In the AFC Wild Card Playoffs, the Chiefs smoked the Texans, 30-0. 17 out of 22 passes were completed by Chiefs QB, Alex Smith, while Texans QB, Brian Hoyer threw 4 interceptions. The Chiefs will face the Patriots next Saturday at 4:35pm.
www.cincinnati.com
The Steelers edged out the Bengals, 18-16. It looked like the Bengals were going to win but turnovers costed Bengals the game. The Steelers will face the Broncos next Saturday at 4:40pm.
For the NFC Wild Card Playoffs, the Seahawks recovered from a 9-0 deficit in the 4th quarter to beat the Vikings 10-9! The turnover forced by Chancellor and the TD conversion after Wilson recovered from a fumble were turning points in the game. The Vikings had many missed opportunities and then the Seahawks lucked out in the end of the game when Walsh of the Vikings kicked the Field Goal far left of the post, handing the game to the Seahawks. The Seahawks will face the head of the division, the Panthers, next Sunday at 1:05pm.
www.nj com
The Packers got off to a slow start trailing the Redskins but Rodgers found his throw, defense and offense were strong thoughout the second half of the game. It just kept getting better and better for the Packers to the point where Rodgers was smiling from ear to ear, which isn’t a frequent sight. Lacy had exceptional runs, with both him and Starks scoring touchdowns. Cobb and Adams had some good catches and kicker, Crosby was consistent. A total team effort. Great end to the NFL’s Wild Card Playoff Weekend!
The Packers will face the Cardinals next Sunday at 8:15pm.
With Tuesday night’s win over the Lakers, the Warriors are 33-2, 1 game ahead of NBA’s previous best, the Chicago Bulls at this point in their 1995-1996 season. Their next game is tonight at Portland. MVP Steph Curry has been playing through the pain with a shin injury that he should rest for 4 weeks but if he doesn’t rest it he is not in any great danger. According to ESPN Scorecenter, he attended full practice yesterday and will be playing tonight.
Even when a key player like Curry or Klay Thompson are out of the game, their line-up is big and they have other key players like Draymond Green who will step up big time and they still win. Green just won player of the week for the Week of December 28th. An average team will have to play GREAT to beat them says former basketball player and ESPN analyst Tim Legler, and the majority of their remaining games are versus average teams. They seem relaxed but hungry at the same time. Only a serious injury to one of their main players can stop them. Will Matthew Dellavedova kick Curry in the shin and just end his season? If the Warriors break the Bulls 72-10 record, it would only be right that they go for and win the NBA Championship title based on pure logic and historical statistics.
So which other teams are in the mix and who actually poses a serious threat?
To date, considering both the Eastern and Western Conference, the League standings for the Top 10 teams are as follows:
Photo: www.espn.go.com
So for the West, if Warriors meet the San Antonio Spurs it will not be easy. At the looks of it now, only the Spurs pose a threat to the Warriors in the West and vice versa. The Spurs probably still have the deepest bench in the league. Their bench alone scored 70 points in the 123-98 blowout win over the Jazz on Wednesday.Â
They also finally have some young, fresh players that Coach Pop is giving time on the Court. There is Past Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills and more. Then the Big Old 3 are still present. Old Man River Walk, Tim Duncan is still looking good, not to mention Manu Ginobili who looks like he got his act together. Tony Parker is forever talented but hardly ever consistent. Perhaps he has his young baby on his mind.
Even though Suga gives the Spurs and Warriors the edge in the West, OKC is not to be forgotten. Past MVP Kevin Durant is back! He is on form after a broken bone in his right foot that needed 3 surgeries and after spraining his big toe last week. Hopefully he doesn’t continue to break a leg. No pun intended. He returned Tuesday night to beat the Grizzlies 112-94 and note that OKC went 12-3 in December. Westbrook is great, Ibaka and Adams are good, but without Durant, OKC will lose.
Now where all my LeBron James haters at? Sorry folks, he won’t go away. He has won player of the month 29 times now and his stats keep buzzing, equalling and breaking record after record. He scored 9 points in 1 minute Wednesday night versus the Wizards at Washington. It’s a pity he isn’t pretty to watch though. Suga predicts the Cavs will go straight to the NBA Finals again this year. All eyes are on the Warriors, so no immense pressure on LeBron, which is good because we all see how he buckles under pressure. There is also no serious threat on the East side. The Bulls are doing well but the Cavs will still destroy them. The Cavs are the kind of team that elevate their game based on their opponent. They are confident, arrogant, hungry and some bitter.
I would say LeBron’s partner in crime is back, but LeBron is a lone, selfish soldier on the court. Kyrie Irving is back yall! Now HE is pretty and exciting to watch, just 23 years old and full of energy. He is back on form, scoring well, up to 32 points Wednesday night versus the Wizards compared to LeBron’s 34 points and these are under restrictions in minutes he is allowed to play, which the Cavs will soon remove. The Warriors beat them on Christmas Day 89-83, but with a healthy Kyrie Irving and no minutes restrictions, it will be a whole new ball game. The Cavs also have a good starting line up and bench with dangerous players like Matthew Dellavedova and J.R. Smith. When teams feel excited about catching up with the Cavs or lessening a point deficit, J.R. will just burst their bubble with a 3-pointer. Then they also have Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov and Sasha Kaun.
Sad to say but Suga believes if the Cavs meet the Warriors in the Finals again with a now healthy Kyrie Irving, they will get the formula right this time and get revenge. But if somehow the Spurs, a team with a totally different dynamic and ball movement make it to the Finals, they may actually make a more exciting match up versus the Cavs and LeBron could have a Finals nightmare all over again. But we just have to wait and see. It is just January and there is still time for players to grow and teams to make adjustments. Don’t you just love this game?!
The Holiday season is over and it is surely hard for our stomachs to adjust to normal and even healthier eating habits.
For those who are not ready for a straight salad just yet, try adding kidney beans or chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) to your next salad. A quarter cup adds an additional 5 grams of dietary fiber!
Suga had a great start to the New year with lunch at Bigg’s BBQ Restaurant and Bar last Friday on New Year’s Day at 4pm on the Hip Strip, Gloucester Avenue in Montego Bay.
The host was extremely polite and attentive and so was our waitress.
The menu was full of succulent Bbq and Jerk eats. I had the 1/2 lb of Pulled Pork ($16.99US incl. 2 small sides) with fries and added mixed grilled chef vegetables to slowly reintroduce healthy items to the diet since vacay was soon coming to a close.
My friends had the Biggs Burger (15.99UD with 1 side) with baked mac and cheese and and the Jerked Pork ($16.99US incl. 2 small sides) with baked mac and cheese and mixed grilled chef vegetables. The Jerked Pork was lacking the actual Jerked flavour and tasted more like BBQ Pork, but was good nonetheless. There were no complaints about the popular, delicious, Biggs Burger made with a blend of minced Beef and Bratwurst with your choice of cheese on an onion bun.
The Blended Fruit punch, Frozen Lemonade and Blended Hummingbird beverages were delightful.
A bit pricey in tourist town but filling and worth it!
Thanks for your continuous patronage and support. Hope to make this year even more exciting than last year 🙂 Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, Safe and Prosperous New Year!
A. Braised Lamb Shank                   B. The Gus Pizza             C. (L-R) Friend, Lisa Samough and Gabby from Suga Lifestyle
Two words to describe it – nice and quaint.
What did I have? No I did not have Red wine, can you believe it? Suga is a Chardonnay and Riesling kinda girl.
I had a 2014 Crnko-Riesling + Sauvignon Blanc Blend from Slovenia ($11USD/glass) that was lovely.
They have a wide selection of items, not only on their wine menu but food menu as well. Note that an alcohol charge (~3%) is added to your bill. Salads and Soups, Paninis, Pizzas (Crispy Wheat/Roasted Flat breads), Salmon, Catch of the Day, Crab cakes, Sea Bass and more are offered.
I had a tasty, tender Braised Lamb Shank ($24US) over chopped eggplant, green olives, golden raisins, shaved almonds with mint yogurt.
My friends enjoyed The Gus ($10) Pizza with pepperoni, sausage, ham and housemade marinara as well as the Bistro Filet ($23US) 8oz beef with red red wine reduction.
Our waiter was awesome too and will be coming to Jamaica next year!
Without giving away too much about the movie, Suga will tell you why Concussion just may be the movie to watch this Holiday Season and where to watch it.
Suga went to iPic Theaters in Maryland last Monday night and it was like a hotel! Persons have compared it to the AMC Theater in Long Island, NY. Not only can you purchase tickets beforehand, which is normal, but you can reserve regular seats in the theater and you do not need to join any lines when you reach. You just simply head to the Express ticketing machine and print your tickets. During the holiday season with no line, it must be an efficient system.
The counter to buy tickets looks like you are checking in at a hotel, not to mention the fabulous art work displayed on the walls on the way to the different theaters and then there are the bathrooms! If you get into a fight with your date you can hide in luxury all night in there.
Then there is comfortable seating that is too comfortable for some people, putting them to sleep with a blanket, pillow and reclined chair with a raised footrest.
Gabby from Suga Lifestyle relaxes and gets ready to watch Concussion last Monday night at iPic Theatres, Maryland
Note that chairs are paired together in 2s and 4s, so a bit difficult for sensitive 3rd wheels and single people, at least for the theater I was seated in.
Your personal waiter introduces himself to you as you sit down, takes your order and you can order throughout the movie too with just the press of a button.
What’s on the menu besides the standard Popcorn, Soda, Hot dogs and Chips? A wide Wine selection, Beers by draft or the bottle, Cocktails, Pizzas, Dips and Spreads, Desserts, Burgers, Tacos, Sandwiches, Skewers, Lobster rolls and more.
So my Suga Readers, find an iPic Theater near you!
Now on to the movie based on a true story, Concussion with Will Smith, also featuring Alec Baldwin.
Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org
How would Suga describe it? It was like Pursuit of Happiness 2 and you know sequels have less impact than the originals. There was depth but not to the degree of tear jerkers in Pursuit of Happiness. Will Smith was quite good though.
Will played Dr. Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian Forensic Pathologist that came to America and made a correlation between the damage to some American Football players suffering Concussions and Chronic Traumatic Envephalopathy (CTE).
He came to America and spoke to and for the dead. He perfomed an autopsy that changed his life and the NFL on Mike Webster, former Pittsburgh Steelers center in 2002.
The sudden and unexpected deaths and suicides of other NFL players such as Terry Long in 2005 after Webster, built his case further.
According to the movie, many NFL players have been diagnosed with early onset of Alzheimer’s disease but with more deaths and positive results for CTE, could the NFL deny science?
Did the NFL publicly acknowledge the link between Concussions sustained by players and CTE and of so, when?
Did players do or say anything?
Was the NFL brought to court?
How many other deaths were there from ‘CTE’?
Did the movie have an effect on Players?
Find and Watch Concussion at a theatre near you, preferably an iPic Theatre, remember the News and then Google.
However, the game plays on. Many lives have been changed, saved and opportunities created for young men across America because of American Football.
Last night the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals gave viewers an entertaining close to Monday night football. After a 17-17 tie and an opportunity for the Broncos to win, their kick went way off the left side of the post forcing overtime (OT).
The Broncos then recovered a loose ball in OT and clinched their Playoff Berth.
I know Americans have been watching closely but my Jamaicans, if your team looks like they have no chance of making the Playoffs or you just haven’t been paying attention, now is the time to choose your team. Playoffs start January 9!
Only 6 teams will play for each Conference.
Here are the standings for the AFC:
Taken from ESPN Scorecenter
Here are the standings for the NFC:
Taken from ESPN Scorecenter
With New Years around the corner, so is that Super Bowl Party. Not to mention, it will be Super Bowl 50. The Halftime show and Ads should be spectacular!
Thanks for reading Suga Lifestyle and making Suga your source for Sports updates, Health tips, Charity Awareness and for making many Restaurant choices to suit various occasions.
Have you heard about Jabba’s Smoked Grill and Jabba’s Peppa Swims?! Gear up for next year, because if you are in the corporate area, especially New Kingston, some delicious, affordable food can be delivered to you at work or home, free of cost. Pick up options are also available. Sounds great right? Another option to add to our very limited lunch selection.
Lunch from Jabba’s Smoked Grill is available on Saturdays. Lunch costs $600JMDinclusive of delivery in the corporate area. You have a choice of either Jerked or Barbecue chicken along with sides of sweet potato, rice and peas and/or roast breadfruit.
Jabba’s Peppa Swims are mild or spicy packages of shrimps available on Tuesdays and Fridays at a cost of $280JMD each. But don’t worry, the spicy one will not leave you choking. It is tastefully done with the right level of spice so you enjoy it but you are comfortable at the same time. As deliveries are done mainly in New Kingston, they are currently a big hit with corporate offices such as JMMB, Sagicor, Barita and more. So you don’t need to travel to St. Elizabeth for ‘swims’, you can get them delivered to you or pick up at 31-33 Trafalgar Road (BNS with no sign), opposite the NCB atrium, anytime between 8am and 5pm.
Filling serving!
For both Jabba’s Smoked Grill and Jabba’s Peppa Swims, it is best to order the night before or on the day before 12 noon, by calling 876-296-7304.
Ok so now you know what is offered and the cost, but who does the cooking? Jabba!
Who or what is Jabba?
Jabba is young, Jonathan Simpson, who just has a love for cooking and was thus inspired to start this endeavour. I have actually tasted Jabba’s chicken from as far back as 2008 at a friend’s baby shower. Yes! Jabba does catering too and used to even have a small restaurant back in the day that offered Jamaican lunches such as Curried Goat, Oxtail, Cow foot, Jerked Chicken and more.
Where has Jabba been all these years?
A few years ago, the restaurant business alone was not enough for Jabba and he felt that a ‘9-5’ would be better for the finances so started working with Scotiabank. But when something is just a part of you, it always finds its way back. So recently, he found a way to still work with the bank but to branch out into what he loves to do even more as well, cook.
Who taught him how to cook?
Well the Chicken and other things came naturally to him for the most part but a young lady who he used to buy shrimp from taught him how to prepare the shrimps aka ‘swims’ when he developed an interest to do it himself.
How did the rave about Jabba’s Swims begin?
About 4 or 5 years ago, Jabba prepared his shrimps for a fundraiser at the office and the people wanted more. The interest and liking for it spread by word of mouth to different offices within the area.
What makes Jabba’s Chicken and Shrimps different?
It’s all about the freshness, the sauce and the general taste of the food.
Freshness is important folks, so it is unlikely that the Peppa Swims ‘goi run u belly!’. Pepper shrimps are a local favourite but a lot of the shrimps sold on the street side are not fresh. Jabba’s shrimps are usually prepared on the morning of or the night before they are sold. They are a hot commodity so they sell off in one day. If you are brave, I have been told that you can refrigerate and have the shrimp up to 5 days after purchase or a day after if you do not refrigerate.
With regards to the sauce, I remember licking the sauce off my fingers from that Chicken from 2008! Yes, literally ‘finger-lickin’ good’.
Then of course, the taste is unique as a result of the preparation with freshness, seasoning and the added sauce or peppers.
Where is the Chicken and Shrimp sourced from?
Chicken is sourced from Best Dressed Chicken and the Shrimps from Rainforest Seafoods.
What has Jabba done catering for before?
His ‘Eat All You Want Buffet Seafood’ years ago and most recently, Weddings and parties such as Haunted and Afloat Soca Cruse. BBQ Pigstail, BBQ Chicken, Pasta and Garlic bread were a hit at Haunted!
Can you order this week?
Sorry Suga bears, Jabba’s Smoked Grill and Peppa Swims is currently closed for the holidays and will reopen for business by Saturday, January 9, 2016.
The near future of Jabba’s Peppa Swims?
By the 2nd week in January, Jabba’s popular Peppa Swims will be at Bickles in Sovereign Centre Food Court on Wednesdays and Saturdays for $300JMD per bag.
So as we think about food of all kinds for the festive season and wonder how we will afford lunch in January, look out for Jabba’s Smoked Grill and Peppa Swims next year!
