Expect heavy traffic around FedExForum between 10:30 and noon today as people arrive for Youth Villages’ fundraiser Soup Sunday. Thousands of people will show up to sample soups, gumbos, baked goods, and desserts from the city’s best restaurants.
Soup Sunday is not the only fundraiser Downtown today though… it’s also Throw Me a Bone at the Green Beetle from 1 to 4 this afternoon. This event benefits Alive Rescue, which offers assistance to dog owners who need help caring for their pets, but aren’t ready to give them up. $6 admission includes your first beer.
Sign on the door of Bluefin:
Okay. My issue this this is not about whether they can or can’t take gift cards. It’s the egregious grammatical error in the first sentence. Now, if this sign were on the front door of Golden Asian Dragon Palace II at Shelby Drive and Elvis Presley Boulevard, that would be okay. It would probably even be a sign that good authentic Chinese food is served there. However, Bluefin is a swanky sushi lounge in the most cosmopolitan area of the city. You mean to tell me they don’t have ONE employee who is a native speaker of English, and the creator of the sign could not have asked for a minute of that person’s time to confirm that the grammar was right? Lack of attention to detail. Bad first impression.
If Josh Pastner is fighting to keep his job, he didn’t do himself any favors by losing to a team that had won a quarter of its games yesterday. The Tigers lost to the USF Bulls (7-21). Es no bueno. Not only does the University of Memphis face the issue of not receiving $800,000 from the Grizzlies due to poor attendance… not only does the university face having to pay Pastner $10+ million to buy him out… not only does the university face having to spend an additional million or two for a new head coach while still paying Josh… but sports writer and radio host Gary Parrish pointed out an additional problem. Assistant coach Keelon Lawson may be the most sought-after assistant in the country right now. If he leaves Memphis, his kids K.J. and Dedric will likely follow him, and younger brother Chandler probably will too when he reaches college age. Losing Dedric especially would be a huge blow to the basketball program.
Speculation is already out there about who will replace Pastner if it happens. Let me just say this: If the university hires Bruce Pearl away from Auburn, I will have to seriously evaluate whether I want to continue being a Tiger basketball fan.
I have also heard Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson’s name mentioned. A protege of the great Nolan Richardson, I think Anderson would be an excellent fit for Memphis, someone who would know how to motivate and develop players in a way Pastner does not.
Anfernee Hardaway has also been mentioned. I’d promote Damon Stoudamire to head coach before I’d make an offer to Penny. Either way you’re getting someone who had a great career in the NBA. Stoudamire could likely be had for a lower price, and he has coaching experience in both college ball and the NBA.
My apologies for not announcing that Max’s Sports Bar opened at 10 yesterday for the Tiger game… I just didn’t know until the game was nearly over. I will have to keep a better watch on Saturday game schedules. I went down to Max’s mid-afternoon and Maggie had an Arkansas “Never Yield” shirt on. Very happy to see bartenders with good taste in teams.
The NBA has posted a video of my absolute favorite thing about attending Grizzlies home games – The Grizzlies Grannies and Grandpas. This 50-and-over dance squad performs during game breaks and they’ve got moves like Jagger. They never fail to put a smile on my face.
This is going to be somewhat of an unusual Sunday. Normally I park myself at Blind Bear for most of the day on Sundays for D-RANKS with B-RAD. However, I found out around 6 last night that I will be starting my day with a BBQ team board meeting at Silly Goose. I also want to go by Bardog and see new bartender Suzy, who is filling in while Bloom is on maternity leave. Also, the Green Beetle’s event seems worth a brief trip south. The dog rescue sounds like a worthy cause I wouldn’t mind dropping six bucks on.
So, this could be like the summer and fall of 2014 when B-RAD worked Saturdays. There would be days when I would lead off at Bardog and then do Silly Goose and the Saucer next, not getting to Brad’s bar for D-RANKS until 4:30 or 5, confounding people who came up there earlier in the day, hoping I would be there so they and I could talk. No telling when I will get to Brad’s bar today, although I will be there at some point in the afternoon.
Left over carne asada nachos from Maciel’s are calling my name, so I better get on those. Just the fuel I need for a long Sunday Fun Day.