"Lebron" news and stories

A weekly look at the draft selection in beer-friendly bars across the country.

If all goes well for the Cleveland Cavaliers, sweeping their way through the NBA Playoffs, they'll only have four more games in the Rock-'n'-Roll Capital this season, giving both local and out-of-town fans a chance to drop into one of 14 outposts of the Winking Lizard Tavern.

Sports fans and the craft-craving crowd don't always see eye to eye. "This is the Midwest," partner John Lane says, "Unlike cities like Portland and Seattle where you can't find a yellow beer, [some people here] just want to quaff a big one."

But Lane realizes the importance of having a great craft selection too, with Stone Levitation Ale sidling right up alongside Bud Light. Mass-market brews are the biggest sellers, but Lane strives to get special selections on tap at all Lizard lounges with recent events from craft brewers like Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada. So though Lane jokes that he "wishes the Cavs would lose one or two to extend the season," (careful, buddy) patrons know great suds will be on tap all year long.

Find yesterday's complete draft list from the Winking Lizard Tavern's Gateway District location after the jump.

While watching the Pistons play the Cavs this weekend, I couldn't help but see (sadly, several times!) the commercial for KFC's attempt to get in on the bowl trend (about two years too late, mind you) with the Cheesy Chicken Mashed Potato Bowl. Apparently, this thing is mashed potatoes, then gravy, then corn, then fried chicken pieces, then grated cheddar cheese.

Some have deemed it the "Cardiac Arrest Bowl."

Various forums, meanwhile, are abuzz with questions like "do cheese and gravy mix?"

For me, it's never simply a question of "is it tasty?" For me, it's a question of "is it tasteful?"

I can't help but wonder what other products are awaiting us in the coming years:

• The Thanksgiving Dinner Bowl: base of yams, then cranberry paste, then turkey, then gravy, then pumpkin pie, and finally a dollop of Cool Whip
• The 21st Birthday Bowl: base of 6 french fries, then Irish Car Bomb, then 6 watermelon shooters, and finally gyro sandwich
• The Bachelor Bowl: base of microwave pizza, then leftover Chinese take-out, then salsa, finally finished by whatever's still in the "Crisper" drawer

[Image Courier-Journal]