Column: Beware Of Malört? The Allure Of Scary Tastes, And A New Book On The Revered And Reviled Spirit

The St. Thomas Aquinas girls volleyball team captured the FHSAA Class 6A state championship for the second consecutive year as the Raiders won in dramatic fashion in a thriller against Gulf Breeze in five sets (25-23, 21-25, 25-17, 21-25, 16-14) at Polk State College in Winter Haven on Saturday. St. Thomas Aquinas won its eighth state title in school history. The Raiders won the state championship in four sets against Viera last year. The Raiders were locked in an 8-8 tie in the fifth set before scoring two points to jump ahead 10-8.

Two days after Billy Napier received a vote of confidence to remain Florida’s coach, his team suffered the worst beating of his tenure. The Gators’ 49-17 loss at No. 5 Texas was not entirely unexpected. UF athletic director Scott Stricklin publicly backed his embattled coach — once again — before his vastly undermanned team entered a difficult closing stretch that could further amplify calls to replace the Gators’ third-year coach.

MIAMI GARDENS — The South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Miami Dolphins writers are picking out a pair of prop bets each week in the 2024 season. Dolphins columnist Chris Perkins and Dolphins reporter David Furones, neither of whom condone gambling, will make predictions on player or team props they believe will occur for every Dolphins matchup. Each writer will offer their “Best Bet,” a near 50-50 proposition they believe will occur, and a “Longshot,” which has to be given betting odds of at least +300, or 3-to-1 probability. Odds are according to the Hard Rock Bet app.

ATLANTA — The Hurricanes have played with fire all season, falling behind teams and launching comebacks to pull out wins. On Saturday, that caught up to them. Georgia Tech got out to a two-touchdown lead, and No. 4 Miami (9-1, 5-1 ACC) could not complete a comeback attempt: UM dropped its first game of the season 28-23 at Bobby Dodd Field in Atlanta. “This loss needs to hurt everybody really badly, all of us, in our gut,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.

MIAMI GARDENS — When Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. play against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night at SoFi Stadium, they face the team they won a Super Bowl with at the site that championship was won. Emotions are sure to be with the two teammates who were reunited across the country this year when they square off against their former team as the Dolphins (2-6) are eager to keep playoff hopes alive midway through the season. “It’s going to be a great moment,” Ramsey said of running out onto the SoFi Stadium field through the tunnel.

Culinary Director Pino Trafficante of the Sistrunk Marketplace & Brewery. Fort Lauderdale’s 4-year-old food hall has reshuffled its food and drink vendors. New additions, announced this week, include a pair of former Flagler Village brick-and-mortars — Chops & Hops Axe Lodge and Mama Hanks Craft Bar — as well as D’smash Burgers, Myx Up Jamaican Kitchen, Vabbe Pizza, Italian Cuzzy's Corner, Maca Mochi and Loco Ocho Tacos & Tequila.