Got an insider tip for you if you’re in the mood for some yummy food today. Last night I got word from the Blind Bear’s kitchen that chicken salad will be today’s special.
Later last night I shared the news with fellow Bear regular Butt Slut #1, but she told me, “Oh, I already know. I saw a picture of the chicken salad. It looks awesome.”
The Bear opens at 3 this afternoon with Cinnamon slinging happy hour specials – $3 domestics, $5 wells, $5 house wines – until 7 PM. After that, they’ll be open until 3 AM and will have the chicken salad special until they run out. I’m sure they’ll have the NBA draft on at 7. At 7:30 they have their weekly Texas Hold’em poker tournament, which is free to play.
Speaking of poker… I’ve discovered a new poker game online, Badugi. It’s 4-card draw, with betting after the initial deal and each of three rounds of draws. You try to make a Badugi, which is one card from each suit. If multiple players make Badugis, the lowest hand wins. So A♦-2♠-3♥-4♣ is as good a hand as it gets.
Since it’s a game that is not well-known, most people don’t know how to play properly and chase after bad hands. I played only my second Badugi tournament yesterday and cashed (although it was play money), finishing 17th out of 159 by playing tight and being aggressive with the hands I did play.
Back to the NBA draft… as I said, it starts at 7 PM. The first round will be on both ABC and ESPN. The second round will be on ESPN and the ESPN app.
Ahead of the draft, the Grizzlies are reported to have traded backup point guard Tyus Jones, the 25th pick tonight, and a 2024 1st-rounder in a 3-team deal involving the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards. The Grizzlies will receive Marcus Smart, a 6’4″ combo guard.
Smart will keep the team in contention while Ja Morant is out suspended for 25 games, but the trade doesn’t address the Grizzlies’ starting small forward need. There may be another trade to come.
Smart is 29 and has 9 seasons of NBA experience, so we’re getting him right in his prime. My question is, though, what happens when Morant’s suspension runs out? Can’t start Smart over Ja at the 1. Can’t start Smart over Des at the 2. Smart’s salary of $17,207,141 is a huge amount to pay a backup guard and even more than Tyus Jones was making.
Could it be that the front office agrees with analyst Kendrick Perkins that Ja needs a change of scenery (particularly, to get away from his friend Davonte Pack) and plans to deal him at the trade deadline?
Today is National Onion Rings Day. The Majestic Grille and Huey’s would be my top recommendations for places to celebrate.
I remember when a neighborhood restaurant had ghost onion rings on its POS system. Pat yourself on the back if you know what I’m talking about…
The Memphis Flyer has photos from the recent Loving Local fundraiser at The Ravine.
Memphis 901 FC got a nice 4-0 win over Tulsa at home last night, earning 3 points in the USL East standings.
A man is accused of stalking and exposing himself in Downtown’s South End District, near the intersection of Florida St. and Carolina Ave.
The NCAA announced that Penny Hardaway will be suspended for the first 3 games of the 2023-24 regular season. The NCAA claims that Penny failed to maintain control over an unnamed assistant coach, no longer with the University of Memphis, who committed recruiting violations during the 2021-22 season. Larry Brown?
The three games missed will be
- Nov. 6 vs. Jackson State
- Nov. 10 at Missouri
- Nov. 17 vs. Alabama State
Join us this Friday for a Community & Resource Fair hosted by Guaranty Bank! Learn about all of the banking resources and employment opportunities offered at the Uptown Branch. The DMC & @MMDC901 will also be sharing opportunities!#downtownmemphis pic.twitter.com/CvcLCXTafn
— Downtown Memphis (@DowntownMemphis) June 20, 2023
Useful info from Fox 13: What attracts and repels mosquitoes
HOTWORX is having a summer social in The Edge District today from 3 to 7 PM.
The Secret Smash Society food truck will sell burgers at Grind City Brewing Co. Sunday starting at 2 PM. Live music by Devil Train.
There’s a Badugi tournament coming up at 7:49 AM, so I’m gonna hop in. Back tomorrow with more news.