By now, we’ve all seen videos and posts from exhausted nurses and doctors who are working like mad under less-than-ideal circumstances to treat patients during this pandemic. We’ve also seen the well-deserved recognition and praise they’ve received for putting their own lives at risk to save others. They are heroes, and should absolutely receive a hero’s acknowledgment.

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But there are others working on those front lines as well—folks that medical facilities rely on as much as our critical care workers, but who are rarely ever seen, much less acknowledged. They don’t receive anywhere near the pay or the respect that care providers do, but as a viral Facebook post points out, our medical facilities would come to a grinding halt without them.

Here’s to the hospital janitors, housekeepers, custodians, and other support workers who keep our medical facilities clean and safe. They literally clean up human waste, bodily fluids, and other contaminants that give us all the willies, day in and day out. They wipe, sweep, mop, sanitize, change sheets, dispose of trash, and make the environment as sterile as it needs to be. We often forget that none of the good work that doctors and nurses do would be possible without these workers.

The cleaning crews deserve our thanks, but they also aren’t the only ones. There are other support staff in hospitals who also play a vital role in keeping our healthcare system running smoothly. The secretaries, receptionists, maintenance workers, technicians, and other behind-the-scenes workers who manage the running of the facilities and systems that enable medical caregivers to do their job of treating people and saving lives deserve our thanks as well.

Along with our front line doctors and nurses, these people are also putting their own health on the line. They are going toward the fire. They are making sacrifices that most of us aren’t being asked to make.

And they are doing all of that without an impressive paycheck or high societal status.

So thank you, medical support staff. You are heroes in your own right, and we are grateful for what you do.

As April arrives, most of the top high school prospects from the Class of 2019 are declaring for the 2020 NBA Draft. A few, headlined by LaMelo Ball, skipped college entirely while others, namely James Wiseman, spent very little time on campus. Still, players like Anthony Edwards and Isaac Okoro have already announced the intention to enter the 2020 draft and many more will likely follow. Florida freshman Scottie Lewis will not following in their footsteps, however, as the 6’5 wing announced on Monday that he will be returning to Gainesville for another collegiate run.

Lewis, who was named a McDonald’s All-American, played alongside Villanova’s Bryan Antoine at Ranney School in New Jersey and he entered his college career at Florida with immense expectations. The 247Sports composite ranked Lewis as the No. 7 player in the country in the class, landing ahead of projected lottery picks in Ball, Onyeka Okongwu and Tyrese Maxey. In fact, many anticipated that Lewis would be making his way into the lottery discussion by June 2020, and the talented freshman was projected as the No. 10 pick in ESPN’s November mock draft.

In short, that ascent never fully transpired, with Lewis getting off to a slow start at the college level and Florida struggling mightily to live up to considerable expectations as a projected top ten team. Lewis was only a small part of the overall issues in Gainesville, but he did not produce (8.5 points per game) in a way that would traditionally be associated with a lottery pick, and his low usage (15.7%) jumps off the page as a stark contrast to many with his prep pedigree.

Overall, Lewis remains an intriguing prospect, however, and he is the rare case of a player widely expected to be drafted that could certainly (and vastly) improve his draft stock with a second tour of duty at Florida. Lewis was reasonably efficient on the offensive end in an overall way, posting a 56.2 percent true shooting clip, but his professional future is likely pegged as a “3-and-D” contributor with an emphasis on the defensive end.

The 6’5 wing is an excellent athlete, both horizontally and vertically, and that sets up Lewis as a potentially explosive defensive force. He moves his feet exceedingly well and, given that Lewis is well-known and well-regarded for his tremendous motor, there is every reason to believe that he can translate his tools into defensive production. It would be fair to say that Lewis has strides to make as an off-ball defender but, given his age, that is a normal concern and his off-court reputation as a smart thinker plays into the belief that he can figure things out.

While he rightly took responsibility for some of the issues at Florida this year, Lewis provided a window into a mature thought process with his comments while announcing his decision to return.

“I put the season we had on my shoulders,” Lewis told Jeff Goodman of Stadium when announcing his decision to stay in college. “I came in with a big head. I wasn’t promised anything, but I expected a lot. It didn’t just hurt me, but it hurt our team. It took me a while, but I learned how to be coachable and I thought it showed with how well the team was playing towards the end of the season.”

Offensively, Lewis doesn’t fit the bill of the player that a No. 7 national ranking would imply, which may have played into some of the noise he referenced. There is a lot to like athletically, but Lewis struggled mightily as a playmaker, passer and ball-handler in college. Realistically, those issues are smaller given his projection as a relatively low-usage player in the NBA but, at the same time, it would be nice to see development from Lewis in those key offensive areas.

As a shooter, Lewis struggled at times and that was likely part of his small role on the offensive end. It would be fair to say that his jump shot isn’t a lock to translate but, at the same time, he did improve as a shooter (albeit in a small sample) as the season went along. Lewis shot 49% from the floor and 45% from three in the last 15 games of the season, after posting ugly numbers (39% FG, 27% 3PT) in the first half of the campaign. Moreover, Lewis is a very strong free throw shooter (82%) and that often helps as a projection tool for effective catch-and-shoot ability at the next level.

Lewis did have curious issues as a finisher at the rim, especially when forced to do so in traffic. In the open floor, he is often breathtaking in translating his athleticism to explosiveness, but he will need to improve his craft to succeed at a higher level. Presumably, Lewis will be allowed to do that and, in garnering NBA feedback, he was likely informed of some of his current shortcomings.

Lastly, Lewis is likely making the right decision, as far as a pure evaluation of his NBA Draft stock by returning. It is fair to assume that Lewis would’ve been selected whenever the draft takes place, but it is hard to see a scenario in which he would have been taken with a first-round pick. The situation also plays a role here, as Lewis is the kind of athlete that would potentially explode in a workout setting but, with the uncertainty of the evaluation cycle in a COVID-19 world, teams will likely rely more on tape and Lewis was shaky for much of this season.

Realistically, Lewis won’t “live up” to the expectations some assigned to him as a McDonald’s All-American and a consensus top-10 prospect. In fact, he projects as a role player as a professional and, at least in some circles, those contributors are often undervalued. With that said, Lewis still has the physical tools to be a tremendous defender in the NBA and, if he can prove himself as a solid shooter and decision-maker on the offensive end, a return to school could help Lewis to reestablish himself as a first-round pick in 2021.

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Some of the most striking images of the COVID-19 pandemic have been the photographs of healthcare workers whose faces have been bruised and cut from wearing protective surgical masks.

This photo of a healthcare professional in Italy battling the pandemic was seen around the world. She looks like she went 12 rounds in the ring with a heavyweight fighter.

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However, this type of pain isn’t just a concern for the medical community. In high-foot-traffic professions such as grocery stores, people have been wearing masks for their entire shifts.

Now, it’s recommended that all Americans wear protective masks when they go out in public.

A hospital in Canada put out a call to anyone who could help alleviate the pain caused by the masks and Quinn Callander, a Boy Scout, answered the request in a big way.

He got to work designing an ear guard that can be produced with his 3-D printer. It’s a simple, but genius design. The guards connect the straps from the masks, elevating them to the back of the head, so they don’t rub the backs of the ears. They’re also adjustable so they fit comfortably.

Quinn’s mother shared photos of his invention on Facebook and the post has gone viral, attracting over 340,000 shares.

“Quinn answered a request from the local hospitals for help with creating more ‘ear guards’ to help take the pressure off health care workers ears from wearing masks all day,” his mother wrote on Facebook. “He got busy on his 3D printer and has been turning out dozens of ear guards to donate.”

via Heather Roney / Facebook

“As someone who works in healthcare I can say that this is fantastic! When we wear them constantly all day everyday, they actually start to cut into the back of our ears,” one Facebook user wrote.

Quinn has made the 3-D printing files for the project public, so that the ear guard can be replicated by anyone with a printer.

“In one week I’ve personally produced over 1300 straps, 1215 have gone to a few hospitals in my region where they seem to be really appreciated,” Quinn wrote on the file. “A volunteer group that I’m contributing to in the Vancouver BC area has delivered over 3300 straps including mine.”

His mother later edited the viral Facebook post, adding the file information, to encourage other people to print the ear guards as well.

“We need more volunteers to fire up their 3D printers and donate these ear guards to hospitals and medical professionals!” she wrote.

Quinn’s mask is a great example of how everyone is now deputized to help out in the fight against the virus. Even though he’s only 13, he used his special skill set to contribute in the best way he knew possible.

We all have our own unique skills we can use to help others during the pandemic. What can you do?

Bobby Mitchell, the quick-footed receiver who became the Washington Redskins’ first black football player, died on Sunday at 84 years old. His cause of death was not disclosed.

Mitchell spent the first half of his career with the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the seventh round of the 1958 NFL Draft from the University of Illinois. He went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL as a halfback for the Browns, teaming up with the legendary Jim Brown, and then as a wide receiver for the Redskins. During his 11-year career, he played 148 games and was good for a total of 10,689 yards from scrimmage, according to Pro Football Reference. He was named to the First Team All Pro in 1962, his first year with the Redskins, and selected to the Pro Bowl four times in his career.

“His passion for the game of football was unmatched by anyone I have ever met,” Redskins owner Dan Snyder said. “Not only was he one of the most influential individuals in franchise history, but he was also one of the greatest men I have ever known. He was a true class act and will be sorely missed.”

When Mitchell joined the Redskins in 1962, the team became the last in the league to integrate. He spent seven seasons in Washington and led the league in receiving yards in 1962 and 1963. He still ranks in the top 10 in Redskins’ history in receiving yards (6,492; fifth), touchdowns (49; sixth) and catches (393; eighth), according to the team’s website.

After retiring in 1968, Mitchell worked for the Redskins for 30 more years as a scout and later, as the franchise’s assistant general manager during all three of the team’s Super Bowl wins. Mitchell was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 30, 1983.

“The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Bobby Mitchell,” Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker said in a statement on Sunday. “The Game lost a true legend today. Bobby was an incredible player, a talented executive and a real gentleman to everyone with whom he worked or competed against. His wife Gwen and their entire family remain in our thoughts and prayers. The Hall of Fame will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration to future generations.”

A stellar athlete, Mitchell also worked tirelessly as a civil rights activist off the field, assisting organizations like the NAACP, UNCF, National Urban League and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He also famously stood with Muhammad Ali and many other black athletes in 1967, supporting Ali’s refusal to enlist in the U.S. army during the Vietnam War.

With the NBA on hiatus right now, players are suddenly finding themselves with a tremendous amount of time on their hands that they aren’t accustomed to having. With no access to team facilities, basketball activities have all but ceased as most players don’t so much as have a basketball hoop at their home, and as such they’re finding other ways to fill the time.

Video games are a favorite choice of many to help get through hours of being home alone, while others have turned to their musical interests. We’ve seen a number of players showing off their musical talents (or, in some cases, lack thereof) during the quarantine period and it’s no surprise that the man considered the best MC in the league would be among them. Damian Lillard, aka Dame D.O.L.L.A. is using some of his downtime to work on new music and also bring back an old favorite in #4BarFriday.

Lillard used to do Four Bar Friday on social media, posting a video of him dropping four bars on a track and then having fans send him their best verses in response. With a lot of time on his hands, Lillard is bringing it back, but in a more structured format as he’s partnered with Genius to bring Four Bar Friday to Instagram Live, bringing in big names from the world of hip-hop and sports to join him.

The first edition happened this past Friday and they’ll be back on April 10 at 5 p.m. ET for the second edition of what will be a weekly series. It’s the latest in artists and athletes using Instagram Live to connect with others and allow fans a chance to join in the fun and watch as they bring a little home entertainment to a world that desperately can use it.

As the country continues to shelter in place, Swizz Beats and Timbaland’s Instagram Live battles have become something of a national obsession. Even the biggest stars in hip-hop have been watching — and starting to plot on their own matchups. 2 Chainz posted an open invitation to a hits battle on his own Instagram, eventually settling on Meek Mill as his potential opponent after a process of elimination that excluded Drake, Lil Wayne, and Snoop Dogg.

“So I put up a post saying that Atlanta has run the game for the past couple of decades,” he said in the video. “And me wanting to participate in this Versus thing that Swizz and Timbaland have got going on. So we were thinking of some people outside the city to compete with. Some people were saying Drake, but Drake got more hits than The Beatles, like literally, we know this. Somebody say Wayne, but he been rapping before all of us, we all came up on Tune.”

Next up was Snoop, but Chainz ran into the same problem he had with Drake and Wayne — too much history. “Then Snoop chimed in, but he got a couple of projects produced by Dr. Dre. When he drop his stuff, it’s going to stick. We know what Snoop has in his bag. I’m trying to see who I can go against.” Someone else mentioned was Fabolous, but Chainz finally landed on Meek, saying, “Somebody said Meek, and I thought that would be dope. So let’s do it Meek. Let’s do it.”

However, Meek promptly responded in the comments. “I just wanna watchhhh lol,” he wrote. “Respectfully bowing out to my brother.”

In the meantime, check out Swizz and Timbaland’s battle and watch Lil Jon debut a highly anticipated new song during his battle with T-Pain.

Meek Mill is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The 2020 NFL Draft is still happening from April 23-25, but the massive, traveling event the draft has become will not. There were grand plans for the 2020 Draft in Las Vegas, with boats shuttling players across the Bellagio fountains to the red carpet and the entire Strip being shut down for fans to gather and watch as the next class of NFL player is selected into the league.

Instead, this year’s draft will look more like what everyone’s typical workday looks like now, with front offices and team personnel conducting business remotely from home offices, linked together by video calls and trying their best to stay on the same page. The league made the virtual draft plans official on Monday, announcing the draft would go forward as planned and teams would need to spend the next two and a half weeks preparing accordingly.

The league’s IT department will be working with teams to get everyone on the same page so that this can go as smoothly as possible, but anyone that’s been on a Zoom call in the past few weeks knows there is the chance for some home-based hilarity to ensue. There will be dogs barking, children barging in, and just general confusion as mute buttons aren’t pressed when they should be.

It will also be interesting to see how ESPN and the NFL Network handle the broadcast. ESPN has plenty of experience at this point of having analysts patched in via video call from home, as that’s how all SportsCenter segments have been running of late, but how they’ll get in on interviews with players and team personnel remains to be seen. The league has reportedly discussed some grace periods in the event that there’s difficulty connecting on trade discussions, so things might move a touch slower than usual, but it appears to be full steam ahead for April 23 for the first round to commence. The only difference is there will be no war rooms or green room.

While putting on concerts has become a little easier for many artists during quarantine, for bands like The Roots, it’s actually become quite a bit harder, since they rely on coming together as a group to play most of their music. However, the “hardest-working band in show business” won’t let a little thing like self-isolation get between them and providing music to their fans. The band announced today they’ll be providing a variety of quarantine boredom-busting streaming content all week, working around the newly-imposed restrictions to their usual creative chemistry.

Some of the options on tap include in-depth shows with band members James Poyser and Captain Kirk, focusing on different groundbreaking artists like Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and Erykah Badu, plus more singular shows like a one-on-one conversation between Black Thought and D-Nice, a live episode of the Questlove Supreme podcast, and even a solo Black Thought NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Each day will be anchored by a live DJ set from Questlove as well.

As Questlove explained in the press release, “While we are daily trying to figure out ways for us to play as a group while practicing social distancing, we are always thinking of new ways to be creative and leaving our comfort zone. This week we are featuring gems from my Questlove Supreme Podcast, Black Thought, James Poyser, and Kirk Douglas. We just hope people will follow and subscribe and we will keep the treats coming.”

The content in question is being produced by The Roots’ production company, Two One Five Entertainment, in partnership with Live Nation Urban. You can subscribe here and check out Behind The Keys With James Poysner episode one above.

Finding a great bottle of Irish whiskey isn’t terribly hard. We import a lot of Irish whiskey to these shores, providing a wide range of options at pretty much every price point. For what it’s worth, the style also makes a great fit for sipping during the quarantine — there’s plenty of nuance and lots to learn. If you’ve got the time and the energy (recognizing that many people have much bigger concerns at the moment), Irish whiskey will certainly keep you interested.

At the heart of the Irish whiskey production process is triple distillation, creating a lighter-tasting final product. Thanks to this refinement, the whiskey used to dominate the market. Then the 20th century happened and with it came the Bourbon Boom. Irish whiskey fell off many drinkers’ radars. Now it’s back and appealing to more and more aficionados who have gotten used to sipping whiskey straight.

The ten bottles below are excellent examples of the Irish tipple. Each bottle clocks in at under $30 and you can get any of them delivered right now, even in isolation. Sláinte!

Wolfhound Irish Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Cooley Distillery, County Louth (Beam-Suntory)
Average Price: $19.99

The Whiskey:

Wolfhound is a great standard Irish whiskey to start your journey with. It’s not overly wrought. This juice is aged in old bourbon casks, which helps make it a perfect cocktail base or an easy sipper, mixed with sparkling water. This blended Irish whiskey is an off-brand product produced at the Cooley Distillery.

Tasting Notes:

Perfumed flowers greet you right away. There’s a sense of butterscotch on the taste that leads towards a light touch of vanilla — sound familiar bourbon lovers? A mild sense of malts arrives late with a hit of ginger snapping at the end.

Paddy’s Irish Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Irish Distillers, Midleton Distillery, County Cork (Pernod Ricard)
Average Price: $20.99

The Whiskey:

Paddy’s is another good mixing whiskey. The County Cork classic is a blend of tripled distilled single pot still, single malt, and grain whiskeys. The juice is then aged for at least seven years in old bourbon barrels before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Clear notes of fresh honey and bourbon vanilla are upfront. The sip becomes a little harsher towards the middle with a sense of tart apple, dried flowers, and spice. That spice turns to black pepper as the cereal malts create a base for the hot finish with a hint of oak.

Bushmills Irish Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Old Bushmills Distillery, County Antrim, Northern Ireland (Casa Cuervo)
Average Price: $25.99

The Whiskey:

This Northern Irish classic is a blend of triple distilled spirits made with a mash bill of both malted barley and grain whiskey aged in ex-bourbon barrels. Technically speaking, Bushmills is the oldest “licensed” whiskey distiller in the world, dating back to 1784. Very little has changed over the years with this exceptionally drinkable dram.

Tasting Notes:
Green grass, blooming spring flowers, and an apple orchard lead the way. There’s a sense of apple and pears with hints of spice, burnt sugars, oak, and a chewy sourdough bread crust. The sweetness of the sugar carries through the taste, with a nice little touch of earthiness at the finish.

Kavanagh Single Malt Irish Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Cooley Distillery, County Louth (Beam-Suntory)
Average Price: $26.98

The Whiskey:

Kavanagh is a no-age-statement off-brand Irish whiskey made for the U.S. market. It seems to be made via Cooley, but that’s just the whiskey world’s best guess — the label and company hold their cards close to their chest. Either way, this whiskey is a good bottle to have on hand if you’re looking to mix it up a little.

Tasting Notes:

Honeysuckles and vanilla open this dram up. Pear and apple orchards carry through with a bit more vanilla and a note of caramel, next to a clear sense of malt grains. A hint of spice and oak come leading to a short, sweet finish.

West Cork Original Irish Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: West Cork Distillers, County Cork
Average Price: $26.99

The Whiskey:

This independent distillery down in Cork has been operating since 2008. By its nature, that means a lot of their juice is sourced — which, in turn, has given birth to a diverse barrel-finishing program. This bottle is a blend of 75 percent grain whiskey and 25 percent malt whiskey that’s aged for around three years in ex-bourbon barrels.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of caramel apples and vanilla upfront. A floral nature kicks in with a grassiness that leads to more apples and a whisper of toffee. A dark chocolate bitterness comes into play late and with a velvet-note preceding a quick finish.

Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Tullamore Distillery, County Offaly (William Grant & Sons)
Average Price: $27.49

The Whiskey:

Standard Tullamore D.E.W. is a whiskey blend of single malt, grain, and pot still whiskeys that are aged in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry barrels. If you’ve ever wondered what the “D.E.W.” stood for, it’s the former owner Daniel E. Williams, who worked his way up from shoveling grains to owning the whole operation.

Tasting Notes:

This is another great mixing whiskey with a clear sense of vanilla up front. There’s a light touch of sweet caramel, oak spice, and orchard fruits that balance out on the palate. The final note carries a whisper of spice and cereal malts.

The Sexton Irish Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Old Bushmills Distillery, County Antrim, Northern Ireland (Casa Cuervo)
Average Price: $28.73

The Whiskey:

This feels like a classic Irish single malt but is actually a fairly new expression. The juice is 100 percent malted barley that’s triple distilled. It’s then aged in former sherry butts for at least four years.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a lot in play with this sip. Pears and apples baked in cinnamon greet you with a rush of vanilla and honey sweetness. There’s a movement toward more spice, leaning into nutmeg and clove as oak and lemon zest arrive on the palate. There’s a clear sense of the sherry on the end with a note of dried fruits, almonds, and more spice.

Slane Irish Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Slane Irish Whiskey Distillery, County Meath (Brown-Forman)
Average Price: $28.99

The Whiskey:

This new entry into the Irish whiskey world is triple distilled and triple-barreled. The juice is from malt and grain whiskeys that are aged in new oak, used American whiskey barrels, and used Oloroso sherry butts.

Tasting Notes:

The sip opens with a trio of vanilla, marzipan, and caramel. Those flavors evolve into a sense of spicy baked pears with clove and cinnamon leading the way. The spice gets a little flowery as the oak steps in, with a continued sweetness on the velvety finish. Definitely an easy sipper.

Jameson Cold Brew

ABV: 30%
Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, County Cork (Pernod Ricard)
Average Price: $29.99

The Whiskey:

Okay, this is more of a coffee liqueur or “flavored” whiskey if we’re being technical. Still, the blend of standard Jameson and cold brew coffee is the perfect base for a tasty Irish coffee.

Tasting Notes:

Vanilla dominates early with a sense of bright orange zest. The texture drives the taste of this towards an oaky vanilla coffee bitterness, with a slight touch of whiskey lurking in the background. That coffee bitterness gives way to a dark chocolate sweet-bitter note on the short and vanilla-soaked end.

Powers Gold Label

ABV: 43.2%
Distillery: Irish Distillers, Midleton Distillery, County Cork (Pernod Ricard)
Average Price: $29.99

The Whiskey:

Powers Gold Label is another great gateway whiskey. The triple distilled expression is a blend of pot still and grain whiskey produced at Midleton Distillery down in Cork. There’s no age statement but the whiskey was bottled at a slightly higher ABV, giving it a little more kick.

Tasting Notes:

Corn flakes, caramel, honeysuckle, oats, and honey sweetness come through. There’s a driving force of cereal malts that lead toward a white sourdough toast with creamy, mildly salted butter. Spice and oak kick in with a hint of floral fruits on a satisfying end.