Wednesday update

Half the country is freaking out about the coronavirus, and I’ll have plenty to say about COVID-19 later in this post, but there’s plenty of non-virus related good news, so let’s do that first.

Members of the Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team were honored yesterday:

Precious Achiuwa was the only unanimous pick to the all=American Conference team… and remember, he wasn’t a pre-season pick for the all-AAC first team or even the second. He went out and earned his accolade.

Speaking of earning accolades:

Congratulations to the Peabody!

Memphians have a big reason to come out and support the Big3 tournament when it comes to Memphis June 20: Former Grizzly Zach Randolph has joined Trilogy as its new team captain. Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball tournament founded by Ice Cube, coming up on its fourth season. The game is played half-court, with a 14-second shot clock. First to 50, leading by two or more, wins. It’ll be exciting to see Z-bo back on the FedExForum hardwood.

A made-for-Netflix film produced in Memphis last year is coming out later this month:

The Grizzlies 5K, with the start and finish lines on the FedExForum Plaza, will happen the morning of Saturday, April 4. Race packages are $45 and include a ticket to either the game vs. Dallas April 3 or vs. Oklahoma City April 11. (PRO TIP: Take the Dallas ticket and get there early. First 5000 that night get a Brandon Clarke mini-hoop set.) There’s also a shorter one-mile Fun Run with race packages starting at $35. Group packages are available; contact the box office for more information.

Saturday is National Pi Day, 3/14. To celebrate, the Silly Goose is offering half-off the price of its wood-fired pizzas noon to 5 that day. Pre- or post-game the 2 PM Beale Street parade with a pizza! My favorite is the spicy Cajun Louisiana Saturday Night, but they’re all good.

Local pro fisherman Lawson Tilghman will be at Bass Pro at the Pyramid this weekend, leading seminars as part of their Spring Fishing Classic. Seminars include

  • Saturday, March 14, 11 AM: Boat Setup for Efficiency: Benefits of new trolling motor technology, electronics, set, and efficient storage tips for tackle.

  • Saturday, March 14, 2 PM: Fishing Rods – How to Pick the Right One: Understanding power and action of the rod and the application.
  • Sunday, March 15, 1 PM: Technique and Setup from A to Z, from Cranking to Finesse: Building the right rig, correct line, and the right reel and rod.

Free COB LED Light to the first 25 seminar attendees who are 18 or older. Bass Pro will also have a rod & reel trade-in this weekend.

There’s a free comedy show in the basement of Local Gastropub tonight at 8.

Coachella is postponed to October due to coronavirus concerns. When that was announced yesterday afternoon, people began speculating if other festivals would be canceled or postponed as well – particularly Music Fest, Memphis’ biggest festival of the year. Memphis in May announced yesterday that they plan to go on as scheduled with Music Fest and other programming. To me that sounds like the right move, based on what we know at this time, with only one coronavirus case in Shelby County. Besides, it isn’t a decision they need to make right now, the festival still 7 weeks out.

The Grizzlies, along with all NBA teams, are making adjustments to prevent the coronavirus from affecting their team. There are no plans to play games in empty arenas, but they are restricting access to their locker rooms. Players are also asked to refrain from high-fiving or shaking hands with fans, or giving autographs. I bet the players hate that, but at the same time they understand it is for the good of the organization.

The Memphis Flyer discusses precautionary steps to prevent coronavirus being taken at organizations around town: Shelby County Schools, the zoo, colleges and universities, St. Jude, the airport, MATA.

I will say there’s an event, and it’s not in Memphis, that I am keeping an eye on to gauge whether it’s reasonable to postpone or cancel spring gatherings of people like the Memphis in May events, Beale Street Wine Race, and Rajun Cajun Crawfish Fest. It’s an event that happens later this month at a location in the continental U.S., it’s an event that by its very nature would involve multiple people handling the same objects, and it’s an event that attracts mainly older people. Coronavirus is most deadly in those over 60. Currently the event’s organizers are taking a lot of precautions but the event is planned to proceed on schedule. I am monitoring their website and a message board frequented by attendees of the event daily.

All right. Time to get this day started. Back tomorrow with more news.