The Warrior is pleased to introduce the new Beyond Busch Light columnist, Law student Steve Heiderer. Feel free to e-mail him comments, suggestions and praise. Enjoy!Winter has arrived in Milwaukee. The signs are unmistakable. The temperatures are dropping and the snow is falling. The winter seasonal beers are also on store shelves and in bar taps around the city. Even if you do not like the cold weather, the seasonal beers are an excellent reason to celebrate winter.

When many people think of seasonal beers, they think of summer seasonals and Oktoberfests. That’s certainly understandable. There are many excellent beers produced during those periods.

Unfortunately, the lesser known winter seasonals are often forgotten or ignored. That’s a shame because many breweries produce their finest beers during the winter. I will be reviewing three of these beers: Samuel Adams Winter Lager, Flying Dog K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale and Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale.

Samuel Adams Winter Lager is one of the winter seasonals produced by the Boston-based brewery. The aroma is fairly malty and has hints of caramel and spices. The flavor of this dark beer is rich and warming, coating your mouth and lingering. You can definitely taste the roasted malts. While the flavor is fairly rich, the body is not. The Winter Lager is not a heavy beer and is highly drinkable. Many bars have a Samuel Adams seasonal tap, so you might even be able to try this beer without buying an entire six pack.

Flying Dog, a Denver brewery known for its interesting bottle labels, produces the K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale from November to March. This dark amber beer will have a thick head if poured properly. The K-9 Cruiser smells sweet and malty. Like the Samuel Adams Winter Lager, the flavors of the malts dominate the K-9 Cruiser. This strong ale is 6.4 percent alcohol by volume. The excellent balance of the sweetness from the malts and the dry finish, however, make the 6.4 percent ABV easy to handle. While you enjoy this beer, you can also admire the Ralph Steadman artwork on the bottle.

English brewery Samuel Smith, famous for its oatmeal stout beer, celebrates the cold months of the year with its Winter Welcome Ale. This beer pours golden and clear. The aroma is a blend of sweet, roasted grains and spices. The caramel flavor of the malts is balanced nicely by the slightly bitter flavor of the hops.

The Winter Welcome Ale is not as malty as the Samuel Adams or the Flying Dog beers and probably more accessible for casual drinkers. Also, this winter seasonal, like all Samuel Smith beers, is vegan. The Winter Welcome Ale might be a little harder to find in stores, but your efforts will be worth it.

You have no reason to keep drinking the same old beers when breweries are producing these excellent winter seasonals. Give them a try. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Popularity: 12% [?]

And I was truly convinced that MU was going to start conference play 0-4. Mu is now hoping to instead move to .500 after a win last game vs Uconn. Mu was able to dominate the paint and score a lot of layups, so it looks like Tom Crean found himself a plan.

WV comes into the game ranked 21 in both polls, MU fell out of the polls with losses to Provo, a team off to their best conference start in recent history, and Cuse. WV played a rather fluff non-conference season, with wins including Cansius, Duquesne, and the Citadel. WV is coming off a loss at Notre Dame. In the conference games WV has won, they’ve had leads as big as 28 vs St. Johns, 23 vs Nova, and 19 vs Uconn. MU and WV have nearly identical pregame jump suits, just something worth mentioning. As is the fact that WV has a player that looks a lot like Brian Collar, he’s wearing Larry Bird-esque shorts that are….rather high.

MU is going to have to contain The Mountaineers’ Frank Young today. He looks like he is the focal point of the offence, very much like Steve Novak was last year. Young hit a school record 8 three pointers against Nova on January 3rd. He scored 25 points in that game so he really has no inside game, very one dimensional. As a team The Mountaineers have made 10 or more 3 pointers 11 times this season, last year WV hit 20 3’s against us. WV is coached by John Beilein, 82nd all time amongst the winningest coaches, 537 wins. Beilein is the only coach who has recorded 20 wins at every level of the college game, JuCo, NAIA, D2 and D1.

Maurice Acker got rid of the corn rows, and basically all of his hair, another oddity worth pointing out. I guess the key of this game for MU is on defense, containing the 3 ball. On offense it has to be continuing the in the paint success they had last game.

For all of you who need to hear the game too. ESPN will be covering this game, former MU coach Rick Majerus announcing. Anyone willing to make an early drinking game out of this. Take a drink every time Majerus says “Warriors”

In Big East news player of the week was Herbert Hill the Provo center who averaged 21.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.7 blocks in a 3-0 week for Provo. They are tied for 1st in conference with Pitt. MU is tied for 9th.

Big East Freshmen of the week is Eugene Harvey, Seton Hall guard who averaged 18.5 points, 2.5 assists and 2 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field in a 1-1 week.

Starting Lineups:

WV

Darris Nichols #14 G, Radford VA(this will be the 2nd home game where MU is playing a Nichols)

Joe Alexander, #11 F, Mt. Alry, MD

Frank Young, #21 F, tallahasse Fla

Alex Ruoff, #22, F, Spring Hills Fla

Rob Summers #33, C columbus Ohio

MU starters

Dominic James #1 G, Richmond Ind

Jerel McNeal, #22 G, Chicago Ill

Wes Matthews #23 G, Madison WI

Lazar Hayward #32, F Buffalo NY

Ousemane Barro #41 C, Dakar, Senegal

tip off to WV

Young misses his 1st 3

MU can’t get the inside lay

Alexander for 2 19:05

Jerel fouled on Summer

james with the crafty move to get 2. Off the back of an opposing player

Alexander throws the ball away

Kick…MU retains the ball 18:04

James clears to Wes on the inbound

Chants seem lounder than ever

Alley-oop works again. Alley oop is a french term meaning to Go up. Since it’s french it probably has a OUXZ in there

Nicholes for 3

McNeal with the lay in

Young misses his 2nd open look at 3

MU with a OUSEMANE layin

MU 8 – WV 5

James with the steal

Jerel gets an offensive foul…the crowd cheered like it was an and 1

Clear foul as ouse but its called as a block…there is a reason why there is a facebook group about this dickhead

Jerel can’t get the homecourt roll …ob stays with MU

James lets hayward know that turnover will his fault…

Alexander with the layin under the hoop

Jerel turnover

Young hits a wide open 3

Hayward draws the foul as he goes for a tip on Ouse’s shot

Hayward gets one, Ouse grabs the rebound on the 2nd, OB stays with mu 14:20 remains

The crowd cheers as higgins made the right call, Jerel will get 3

Jerel gets all of em…thats why hes our #1 free throw shooter

Higgens waits to call the jump ball, Alexander not called for raping Matthews

Jerel turnover

All refs miss that travel

Matthews draws block he’ll go to the line

MU 12 WV 10 13:11 to go

Wes makes both

Wes to Dom for the alley oop and the crowd is on their feat

Ref calls clipping on Fitz

Brian Collar look alike checks into the game… his name is Jamie Smalligan, who is called for 5 seconds MU ball

McNeal gets blocked, the OB stays with MU, Burke and Cubillan check in

Fitz can’t draw foul on 3, dom steals it back

Cubillan 3 puts MU up by 9

Burke called for the block 11:26, time out on AL

Both teams shooting 50% fg’s MU 6-7 on free throws, MU has 4 turnovers WV 6 and Mu is outrebounding WV 9-2

Higgens calls a foul on Cubillan, Ruoff shooting 3

Makes all 3

Small section of WV fans wearin orange

Cubillan’s pass intercepted

3 point rims out for WV

Young for an open 3

WV foul on Butler

WV triple teaming mup players

Young misses an inside basket

MU foul on Burke 2nd personal 5th team

WV on a 6-0 run.

WV misses wide ipen 3

Jerel gets hard basket, no foul

MU deflection WV ball 8:28 to go

Fitz takes the foul

MU 21 – WV 16 8:05 remains

#3 at the line

Makes his two, time out on AL, 7:47

Kick, MU ball

Jerel loses it on the way up, he’ll be called for fighting for posession

MU holding a 3 point shooting team to 3-8

Fan’s chant rogain for Jamie Smalligan

Dom lays it in easy MU 23, WV 20

Young misses 3

Deflection, MU ball

Cubillan for 3

MU up 6

Steps violation MU ball

Higgens calls a Kick MU ball

MU can’t hold onto the ball

James with the steal, WV foul 5:21 remains

James misses his shot

Traveling violation, MU Ball

Wes pushed on the dribble, wv foul

He’s got a chance at a bonus

Ouse grabs the rebound, but falls so it’s a travel

matthews steal on the trap

MU can’t capitalize

Burke grabs the MU rebound, he gets poked in the eye….WV foul

Misses shot. James’ attempt at a tip goes OB

Burke grabs the lose ball

James fouled as he goes up

Time out on the court with 3:55 remaining

James gets 2

Makes his first

WV foul on Summers, pushed Burke

Burke makes his first

Smalligan for Summers

Burke makes 2nd

James called on foul, 8th team

WV 9-9 from the line

Fitz fouls young, who makes both

MU up 29-24 3:25 remains

James for 3 from matthews

Smalligan on the inside

Lott cant make the lay in

Mazzulla on a tip

Jump ball when Matthews was the only one with posession. Rape still not called on WV

O foul on WV on Mazzulla

James can’t make the 3

Burke gets the AND 1, crowd really into the game

1:31 remains Burke makes shot, MU up 35-28

James for 3

WV 3 misses, Dom helped up by Tommy after he dives for ball

Burke drives hard to the inside, he’ll get 2

Burke makes first

and 2nd MU up 10 with 25 seconds to go

Shot clock is off….

WV misses another 3 to end the first half, MU will go into the break up 10

MU honoring 90 years of Basketball during the half. Oldest living player graduated in 1933, first paid assistant coach. Players for all generations in attedance as well as coaches

Young steals the inbound but cant make the free dunk

Hayward for 3

Ouse dives for the ball will drive the lane and dunk

MU 45 WV 30

In and out for Alexander

James cant get the tough shot to fall

Jerel on the rebound but he can’t hold it

Nichols misses

WV playing very sloppy

Alexander cant lay it in but Smalligan gets tips

Kick, stays with mu 17:43 remains

MU up 13

Ouse can’t go up, blocked, WV ball

Summers gets two

Ousemane from Mcneal downlow

Another missed 3 for WV

Matthews for 2

WV Really needs a time out

ESPN just saved WV

MU up 49-34 with just under 16 to play

WV really hurting because they can’t ge the 3 ball to fall. 3-11 in the first half, 0-2 in the 2nd. they are shooting 8-21 from inside the arch

James’ pass cant get to Jerel, just weren’t on the same page there

Ruoff grabs 2 points

Fitz’s 3 can’t land

Summers on the inside

Jerel hits a field goal

MU 51 WV 38 14:37 to play

2 for Nichols

Ouse gets an offensive foul.

Burke in for Ouse

Fitz goes under the basket for 2

MU holds the 13 point lead

Matthews steals and is fouled on the lay in

Matthews misses his first

makes 2nd

MU foul on Matthews 1st personal 1st team

Mu goes 6:25 without fouling

Cubillan in for Matthews

Butler grabs his 2

Burke loses the ball

Jerel needs help getting up…looks like a knee problem. MU time out

WV steal inbound

everyone wants a carry, it’ll end up being a foul on McNeal

Matthews in for McNeal

Out of bounds, MU ball as james wrestles for it

james blocked, 3 pointer for young

Crowd getting behind MU

Fire up Marquette Fire up

MU starting to run clock, but james gives it up

He’ll be called for the foul

Matt Hegar to shoot the half court shot

3 pointer for half a semester

He misses, but it was cool

Alexander blocked on his way up

Fitz bumped around but he’ll be ok

WV forced to call a time out 11:31 remains

MU outrebounding WV by 11

Ouse fouled as he goes to the hoop

he’ll get two

Makes 1st

misses 2nd, WV ball

MU foul on matthews 2nd personal 4th team

Air-ball from Alexander

Fitz blocked on 3 but he’ll get his own rebound, to matthews for a buzzer beater lay in

Ouse grabs a rebound

Cubillan for another 3. David is 3-3

Ousemane on the foul

Steal McNeal drives, gets the hoop the harm and the foul

Misses shot

next posession, Matthews with the lay in

MU up 19

Time out afer the McNeal foul 7:46 remains, this game might be allowed to be called over

Mu shooting 50% from field goals, WV 37%. WV still 100% on foul shots. MU has one less turnover at 15 and outrebounding WV 34-20

Mazzulla makes his foul shot

MU 64 WV 48

Matthews fouled as he passes to Cubillan Summers’ 4th team’s 5th

Smalligan in for Summers

Bird in the Arena

just heard 17 baby eagle jokes

Ousemane from Dom

MU up 18

Alexander off the glass for 2

WV foul on Nichols 2nd personal 6th team

Matthews grabs 2

Arena wants a jump ball but Wes called for a foul

Smalligan hears rogaine chants at the line

He goes 1-1

Alexander misses the open look

Dom gets the finger roll

MU 70 WV 51

5:12 to go

Time out WV

Higgens ignores Wes’s call for a time out, 5 second violation

Ruoff gets to shoot two, no foul really, refs just feel sad

Makes both

Dom knocks down a rainbow 3

Cubillan with the steal and lay in

Fitz called for a phantom foul, even though Alexander went french soccer player on his ass

Alexander Becomes only the 2nd player of WV to miss a foul shot

Higgens calls a jumpball, dumbass

Mu can’t grab the rebound

Alexander grabs 2

Dom Grabs the hoop harm and foul, time out 2:58 remains

MU 77 WV 58

James makes his shot

2 points for WV

Mu shooting 65% from the field this game, WV just 37

Ouse can’t slam it down, but MU grabs their 37(+) rebound and they hold it

Ouse travels, as cubillan passes an easy lay in

Kinsella comes in

it’s about time for tommy

and Craig

Blackledge and Craig to check on

Cubillan hits his 4th of 4 3pointers

Standing O as the walk ons come in and the stars come off

Lott, Kinsella, Blackledge Craig and tommy in

Tommy called for a blocking foul

MU up 20, 81-61

MU will win 81-63 defeating its 2nd ranked opponent in two games

Post Game

MU saw for players in double figures, Dom Jerel Wes and David. Cubillan had a perfect night 4-4 on three pointers. Jerel lead the team with 9 rebounds and 7 assists. As a team, Mu was 29-55 from fieldgoal land, 8-14 from beyond the arch and 15-23 from the line

WV had two players in double figures lead by Young. the team shot 19-49 from the field, 5-22 from 3 land and 20-23 from the line.

Jerel: If we were able to get stops we’d get out in transition. We were able to do a great job defensivly, and took them out of their zone. Turning point in the game was when they switched from Zone to Man. we got them out of their comfort level, doing a great job getting open looks. They take a lot of long range shots and coach told us we needed to get a lot of rebounds. Our team is a defensive minded team, thats what gives this team energy. we spent a lot more time in the gym, guys are committed, we’ve been in the gym working hard. Me dom and wes took it upon ourselves to get David more looks

WV coach: Reality set in today, MU is a great basketball team. their 3 point shooting and foul shooting was very uncharacteristic of their team. We lost 4 of 5 starters from at tournament season. They guarded us well, they are good, thats what took away our three. We had 5 turnovers last year and they were a darn good team last year. Timing is extremly important. We are a different zone than provo and cuse, we do what we do. We forced 17 turnovers. Cubillan just makes a huge difference. it’s like having Novak out there. The team is just a year older than last year and they aren’t afraid of the big east. We have some rythem players that couldn’t get into it. I thought the last two minutes of the first half was just a tough stretch for us. We are a very young inexperienced team, and we have to find a way to embrace and grow from the challenges.

Dominic: We really didnt want to give them a chance to set up their zone. They do a great job in the 1-3-1. Coach really wanted us to get the ball to David. they more that we give him, the more lanes will open up. he’s doing a great job hitting spots. We had great preperation, stay aggressive, drive and kick game. A lot of rebounds were guard rebounds, because they shoot a lot of 3s. I was just staying confident and staying with my shot. those two games we lost are going to be right there with us as a constant reminder. Good thing to have Momentum going in to Monday against Louisville. We’re not going to worry about the rankings we can’t control them, we have to get wins. Louisville is a hostile environment and we have to bring our A-game.

Coach Crean: Our crowd was beyond spectacular, they helped us create gain and keep momentum. It was no easy task to play infront of all the old players. The two keys for us were ball movement, 19 assists is good for that and to limit their three point shooting, holding them to 5 makes was very good. We played against a very good and diciplined game. It’s been a week where we’ve gotten a lot better in. Our biggest thing was we couldn’t get worked up if it was zone man or trap defense. Our execution was really good, but our enegry and ability to keep running is what it seperated it for us. They made 20 3s last year, and we can’t defend them like we did last year. Any time there are a lot of 3s shot there are a lot of long rebounds. this is a team that we can’t allow to have 2nd shots. They understand now that we can’t struggle on the inside. We have to keep rebounding. One our biggest keys offensively is getting David and Dan more shots. He needs to see his roll as a shooter. And teams knowing that he can shoot the ball will free things up for others. I think we haven’t really changed much outside of individual game adjustments. We need to make sure we are covering a lot of things, you can’t let the taste of losing infiltrate your senses. I’ve been thought to work through each loss. We can’t get away from a real strong work ethic. Now its a real short turn around to get ready for a real tough team. Nobody wants to lose at home, the fans have so much to do with that. Lazar is doing a heck of job, and to have to cover an inside man, then a guard, the backdoors are a combo of good ball pressure. We are going to one of the most challenging places to play.

Popularity: 10% [?]

It’s time for the first home Big East Game for MU tonight as they take on the Syracuse Orangemen. It will be a battle of two coaching heavyweights in Jim Boeheim and of course Tom Crean. Both teams are coming off losses in their big east opener. Cuse losing to the 10th ranked Pittsburg and MU suffering a surprise defeat to Providence Friars. Cuse started the year off strong ranked 20th in the Nation, and getting as high as 15/14 before dropping back to back games vs Wichita State and Oklahoma State. Cuse completely fell out of the rankings after losing to Drexel. The team is (11-4, 0-1) on the season. Continue Reading

Popularity: 11% [?]

The USA Today reports today that the NFL has returned money Darrent Williams paid in a fine back to his family. The fine ($15,000) was for arguing with officials in a game in week 11. Williams was killed in a drive-by shooting after an altercation in a nightclub which he reportedly was not involved in. The fine money had probably been long forgotten, but the NFL did the right thing in realizing that the family now needs the money more than them.

Popularity: 11% [?]