually. Like all things Black Mirror, it’s a cautionary, dystopian tale, which is why people are freaking out over news that Microsoft is developing a chatbot that will basically do everything the episode warned society about. Namely using technology to talk to the freaking dead. Via The Independent:

The patent describes creating a bot based on the “images, voice data, social media posts, electronic messages”, and more personal information.

“The specific person [who the chat bot represents] may correspond to a past or present entity (or a version thereof), such as a friend, a relative, an acquaintance, a celebrity, a fictional character, a historical figure, a random entity etc”, it goes on to say.

Once news of Microsoft’s “I Talk To Dead People” chatbot reached Twitter, the reactions started pouring in as folks scrambled to drive home the point that Black Mirror is supposed to provide a warning about the dangers of technology infecting our lives, not hand-deliver an instruction manual for tech companies to point to and say, “Ah, yes, let’s do this. The bleak, creepy thing.”

According to The Independent, the chatbot will also let users create a digital replacement of themselves in preparation for their deaths, which also raises all kinds of ethical questions. Then again, can it field phone calls from your mom? You know what? Let’s see where this goes.

(Via The Independent)

Slayyyter caught the attention of pop fans with her promising self-titled 2019 debut album. She even recently found her way onto the radar of Lady Gaga, who included Slayyyter’s “Mine” on her “Women Of Choice” playlist last year. All of that has built up to this: Today, Slayyyter has announced her second album, Troubled Paradise, which is set to drop on June 11. Also today, she shared a video for the title track, an upbeat shot of kinetic synth-pop.

Upon the release of “Self Destruct” in October, Slayyyter said of her music:

“I like doing things myself, I always have in every aspect of life. These days, you can make big budget-sounding pop, but have it be totally DIY. These songs are just written by me and my friends. I want to keep the ideas raw. […] I don’t want my sound to be stuck in 2007. I’m not fully ditching my old self, but I want to be someone new. The new material I’m working on has a balance between good and evil. There’s an angrier side, and a softer, heavenly side.”

Watch the “Troubled Paradise” video above and check out the Troubled Paradise art and tracklist below.

1. “Self Destruct”
2. “Venom”
3. “Throatzillaaa”
4. “Dog House”
5. “Butterflies…”
6. “Troubled Paradise”
7. “Clouds”
8. “Cowboys”
9. “Serial Killer”
10. “Over This!”
11. “Villain”
12. “Letters”

Troubled Paradise is out 6/11 via Fader Label. Pre-order it here.

We all know how well tacos and tequila go together. And there’s nothing quite like an ice-cold, salt-rimmed margarita to add a splash of flavor to your Mexican takeout night. Beer and birria? Definitely a winner. But hear me out…

What about washing down your next carnitas burrito with an exquisite bottle of grenache? The sometimes leathery, sometimes spicy, dark fruit notes embedded in the wine are perfectly adept at uplifting the array of seasonings that typically marinate the tender roast pork. Or are you feasting on guac, spicy salsa, or ceviche-topped tostadas? Sauvignon blanc’s fresh acidity is a perfect counterbalance for the salty-crunchy combo of fried corn tortillas. Even a classic mound of nachos smothered with cheese, beans, cilantro, onions, and jalapeños can be leveled up nicely when washed down with some good old Spanish tempranillo.

Though wine in Mexico is absolutely booming, it’s still not the first adult beverage people think of when pairing Mexican dishes. We’re here to flip that script — by rounding up eight bottles that can stand up to hearty dishes like chicken mole (cabernet sauvignon) or enhance the brightness and lightness of ceviche tostadas (Sauvignon blanc). And since you’re already shelling out dollars on delivery, all the bottles listed below are priced under $30. They’re also available in brick-and-mortar and online retail shops across the U.S.

Vamanos!

Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc, 2019

ABV: 13.1%
Average Price: $13

The Wine:

The grapes that make up this sauvignon blanc were some of the first to ever be planted in Marlborough, New Zealand in 1973. Since then, Brancott Estate has continued to produce bright and zippy wines that represent the lush green and tropical lands of the winery’s surrounding South Island region.

Tasting Notes:

Speckled with flecks of green, this pale straw wine smells of lime zest and newly ripened grapefruit. The palate is equally citrusy with notes of blood orange, pomelo, and a hint of cantaloupe. All that’s balanced out with great acidity that’s noticeable from start to finish and leaves a mouthwatering impression.

Bottom Line:

Do you have mariscos on the menu? This is a wine that will compliment just about any type of seafood or cut through a cheesy, veggie-loaded quesadilla or burrito.

Monte Xanic Chenin Colombard

ABV: 13.5%
Average Price: $15

The Wine:

Down in the Valle de Guadalupe of Baja California, Mexico—a hop, skip and a jump from San Deigo—is where this blend of chenin blanc and French colombard derives. It’s a gentle and clean, fruit-forward wine that is so clear it practically looks like water.

Tasting Notes:

This wine smells like the tropical paradise it’s grown in. The nose is loaded with scents of pineapple, lime, and lychee, while the mouth is soaked with juicy mandarin, nectarine, and orange blossom flavors that don’t completely wash out the palate. Overall, this wine is dry and crisp with a good drinkability and a barely-there finish.

Bottom Line:

Eating tamales? You’re gonna need to drink something light and complex to wash them down. This is the wine to get it done.

Mumm Napa Brut Prestige

ABV: 12.5%
Average Price: $25

The Wine:

Now here’s a refreshing sparkling wine to wet your palate before you wolf down a couple of tacos. This non-vintage bubbly is a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris, and pinot meunier from about 50 grape-grower locations throughout Napa, California.

Tasting Notes:

This is a filling yet bright sparkling white wine with relaxed little bubbles that smell like apples doused in vanilla and raw dough. The bready, toasty notes get a splash of acidity on the palate, which is rounded out with hints of honey and ginger throughout the sip.

The finish is rich and it lingers for quite some time.

Bottom Line:

Drink this sparkling wine when you want to fancify your feast. It’s a satisfying aperitif but it’ll pair well with any vegetable, chicken, or seafood dish.

Decibel Gimblett Gravels Malbec 2017

ABV: 13%
Average Price: $25

The Wine:

This rusty red wine, produced by U.S. expat Daniel Brennan, hails from vineyards in Hawke’s Bay that are situated around an area of the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island that’s famous for getting a lot of sun. That good weather combined with the natural rocky gravel of the region leads to a Malbec that is notably unique — with an earthy, mineral character.

Tasting Notes:

There are some floral and berry aromas that escape from the bottle along with fragrances of wet dirt after a rain. On the palate, the wine is almost chalky with notes of blue and blackberries and tight tannins—the naturally occurring polyphenol found in skins and seeds that results in fruit’s astringency. The finish is firm and lingering with hints of soils seeped with graphite and lead.

Bottom Line:

This wine has the body to pair with a wide range of hearty meals. It has the structure to hold up enchiladas sopping in salsa verde or starchy, meaty dishes like arroz con pollo.

Domaine du Mistral Grignan-les-Adhémar Rouge 2018

ABV: 15%
Average Price: $14

The Wine:

Produced by Domaines André Aubert in the heart of France’s Rhône Valley, this wine is a blend of Grenache and Syrah. By no means is this a wine for the faint of heart—it’s full-bodied in every sense, but it maintains plummy suppleness that makes it a delight to drink with food.

Tasting Notes:

Ruby red in color, this wine smells of leather, sharpened pencils, and blackberry compote. The palate is dotted with plum, cherry, and licorice notes that lean into super-soft tannins for a lengthy finish that is bold and smooth at the same time.

Bottom Line:

Bring on the carne asada! This is exactly the type of complex wine you want to sip on while chewing on servings of grilled steak, heavily seasoned with a nice hit of spice.

Bodegas Ordonez Toro Triton Tinta de Toro 2017

ABV: 15%
Average Price: $16

The Wine:

Now here’s a bold and fruity tempranillo from one of Spain’s oldest winemaking regions, Toro. The grapes used for this reddish-purplish wine come from various Bodegas Ordóñez vineyards, owned by winemaker Jorge Ordóñez, in Toro and neighboring Morales — none of which are treated with herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides.

Tasting Notes:

Yet another full-bodied stunner, this wine packs a powerful punch. On the nose, it’s loaded with violets and raspberries and boysenberries, while the palate is drenched in blackberries, blackcurrants and the faintest hint of anise. Syrupy tannins give the wine much depth that lasts throughout the long finish.

Bottom Line:

Drink this now with all your slow-roasted pork, spicy chorizo, and other sturdy meats. Or save it for a fiesta later on down the line. This bottle’s good for hanging in the cellar (or wine fridge) for up to 15 years.

Papa Figos Red

ABV: 13%
Average Price: $16

The Wine:

This pick is a medium-bodied blend of tinta roriz, tina barroca, touriga franca and touriga nacional — grapes that are all indigenous to Portugal, the Duoro Superior region to be exact. Produced by the winemakers of Casa Ferreirnha (one of Portugal’s most esteemed wineries), the juice gets its name for the colorful bird on the label, the Papa Figos, one of the rarest birds in the Douro.

Tasting Notes:

This claret hued wine flutters with aromas of wildflowers and fresh, ripe strawberries. The taste leans into the red fruit but gets a nice lift from a sprinkle of cocoa, round tannins, and a dash of acidity that leads to a refined and long finish.

Bottom Line:

This wine has a gastronomic edge that makes it perfect for pairing with food. It can easily bring out (or settle down) the flavors of al pastor tacos, chicken tinga, refried beans, and all the red meats you can think of.

This would also work with grilled or pan-fried fish, if snapper is on the menu.

Casa Madero Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

ABV: 13.6%
Average Price: $15

The Wine:

It was 1893 when Don Evaristo Madero purchased the first vineyards to make up the Casa Madero, but the vines, nestled in the Mexican state of Coahuila, date back as early as the 1500s (when explorers colonizers roamed the area).

This carmine red wine is made of 100 percent cabernet sauvignon that is truly intense and utterly elegant.

Tasting Notes:

The aromatics on this wine are, to put it simply, superb. Lucious red fruits, eucalyptus, and mint spill out of the bottle, but the palate is also booming with black currants, plums and rosemary, and even hints of menthol. This wine has a nice silky body ripe with firm tannins that last throughout the extended finish.

Bottom Line:

Mexican wines are incredibly hard to find in the U.S., which is a shame because they can be as good as any of the high priced/ old world wines of France or Italy. Luckily this one isn’t quite as hard to come by, so when you spot it, buy it and drink it with your chorizo, beef barbecue, and pork rinds.