Author: paulryburn

Pizza with Santa returns to Aldo’s Pizza Pies Saturday, December 18 from 4:30 to 7:30 PM. They’ll have their full food and drink menu for adults and cookies, crafts, and photos with Santa for the kids. They ask that if you come, you bring an unwrapped toy for the Boys & GIrls Club of Greater Memphis.

A public memorial for Young Dolph is being scheduled for FedExForum Thursday, December 16.

Here’s a recap of the WWE Monday Night RAW show broadcast from FedExForum last night.

Mayor Strickland wants improvements to Mud Island including upgraded docks and a Ferris wheel.

Joe Austin & The Tallahatchies play the Blind Bear Thursday, December 16. Joe used to play the Bear with the Mud Flap Kings. Sounds like some outstanding Thursday entertainment!

Eight & Sand, the bar in the Central Station Hotel, has your choice of Wings and Whiskey or Wings and Wiseacre every Wednesday night for $20.

The Grizzlies handed the Miami Heat a 105-90 loss last night. The win keeps them in 4th place in the Western Conference with a record of 14-10 and a 5-game winning streak.

The folks at Lubbock, Texas radio station KKAM think Memphis sucks. The Liberty Bowl is Texas Tech’s postseason destination. Lance Ballance from the station called Memphis “a touristy shithole” and discussed whether it was appropriate to wear Kevlar while in town.

Happy 5th birthday to Perjorie T. Roll!

We stayed out late and waited for the clock to strike midnight so we could celebrate her birthday last night.

That’s it for today. It’s cold outside so I’m probably going to stay home all day and write. See you tomorrow.

Look for me on national TV today! Tune into the USA Network 7-10 tonight for WWE Monday Night RAW. A friend bought the tickets, and I’m told we’ll be in one of the upper rows of the lower bowl section, near a corner.

RIP Bob Dole, a throwback to the era when politicians conducted themselves with class and dignity. Dole was Gerald Ford’s vice-presidential running mate in 1976 and the Republican nominee for president in 1996. He was a powerful voice in the Senate for many years.

Got a question for St. Jude Marathon runners and race runners in general. When you sign up for the race, you have to tell them what age category you’re in. They usually go by fives, like 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, and so on. Do they make you verify your age with ID, or is it on the honor system? The reason I ask is I was browsing the results of Saturday’s races and noticed someone misclassified in the wrong age category. Of course, it could be a clerical error, but in this particular instance, I suspect lying.

Why would a person lie about their age in a race?

• If they classify themselves as older than they actually are, it could be to get a higher ranking than their true age category
• If they classify themselves as younger than they actually are, it’s possibly because they know that some person of significance, who they lied to about their age, will be checking the results

The college football bowl games have been announced. Here are games of interest to folks in the Mid-South:

• Jan. 4: Kansas State vs. LSU in the Texas Bowl
• Jan. 1: 15 Iowa vs. 22 Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl
• Jan. 1: 21 Arkansas vs. Penn State in the Outback Bowl
• Jan. 1: 8 Ole Miss vs. 7 Baylor in the Sugar Bowl
• Dec. 31: 1 Alabama vs. 4 Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl (CFP semifinal)
• Dec. 31: 2 Michigan vs. 3 Georgia in the Orange Bowl (CFP semifinal)
• Dec. 31: 17 Wake Forest vs. 25 Texas A&M in the Gator Bowl
• Dec. 30: Purdue vs. Tennessee in the Music City Bowl
• Dec. 28: Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl
• Dec.28: 20 Houston vs. Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl
• Dec. 24: Hawaii vs. Memphis in the Hawai’i Bowl
• Dec. 23: Florida vs. UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl

We all have that one friend who always has to be on a patio, whether it’s 101 degrees outside or 21 degrees. Those people will want to take a look at Holly’s list of heated patios in Memphis to stay warm this winter. I’ll add two Downtown locations not on the list: Silly Goose and Blind Bear. I don’t spend a lot of time on patios, but I’m at those places enough to know that they both have outdoor heaters.

Interesting article: How we became weekly. If you think about it, the day, month, and year are all based on astronomical cycles, but the week is totally artificial. When did humanity first adopt it, and why has it been a particularly strong unit of organizing our time for the past 200 years?

I came across a great question to ask when you’re in a job interview and it’s your turn to ask questions: What was your company’s 2020 pandemic response? In particular, find out if the company required employees to keep their webcams on during work hours, or required them to install company spyware on their computers and/or phones that tracked their activities during work hours.

The Grizzlies hit the road for a game at Miami tonight at 6:30.

That’s it for today. Back tomorrow.

Ten years ago, the company I worked for got a new CEO. He called an “all hands” meeting in the break room. He told us the story of his days on the rowing team in college.

“If you have a team full of merely good rowers, but they’re acting in unison, they know their role and do it well, they pitch in and help each other live up to their potential… that team is going to beat a team of all-stars, each doing their own thing, every time.”

That explains precisely why the Memphis Tigers have lost their last 3 games to inferior teams.

The most glaring problem I see is that the Tigers have a scoring machine in the paint in Jalen Duren, yet his teammates managed to get him only 3 attempts at the basket vs. Ole Miss.

The Daily Memphian reports that there’s a schism in the locker room. Penny complained in his post-game interview that the veterans are unwilling to help the younger players. That’s a shame.

You know, I can understand Tigers players not respecting Josh Pastner, not implementing his systems. His gee-whillikers cheeriness was unrelatable to kids from the streets.

I can understand Tigers players not respecting Tubby, not implementing his systems. He was an old poot who was satisfied with mediocrity.

But here we have an NBA legend, surrounded by other NBA legends on the coaching staff, and players apparently don’t respect him? I’d be all like, “Yes, Coach,” and “I’ll do it your way, Coach.” My mindset would be, “This guy’s been where I want to go, so he knows more than I do, and I better be grateful for every second I get to listen to him and learn from him, every second I get to implement what he teaches and get his very valuable feedback.”

One of the basic laws of the universe is that when you help others become better, you become better yourself. It’s a shame the veterans don’t understand that.

Okay. I’ll end the rant there. But I sure am tired of being disappointed by top recruiting classes.

The College Football Playoff selection show is at 11 AM on ESPN. Alabama beating Georgia shakes things up. It will almost certainly put both schools in the playoff, moving Ole Miss up to the Sugar Bowl and all the other SEC schools up a notch in the bowl order.

DGX has a sign on their door saying they will be closed until all streets are cleared from marathon traffic. I went down there about 8:40 this morning (Sunday, December 5) and for some reason they were still closed.

The Grizzlies beat the Dallas Mavericks last night, 97-90. That improves them to 13-10 and sole possession of 4th in the Western Conference.

There was a shooting in the 300 block of Poplar yesterday.

Just got a photo from a Facebook friend showing the WWE production trucks rolling into Downtown. Monday Night RAW will be broadcast from FedExForum tomorrow evening. Some of the wrestlers like to hang out at Jerry Lawler’s club on Beale so today or tomorrow would be good days to go there.

There’s a slight chance of severe weather early Monday morning:

Busy upcoming 24 hours! Fog this morning and 60°. Scattered showers and breezy this afternoon. High 71°.

Lull this evening, then rain & storms in the wee hours of Monday with a potential for a few pre-dawn strong wind storms. Secure Christmas decor today. 40s tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/aJImaiH1T1

— MemphisWeather.net (@memphisweather1) December 5, 2021

It’s being reported that Three 6 Mafia will play 2022 Music Fest at the Memphis Fairgrounds. Early-bird three-day passes are on sale now for $145.

The Children’s Ballet Theater will perform The Nutcracker at the Cannon Center today at 2 PM. Tickets are $25-$65.

Loflin Yard and Streetdog Foundation present Sippin’ with Santa Paws this afternoon. Your $25 donation to the dog rescue gets you a photo with Santa Paws and your pet or your kids. You also get a limited-edition pint glass and a wristband for $3 drinks noon to 4. Drink choices include draft beer, select wines, well drinks, and slushies. There will be a silent auction and a raffle, and adoptable dogs will be onsite.

There’s a local artists’ Christmas sale happening today at 138 G.E. Patterson.

That’s the news for today. Back tomorrow.

It’s 5:32 AM as I type this and Weatherbug reports a temp of 65 outside. Race runners can’t be sure what kind of weather they’re going to get on the day of the event within a 45-degree range. It could just as easily be 20 with ice on the streets.

Runners looking for a post-race place to go: I’ve been told the Silly Goose will open at 9 this morning. They’ll have a special marathon menu with wood-fired pizzas and pasta until 3 PM.

The Brass Door will also open early this morning for runners.

Bredrock Eats & Sweets is offering 20% off for runners today and tomorrow. Just bring your bib.

Crooks broke into 17 cars at Carolina Lofts this week.

Children’s development nonprofit Porter-Leath is hiring for a number of positions. Learn more here. Lots of teaching positions open, as well as related positions like teaching assistant, coach, custodian, school accountant.

The Grizzlies play on the road at Dallas tonight at 7 PM.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, I’m disappointed to report that plans have fallen through for a Sweet Magnolia Gelato Co. location in that neighborhood. It will instead open in Crosstown Concourse.

Don’t forget that tonight is the Stumbling Santa Pub Crawl. Dress up as Santa and bring an unwrapped toy to the Flying Saucer at 7. Hundreds of Santas will stumble around Downtown.

If you don’t feel like dressing up as Santa, you can dress up as a flapper or gangster for the Blind Bear’s Repeal Day party. Celebrate the end of Prohibition with the Mario Monterosso Band. Photographer Jamie Harmon will take photos and “mug shots” 9-11.

Standup comedian John Crist brings his Fresh Cuts Comedy Tour to the Orpheum tonight.

Tigers on national TV alert: Memphis vs. Ole Miss at 11 AM on ESPN2 today.

All right. This post has time-sensitive information, so I’m going to cut it short. Back tomorrow with more.

The big news today is the historic whooping the Grizzlies put on the Oklahoma City Thunder at FedExForum last night. At 152-79, it was the largest margin of victory in NBA history. With a 12-10 record, the Grizzlies move into sole possession of 5th place in the Western Conference.

Daryl and Ashley of Walking Pants Curiosities made a huge announcement yesterday. They’ve long wondered how to drown out all the negative coverage of Memphis in the media, and spread the word about all there is to love in our city.  They had the idea of doing a fixer-upper-type TV show, but rather than improving homes, they wanted to improve storefronts in Downtown Memphis. They would get them ready for people working out of a garage, or a living room, a building that’s not up to their standards, or wherever, who’d always dreamed of having a Downtown Memphis location.

This summer they met a local producer and it all came together. The show will be called Dreamers’ Revival and they are accepting applications for businesses to work with for their 2022 season. Cheers to Daryl and Ashley for taking a mighty step to spread the positive word about our neighborhood and our city!

Looking for gift ideas? Check out the DMC’s Downtown Memphis holiday gift guide.

Burger King will celebrate its birthday with 37 cent Whoppers today and tomorrow.

Trolleys will start running at noon tomorrow due to the St. Jude Marathon and there will be numerous MATA bus detours and service changes.

River Garden Park will host the first of 3 Fire Pit Fridays today from 4:30 to 6:30 PM. I’m not sure how necessary the fire pits will be given today’s predicted high of 73, but you can cook s’mores on them. There will be a holiday tree, festive lighting, and seasonal tunes.

Memphis’ opponent in the Hawai’i Bowl has been revealed, and it’s the obvious one: The University of Hawai’i.

The Sheraton is looking to hire a Director of Banquets.

Today is Bartender Appreciation Day.

Grind City Brewing Co. hosts a marathon after-party tomorrow beginning at noon. Anyone with a finisher medallion gets their first beer on the house. There will be a cornhole tournament at 2 and live music by Elevation Memphis 6-9.

That’s it for this post. Back tomorrow.

A common sight on St. Jude Marathon Saturday morning is a large group of runners and their supporters gathered outside Bardog Tavern, counting down the minutes until 11 for the bar to open so they can grab some post-race brunch and a drink.

It’s a sight you won’t see this year… for a very good reason.

The fine folks at Bardog have decided to open at 8 this year. That’ll give supporters a place to hang out while their runners are far away, and runners who finish early won’t have to wait around. The race practically passes Bardog by as the intersection of Front and Monroe is on the route.

McEwen’s is nearing its reopening and they are hiring for all positions. They’re looking for people with previous experience in high-volume or upscale dining. Open availability preferred. If interested, email them your resume with contact information and availability.

FOH inquiries: julie@mcewensonmonroe.com; hmeskovi@gmail.com

BOH inquiries: mcewensonmonroe@bellsouth.net

Three-day passes for 2022 Memphis in May Beale Street Music Fest (although it won’t be anywhere near Beale Street in 2022) go on sale tomorrow at 10 AM. Get them at the early bird price of $145. Get tickets here

The Memphis Flyer has an article on Tim Quinn, who in 2021 doubled down on Downtown, purchasing Downtown Local and Memphis Clover Club. Quinn was a server for many years before he got the chance to buy the two restaurants.

Here’s a list of entertainment at Memphis Clover Club this month:

• Tonight: Laramie Acoustic Duo, 7 PM
• Friday 12/3: Black Cream, 8 PM
• Sat 12/4: Brad Birkedahl Band, 8 PM
• Thur 12/9: Brad Birkedahl Acoustic, 7 PM
• Sat 12/11: John Nemeth and the Blie Dreamers, 8 PM
• Thur 12/16: Jack Rowell Acoustic Duo, 7 PM
• Fri 12/17: Jonathan Ellison and The Rhythm & Soul Band, 8 PM
• Sat 12/18: Will Tucker, 8 PM
• Thur 12/23: Charvey Mac, 7 PM
• Thur 12/30: Brad Birkedahl Solo Acoustic, 7 PM
• Fri 12/31: Ashton Riker, 9 PM

If you come out to Soul & Spirits Brewery (845 N. Main) to catch the New Wing Order food truck, you can order the December special they just put on the menu, Chipotle Lime. These wings combine the sweet heat of chipotle with the fresh zest of lime. The truck will be at Soul & Spirits from 4:30-7:30 today.

Former Memphis Grizzly Zach Randolph will be the grand marshal of the Downtown holiday parade on Saturday, December 11. Following the parade, Randolph will have his number 50 jersey retired at that night’s Grizzlies home game. The Grizzlies have released a schedule of festivities for Z-bo’s jersey retirement week.

Speaking of Grizzlies home games, the Grizzlies host the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at 7:00.

Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement with its players expired at 11:59 Wednesday, so its players are officially locked out. It’s the first MLB lockout in 31 years.

Saturday is National Cookie Day, and Insomnia Cookies plans to go big with its celebration. They will offer a warm chocolate chunk cookie filled on the inside with Insomnia Cookies’ chocolate cookie butter.

Gingerbread houses are for suburbanites. Gingerbread dive bars are for us Downtowners.

Drew & Ellie Holcomb bring their Neighborly Christmas Tour to the Orpheum Friday night, and it will be a special occasion indeed: They’re getting their star on the Orpheum’s sidewalk.

Ghislaine Maxwell sex trial: A woman who was allegedly “groomed” by Maxwell for sexcapades with Jeffrey Epstein and friends testified she was introduced to the Trumpster when she was only 14.

Last night’s Memphis Tigers game was just terrible to watch. No coach since John Calipari has been able to make the Tigers execute as a team unit. If they play all season like they played last night, they’ll be lucky to get a 4 seed in the NIT.

Here’s a list of the food trucks that will be in Court Square today at lunchtime.

Comeback Coffee will host a release party for the full-length debut album of Kelsey Taylor tonight 6:30-10:30. Chase Campbell and Alexis Jade will open. Tickets are pay-what-you-can.

There will be a Winter Wonderland pop-up at 10 N. Second this Sunday. Lemons & Love Lemonade, the host of the event, will operate a lemonade stand with proceeds raised being used to feed the homeless. There will be plenty of vendors as well.

That’s it for today’s post. Back tomorrow with more.

Turn on the SEC Network at 6:15 this evening to catch the Memphis Tigers playing Georgia on the road. Fortunately for the Tigers, the basketball Bulldogs are not as good as their football counterparts, having dropped games to Cincinnati, Northwestern, Virginia, Georgia Tech, and Wofford. Penny said the team will have more structure and less room for freelancing than they did in their 19-point loss to Iowa State last week. Good. Those kids need structure.

JJJ had five blocks last night in a Memphis Grizzlies road victory at Toronto. That win improves their record to 11-10 and they move up to 5th place in the Western Conference.

STIX is doing its annual 50% off gift card sale today.

Check out River Time Market and Deli’s new menu and plan your breakfasts and lunches for next week – just don’t plan them for this week, because they’re closed until Monday, December 6.

Longshot has a new happy hour. From 5 to 7 you get $5 off starters, $2 off draft beer and wine, and they have Lil’ Steamboats (ground beef patty with house-made dill pickle, mustard, steamed Worcestershire onion served on a Hawaiian roll). Check out their menu for a list of starters… looks like I need to give Longshot another shot sometime soon!

Blind Bear has announced its Christmas party on Saturday, December 18. The festivities will include a Dirty Santa gift exchange, the Michael Brothers playing live, and gift card prizes for the funniest hat and ugliest sweater.

There’s a new, huge sign hanging on the window of 8 S. Main saying that daiquiri bar Fat Tuesday is now hiring for all positions.

So they really are coming to the building next door to where I live. I have very mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, I’m delighted to have a place where I can grab a quick daiquiri just steps outside my door.

On the other hand, though, in 2022 we’ll go from a situation where Felicia Suzanne’s was the only restaurant on my block to one in which a daiquiri bar – a bar that would fit perfectly on Beale Street except there’s already one there – is the only restaurant on my block. I wonder what their plan is for the hours they keep and security. I also wonder if any of my neighbors will oppose Fat Tuesday’s liquor permit for this location.

It’s December 1, and that means it’s time to take a look at upcoming non-basketball events at FedExForum. This month there are only two. They are

• Friday, December 3: Chris Stapleton brings his All-American Road Show to Memphis with openers The Marcus King Band and Yola.
• Monday, December 6: WWE Monday Night RAW will be broadcast live from FedExForum. The broadcast is 7-10 PM but the show starts at 6:30 with a couple of matches taped for WWE’s syndicated shows.

Traffic in the area will likely be very heavy Friday night because of the Chris Stapelton concert and because of out-of-town runners arriving, checking into hotels, and visiting local restaurants offering carb-up specials. Plan accordingly if you need to drive Downtown Friday night.

Wondering what to expect at Monday Night RAW? Here’s a link to the Monday, November 29 episode recap. I’m praying next Monday will be the week Dominik Mysterio turns heel and attacks his father, but it looks like they’re going for a slow burn on that one. I’m also excited to see Seth Rollins in person – I love a slimy, smarmy heel (on a wrestling show – not in real life, and believe me, I know a few).

It’s a shame I won’t be able to acknowledge my Tribal Chief, though.

WREG and Fox 13 have articles about St. Jude’s preparation for marathon-related traffic this weekend.

Insider tip for runners: Most years there’s an old man who hands out Miller Lite to runners as they pass him on Front Street. So if you enjoy drinking pisswater beer while running 26.2, by all means, look for him.

Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking trial: Yesterday Jeffrey Epstein’s pilot testified that he flew well-known dignitaries, including Prince Andrew and former presidents Bill Clinton and the Trumpster.

Choose901 recently interviewed Jane Oliver, the librarian at Downtown’s Grizzlies Prep school.

Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is a huge fan of the Memphis Music store on Beale Street. The store stays open late for him when the Raptors come to town.

Edge District news: 433 Madison, formerly home to Pritchard Plumbing, is under renovation. It was built in 1903. Historical elements will be retained and the long-term plan is to lease it to a commercial tenant.

Good Morning America has a 50% off deal on The Rendezvous’ Memphis BBQ Holiday Feast. It comes with 3 slabs of ribs, 2 tubs of pork shoulder, 2 pints of BBQ baked beans, 1 bag of Dinstuhl’s Cashew Crunch, 2 bottles of mild BBQ sauce, one bottle of seasoning, and one bottle of Tigertail sweet mustard. Easy reheating instructions are included.

Visible Splendor happens tonight at Visible Music School, 200 Madison. Enjoy the splendor of Christmas with both traditional tunes and original holiday tunes written by the school’s students. 6 PM start, but seating is limited, so get there early. Hot chocolate and coffee provided. Family-friendly.

WALRUS performs at The Paramount, 265 S. Front, this Saturday 9:30-midnight. Enjoy a night of classic alternative hits.

The Metal Museum will host a Holiday Open House this Sunday. Free admission to the museum and light refreshments. There are four make-your-own workshops that day for which you can register in advance.

TV quack Dr. Oz is running for a Pennsylvania U.S. Senate seat. His 3-day cleanse is about the most ridiculous thing ever. I’d say, “Surely no one will take this fool seriously,” and then I remember we elected Trump president.

Well, that was a long post. Glad it’s finally done. Back tomorrow with more.

The Memphis Tigers got their bowl bid yesterday. They will play in the Hawai’i Bowl on Christmas Eve. Memphis’ opponent has not been announced yet, but will be from the Mountain West Conference. Nevada and Wyoming are possibilities.

For those of you who are fans of the New Wing Order food truck, you’ll have a rare opportunity to catch it Downtown this week. The truck will be at Soul & Spirits, the new brewery at the far north end of North Main, Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze comes to the Orpheum tomorrow night. It combines Broadway, circus artistry, and the holiday season. Tickets are $29-$99.50.

The Center for Southern Folklore wants everyone to know they are still open – they just no longer have a storefront opening directly on Main. They’re in the main lobby of Pembroke Square, behind the Belz Museum.

The Blind Bear turns 10 years old on Thursday, December 23, and they’re throwing a party. Charles will host blackjack where you can win “bear bucks” which can then be used at an auction to purchase prizes. Albert King Jr.’s Final Touch Band will play 8 to midnight. Jamie Harmon will be taking photos and “mug shots,” and the Amurica photo booth will be on the patio. Got plans to go out of town for Christmas? Better move your departure date to the 24th, because you won’t want to miss this.

Ghislane Maxwell’s trial started yesterday. She’s allegedly the one who recruited underage girls for billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and his buddies which could include two presidents and a prince.

Catherine & Mary’s is hiring a bartender.

Got to get out of here, so that’s it for now, back tomorrow.

Bottled PBRs have a playing card rank and suit on the underside of the cap. Perjorie T. Roll hit trip 10s at BarWare yesterday.

Got a number of shopping deals to share with you this morning. Let’s get started…

Bardog now has hoodies in stock with their O.G. logo. You can get one for $45. A friend who bought one told me they run slightly small, so you might want to size up.

River City Records will give you $1 off if you post a photo to Facebook or Instagram of your purchase and check in or tag them.

You can get 20% off all purchases on Walking Pants Curiosities’ website through the end of today. No special code is needed; just check out. The discount also applies if you shop in-store today.

Use code PINKPIG10 to get a $10 discount when you shop online for Pink Pig polos.

Lansky Bros. has free shipping today only on purchases of $50 or more from its online store. Use coupon code FREESHIP50 to get the deal. Not valid on overnight or two-day purchases.

Desmond Bane’s workload is increasing while Ja Morant is out for a few weeks with a knee sprain. The Grizzlies beat the Sacramento Kings 128-101 yesterday. That puts them in a tie for 7th-9th place in the West with Portland and Minnesota.

Updated CBS Sports bowl projections have the Memphis Tigers traveling to Boston to play in the Fenway Bowl on December 29. They’ll effectively be the road team if that happens, because the projected opponent is Boston College.

Texas Tech and Auburn are now projected to come to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl. That’s about a “meh” game as one could ask for. Both of those schools travel well, though, so Downtown businesses will make lots of money.

From StyleBlueprint: Meet the Memphis duo behind Primas Bakery and Boutique

It’s National Chocolates Day. Good day to visit the Dinstuhl’s shop next door to the Majestic Grille.

The Blind Bear will have its annual Repeal Day party Saturday beginning at 8 PM. December 5, 1933 was the day Prohibition was officially repealed and Americans could legally sell and consume alcohol again.

The St. Jude Marathon is this Saturday. Best advice is to not even attempt to drive Downtown between 6 AM and noon that morning. If you have to, note that runners will be on Front, Second, and Danny Thomas Blvd. from A.W. Willis far into the southern part of Downtown (course maps). Here’s the trick: Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe all have overpasses at Danny Thomas. So you can get into Downtown using those streets without crossing paths with the runners. You can search the Downtown parking map to find a lot or garage. Some things to keep in mind:

• If you come into Downtown on the streets mentioned above, you want to turn before you hit Second or you’ll intersect the runners
• B.B. King is one-way north
• The city charges for metered parking on Saturday now, and you can only put so much money in a meter – so spots on the street are not good choices if you plan to park all day

If I had to come into Downtown from the east, I would take Madison or Jefferson west to B.B. King Blvd., then find a surface lot or garage on B.B. King. I have never parked on any of those, so I don’t have recommendations. Make sure to wear your walking shoes because you’ll have a minimum of several blocks to get to restaurants and entertainment.

If I had to come into South Main from the east, I’d do it on Crump, turn north on B.B. King Blvd. and find someplace south of G.E. Patterson to park.

If I lived on Mud Island and had to come Downtown, I’d take Mud Island Dr. north to Second St., turn south on Second, east on Chelsea, south on Manassas, and then use Jefferson or Madison as described above to get into Downtown. If you follow these directions, you will want to keep your car doors locked, as this routes you through some not-so-nice parts of town.

If I had to get to Mud Island during the race, I’d do the reverse: North on Manassas to Chelsea, west on Chelsea until it ends at Second, north on Second to Mud Island Drive.

And yes, all of this is a little inconvenient, but it’s only one day a year and it raises millions to ensure that families will never receive a bill for their children’s cancer treatments.

What will the weather be like for the marathon? The MemphisWeather.net forecast says to expect above-normal temperatures, with a low around 50 and a high around 60. 30% chance of a shower. That sure sounds a lot better than the years when it’s 27 and icy outside.

I had a great time at a wedding reception at BarWare yesterday. It was my first time there and I really enjoyed the place. I need another bar to add to my potential hangouts, especially on certain nights of the week. BarWare may fill that spot.

That’s it for today. Back tomorrow with more news.

The Memphis Tigers beat the Tulane Green Wave to improve to 6-6 and become bowl-eligible. The latest projection I have seen has the Tigers facing Wyoming in the Hawai’i Bowl on Christmas Eve.

What a wild Iron Bowl that was! Alabama looked like a dead duck for most of the game and needed help from the NCAA’s new overtime rules to survive Auburn 24-22 in 4OT.

So here’s what we have for conference championship games of interest to those in the Mid-South (all games Saturday, December 4 unless otherwise noted):

• Pac-12 championship: Oregon vs. Utah in Las Vegas, 7:00 PM Friday, December 3, ABC
• Big 12 championship: Baylor vs. Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas, 11:00 AM, ABC
• SEC championship: Georgia vs. Alabama in Atlanta, 3:00 PM, CBS
• American championship: Houston at Cincinnati, 3:00 PM, ABC
• Big Ten championship: Michigan vs. Iowa in Indianapolis, 7:00 PM, FOX
• ACC championship: Pittsburgh vs. Wake Forest in Charlotte, 7:00 PM, ABC

Implications for College Football Playoff:

• Georgia is almost certainly in, win or lose.
• Michigan and Cincinnati are likely in with a win
• Alabama is likely in with a win too, but let’s face it, it’s not gonna happen
• Oklahoma State will need a win and some help to get in
• Notre Dame is an independent and therefore does not play a conference championship game. It will need considerable help (like two of Michigan, Cincinnati, and Alabama losing) to get in

Wow… a college football playoff without Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oregon, or Oklahoma. I like it. Time for some fresh faces in the CFP.

Looks like Memphis is in for some very nice weather this week, with temperatures warming into the 60s by Tuesday. Lows in the 50s are expected Thursday and Friday morning with highs those days reaching into the 70s.

Fox 13 has a look at holiday festivities that happened yesterday: The Downtown Christmas tree lighting and Grizz Shop Local.

Fox 13 also has a look at a Day of Service that recently happened at Hospitality Hub, an organization that connects the homeless with needed services.

The Better Business Bureau has info on how to avoid scams. The holiday season is peak time for scammers. If you have any older people in your life, especially share this list with them. My mom got taken by several scams in the final years of her life.

Championship Wrestling from Memphis has its television taping this afternoon from 2:00 to 4:45, and the taping will feature Swoggle Claus! That’s right, the artist formerly known as Hornswoggle will be there. (Hey, isn’t he Mr. McMahon’s son?) The location is 3296 Winbrook Drive and tickets are $10-$30. The VIP experience includes photos with Swoggle Claus.

Grassfire Bluegrass Band performs today at noon at Loflin Yard.

It’s back… the 17th annual Stumbling Santa pub crawl departs from the Flying Saucer Saturday, December 4. Come dressed as Santa (or Mrs. Claus, an elf, a reindeer, a Christmas tree, you get the idea) and bring an unwrapped toy so a child can have a merry Christmas. The Santas will gather at 7 PM.

Feelin’ Groovy Fest returns to the Ghost River taproom at 341 Beale today, featuring live music by Jeffrey and the Pacemakers, The Bugaloos, and Pam & Terry.

Teachers get 20% off at both Ghost River taprooms through the end of November.

I am very excited about today, because a lot of the different circles of friends I have run in the past 15 or so years will come together this afternoon for a celebration. So many of my favorite people together in one place. Back tomorrow with more news, or possibly Tuesday if tomorrow is a slow news day.