Tigers on national TV alert: Memphis plays the 18th-ranked Tennessee Vols in a neutral-court game in Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. This is a chance for Memphis to get a second win against an SEC and Top 25 team this week. The game will be broadcast at 11 AM on ESPN2.
Sad to hear of the death of Shawn Cripps, singer and guitarist of local band The Limes, this week. I knew him in the early ’00s through his ex-wife. I agree with the assessment of those interviewed by the CA that his body of work will be studied and his genius more widely recognized in the years to come.
Longshot, the shuffleboard bar in the basement of the Arrive Hotel, is offering an all-inclusive deal for New Year’s Eve. Tickets are $100 and get you
- An open bar from 8:00 PM-12:30 AM
- A buffet of Chef Todd’s favorite dishes
- Two live DJs
- A champagne toast at midnight
This is a 21 and up event. Get tickets here. Given the location outside the Downtown core and the cover charge (and the fact that it’s not a stop on a NYE pub crawl), Longshot’s party should be much less Amateur Night/Douchebag Night than a lot of parties at Downtown bars. This one I can recommend.
Rizzo’s will be closed for a couple of days due to staff with COVID. They report that the cases are mild, nothing serious. When they reopen, there may be a smaller menu in play for a few days.
Arbors of Harbor Town is hiring a leasing consultant.
Blind Bear is hiring a dishwasher and cook. They are willing to train.
Several months ago, Taco Bell removed Mexican pizza from their menu. They have now realized their mistake (one of the dumbest since classic Coke was discontinued in 1985) and Mexican pizza will return in 2022.
Memphis Made Brewing Co. is producing a series of beers called The Before Times. These beers will celebrate the things we used to do without a second thought before the pandemic. They will be high-gravity beers in 750 ml bottles, sold only in the Memphis Made taproom. Leading off the series will be Lick Everything, an American strong ale brewed with blackberries.
Long story but worth a read: How Deion Sanders turned Jackson State into the best story in college football. This story kind of makes me want to attend the 2022 Southern Heritage Classic so I can see Coach Prime do his thing in person.
The Grizzlies’ game against Sacramento almost didn’t happen last night, as the Kings had many players in COVID/safety protocols. The game did happen, though, and the Grizzlies won, 124-105. Here’s what that means for the standings:
- The Grizzlies (19-11) hold 4th place in the Western Conference
- They’re now only 2 games back of catching the Utah Jazz (20-8) for 3rd place
- They’re 2½ games ahead of the 5th-place L.A. Clippers (16-13)
- They’re avoiding play-in scenarios by 3½ games, ahead of the 7th-place Denver Nuggets by that amount
The Grizz get today off before a home back-to-back Sunday and Monday.
Tonight is the Blind Bear’s Christmas party. The tree is up and the bar is decked out with holiday decorations. Here’s what will happen starting at 8 PM:
- Dirty Santa gift exchange – Bring a wrapped present, draw a number, and when it’s your turn you can unwrap a present or steal one that was previously unwrapped
- Live music by the Michael Brothers
- Blind Bear gift card prizes for funniest hat and ugliest sweater
Today is National Wear a Plunger on Your Head Day. Someone needs to do that at the Blind Bear Christmas party. Yes, I know there’s nothing Christmassy about a plunger, but still.
All right, people, listen up. I AM NOT DOING SHOTS TODAY. I have events to attend in the morning, afternoon, and evening. I will not make all of them if I have a full day of Jameson and house cinnamon whiskey and Rumple. In particular, I’ve got to make it into the evening or I’ll end up with my own Dirty Santa gift. So don’t even THINK about buying me a shot, at least until I’ve given my gift away and picked out one of my own.
I may take tomorrow off, given that I have a backlog of about 30 professional writing topics I want to get started on. Back Monday if not tomorrow.