Category: Uncategorized

Dreamers’ Revival, the new TV show that is the brainchild of Ashley and Daryl of Walking Pants Curiosities, now has merchandise available for sale. Just go to the Dreamers’ Revival website and scroll down the home page a bit. They have T-shirts, hoodies, beanies, and hats you can wear proudly to show your support for the project. 100% of the profit from these items will be used to build out 13 Dreamers storefronts in Downtown Memphis.

According to Nextdoor, there were shots fired at Madison and Fourth around 2:30 this morning.

Here’s a link to James Aycock’s COVID Week-in-Review he posted Saturday. Shelby County’s case rate and positivity rate have both doubled since their November lows, but both statistics are both way below where they were a year ago today. James believes it’s essential that we get school-aged kids vacc’d or we’re going to see a surge following winter break.

Robusto by Havana Mix will have its holiday party featuring Alec Bradley Cigars Saturday night from 5 to 10.

Interesting read from Slate: Johnny Cash is a hero to Americans on the left and right, but his music took a side

The Grizzlies host the Philadelphia 76ers tonight at 7 at FedExForum.

From Action News 5: Why it’s called “Mud Island”

Today is Ice Cream Day. Margie’s 901 in Pembroke Square is the place to go for all the flavors and toppings.

A new study out of Israel shows that a booster of the Pfizer vaccine is effective in fighting off the Omicron variant but that merely being “fully vaccinated” (two doses more than six months ago without a booster) is not.

I’m getting my booster at 11:30 and after that I’ll be out. Back tomorrow with more news.

Shelby County Health Department Director Dr. Michelle Taylor announced in a press release Saturday that two cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 have been identified in Shelby County. Citing preliminary data that indicates a booster shot is effective in protecting against omicron, she recommended that all eligible individuals get a booster.

I just got on Walgreens’ website and booked my booster vaccination appointment at the 2 N. Main location tomorrow morning. There are plenty of other appointments, at all times of the day, available. Join me, won’t you?

Tornadoes early Saturday morning were radar-indicated only and not spotted on the ground in Downtown Memphis – but there is evidence that a tornado may have torn through the southern part of the Downtown core.

This is the traffic signal that sat right in the middle of Main Street at the intersection of Gayoso. As you can see, it was blown straight backward.

A block farther south, a window was blown out on the 9th floor of the Peabody Place office tower. People had been sitting on the patio of the Silly Goose cocktail lounge at the time (in a severe storm – clearly the descendants of Albert Einstein) when large shards of glass tore through the awning. The bartender showed me a piece and the glass looked nearly half an inch thick. Workers were outside with the sidewalk blocked off, trying to formulate a plan to knock out the rest of the window so it could be replaced.

The Grizzlies celebrated Z-bo Night with a 113-106 win over Houston. Memphis continues to hold a 1-game lead over the L.A. Clippers for 5th place in the Western Conference with a 16-11 record.

As the season progresses, the question will be, “How much of a lead do the Grizzlies hold over the 7th-place team in the West?”, because the top 6 teams in the conference will avoid play-in scenarios. Currently, the Grizz hold a 2½-game lead over 7th-place Denver.

AutoZone opened a new Store Support Center at 104 S. Front last week, combining two historic buildings across Front from its main Store Support Center. The new location will seat 300 and was furnished with COVID precautions in mind.

Flashing crosswalk lights are needed at the crosswalks across Island Drive on Mud Island. A friend of mine stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk yesterday and got rear-ended. Imagine if my friend’s car hadn’t been there – the pedestrian very possibly could have been run over. Pedestrians in crosswalks always have the right of way.

The Houston Rockets’ plane was forced to circle Memphis for an hour early Saturday morning due to tornado sirens going off on the ground and turbulence in the air. The plane finally landed around 1 AM.

Today is National Ding-A-Ling Day.

Memphis has been ranked as the #1 most dangerous city in the country. The rankings are based on violent crimes per 100,000 people, the 1-year change in the violent crime rate, the homicide rate per 100,000, and the poverty rate. Pine Bluff came in at #4 and the Little Rock metro was #10.

Lucky Fox Selfie Museum is now open in the basement of 409 S. Main.

Looking at the MemphisWeather.net forecast and guess what… temps will be normal today, then warm into the 60s Monday and Tuesday and the 70s Wednesday and Thursday… chance of thunderstorms Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Does it feel like we’ve seen this show before? Extended outlook for December 19-25 shows temperatures much warmer than normal, so we may be in for one of these years when the air conditioner’s running on Christmas.

That’s it for today. Going to stay home and write all day most likely. I’m planning on Tuesday being a sick day following my booster shot, and if it’s not, that’s a bonus. Back tomorrow with more news.

The Memphis Tigers suffered a 74-72 loss to Murray State, which came into the game as a double-digit underdog, last night. That’s four in a row, and this one would qualify as a “bad loss” in the eyes of the NCAA tournament committee. Bruce V has some advice for Coach Penny that I agree with.

I’m not a coach, but if I were I’d play my five best players until they got tired, then sub in a few for a while, then put the five best guys back in.

— Bruce VanWyngarden (@sylamore1) December 11, 2021

How many more times can the Tigers lose and still have even a chance of making the tournament? Seven? Eight? The next two games are against 9 Alabama (Tuesday) and 13 Tennessee (Saturday), so those are probably two of those seven or eight, right there.

In a move we all saw coming, the NBA fined Dillon Brooks $25,000 for “aggressively coming at an official” and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection from Thursday night’s game.

Former Grizzly Zach Randolph is the grand marshal of today’s Memphis Holiday Parade on Beale Street from 3:00 to 4:30. After that, Z-bo’s number will be retired at the Grizzlies’ home game vs. Houston tonight. Tip-off for that game is 7 PM.

A tornado warning was issued for Memphis in the 12:00 hour overnight as radar indicated a possible tornado over West Memphis. 60 MPH wind gusts and penny-sized hail were also indicated.

From Local 24: How Memphis’ Medical District is being transformed

You can learn push-pull swing for free this evening at the Fall Back Fall Dance Series at Fourth Bluff Park from 6:00-7:15. Get down to old-school music with instruction from the folks at Cat’s Ballroom.

Memphis Modern Market is back with a pop-up shop at Loflin Yard today 11-5 for your holiday shopping needs.

The only college football game on today is Army-Navy at 2 PM on CBS. Max’s Sports Bar would be my recommended place to watch that game.

Grind City Brewing Co. is hosting an Ugly Sweater Party today with prizes for the best pet, kid, individual, and couple. There will also be pictures with Santa, a water pong tournament, and a food truck. Live music by Elevation Memphis 6-9. Here’s the full schedule of events.

Art news: The opening reception for “Shim” by Joel Parsons and Melissa Dunn is today noon-3 PM at 55 S. Main.

There’s a Holiday Market Sip & Shop at 66 Union today 2-8 PM.

I had the coolest dream last night!

A hotel hired me to be its concierge. “We want you to be your blog, but in person,” they said. “We want you to excite our guests about all there is to do in Memphis, and point them in the right direction and give them lots of insider tips.”

My “office” was a hotel room that had been designated for the concierge. “Your hours are 1 to 9 PM Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays,” the HR person for the hotel told me.

“Wait, this is a full-time job, but I’m only expected to work 24 hours a week?” I asked.

“Yes,” the HR person said. “Guests will come to you when they want to talk Memphis. When you’re not helping guests, feel free to bring your laptop and surf the Internet, write your blog, write on Medium, whatever you want to do.”

Part of my compensation included my own suite, my own living space, in the hotel. I had full guest privileges, so I had maid service every day. Every morning, a continental breakfast of muffins and pastries was delivered to my room.

On my first day at work, the HR person stopped by to see how I was doing and share some additional information. “In August 2022, we’ll be sending you to our company convention in Tampa. You and your girlfriend will have a suite in our resort there.”

“That sounds awesome,” I replied. “I don’t have a girlfriend, though.”

“No problem,” the HR person smiled. “We’ll set you up with a girl in Tampa. When it gets closer to time, I’ll show you some photos and descriptions and you can pick whoever you like. I recommend Janet, though. She’s a blast to hang out with and a lot of fun in bed.”

“Hold on,” I said. “Are you telling me that the company is going to pay for a hooker for me for the entire week?”

“We prefer to think of them as companions,” replied the HR person. “But yes.”

Behold, I have seen the future of work.

That’s it for now. I plan to hit the Blind Bear and Silly Goose and then possibly the holiday parade. If I go to the parade I’ll probably hang out at the King’s Palace Tap Room but not drink there because their beer prices are high. Back tomorrow with more news.

A few minutes after 11 AM yesterday, I wandered over to the food truck rodeo in Court Square. I had my eye on a shawarma truck but it hadn’t opened its window yet. I surveyed the other trucks in the park, and a line on the Smokey Baby Eatery food truck’s menu caught my eye:

“Jumbo turkey leg $13”

I hadn’t had a turkey leg in a few years, and I’d been craving one. But then a thought crossed my mind.

“It doesn’t come with 2 sides like a lot of the other entrees. If I get it, I’ll be missing out on beans and fries.”

But then another thought crossed my mind:

“MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT”

I stepped up to the window and ordered a jumbo turkey leg. The lady asked if I wanted sauce. I said yes, and she ran my card. About 4 minutes later she bagged up the leg, which was wrapped in foil, and I carried it home. When I got there I made two strategic decisions:

1. I brought the entire roll of paper towels over to my writing desk. I knew from prior experience with turkey legs that they are not one-paper-towel jobs.
2. I went and changed into a T-shirt that I didn’t care if it got ruined by sauce.

Those precautions in place., I unwrapped the leg and got it onto a paper plate:

For reference, that’s one of the large 10-inch radius Dixie paper plates. You can’t tell because the photo got cut off, but the leg was almost too large to fit on the plate.

I quickly realized there was no chance in hell I’d be able to pick this thing up and eat it with my hands. I only had 6 additional rolls of paper towels in the apartment and that would not be enough. I retrieved a fork and knife from the kitchen and dug in.

The verdict? Smoky and meaty and delicious. The sauce added to the flavor. I was full after half the leg, so I wrapped it up in foil and had the other half for dinner.

The Daily Memphian has big news to report: After closing March 19, 2020 as restaurants shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic, McEwen’s on Monroe will reopen on December 20. They’ve added additional space, expanding into the building next door. The menu will still have classic McEwen’s favorites, but due to soaring inventory costs and supply chain issues, it will be pared down a bit.

The Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team hosts Murray State at FedExForum tonight. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Before and after the game, Tin Roof on Beale will have pre- and post-game specials for college students. Just show your student ID.

The Memphis Grizzlies Claw Crew will be out on street corners today and tomorrow giving out free tickets to tomorrow’s home game featuring Zach Randolph’s jersey retirement. Follow @memgrizz on Twitter to learn where to find the crew. During tomorrow’s game, there will be musical tributes to Z-bo by the Royal Studios All-Star Band, AL Kapone, DJ Paul, Young Buck, 8-Ball and MJG, and Moneybagg Yo. On hand for the retirement ceremony will be Lionel Hollins, Chris Wallace, Damon Stoudamire, and Bonzi Wells.

Holly Jolly Holiday Celebration returns to Beale Street this evening from 5-7. Get your kid’s photo with Santa, enjoy holiday music, and have some free hot chocolate.

South Main will have a Tacky Sweater Pub Crawl tonight. Participating venues will be Wiseacre Brewing Company, Rumba Room, The Green Beetle, Barware, Slider Inn, Max’s Sports Bar, South Main Sushi, Paramount, Earnestine & Hazels, Vault, Eight & Sand, Longshot, and Bar Hustle.

The Downtown Memphis Commission is looking to hire a Staff Accountant.

Felicia Suzanne Restaurant’s last day in Brinkley Plaza will be Saturday, December 18. They’ll reopen in the former Spindini space in 2022.

If you’re a paid South Main Association member, you’re invited to their annual holiday party Wednesday, December 15 from 6-9 PM at 409 S. Main.

Christmas’ most annoying and unnecessary character, The Elf on the Shelf, is now a musical. You can catch it Tuesday at the Cannon Center.

Communications consulting firm DCA has several positions open at their 11 W. Huling office: Graphic Designer, Digital Designer, Account Coordinator, and Social Media Coordinator.

Interesting link I found yesterday: Publishing company Scribe Media will e-mail you copies of books they publish every month. It’s free to sign up and there doesn’t seem to be a catch.

Today is National Lager Day if you’re looking for an excuse to drink some beer.

Fire Pit Friday with free S’mores and holiday lights and tunes returns to River Garden Park this evening.

Reminder to those attending the Memphis Holiday Parade on Beale Street Saturday – if you intend to buy a beer, ask how much it is before you order it. Some bars on Beale are known to put ridiculous upcharges in place (like, double-digit prices for a 32 oz. PBR) for special events.

From the Memphis Flyer: Supply chain issues will delay South Point Grocery’s opening to early 2022. COVID has caused delays getting needed supplies and equipment to the space. McEwen’s, by the way, had its reopening delayed for months for very similar reasons.

The Grizzlies got a 108-95 win over the L.A. Lakers last night at FedExForum. The Grizzlies remain in 4th place in the West with a 1-game lead over 5th-place L.A. Clippers.

Keep an eye on the weather tonight. Severe weather including wind gusts to 60+ MPH with the possibility of tornadoes is expected. MemphisWeather.net predicts a high of 76 degrees this afternoon, 22 degrees above normal.

That’s it for today. Going to write until noon and then get out. I found a new Medium-based publication called “Fuck Niches” and asked to write for them and was accepted. Seems like a good personality fit. Back tomorrow with more news.

Well, this has been a good morning. By 7:15 AM I had already come up with 3 professional articles I could write. That brings my idea list for this week to 14. My motivation is fully back after being gone for a while. Having bought a new MacBook as well as a course from the guy I consider THE top writer on Medium, I’m ready to roll.

Flying Saucer Nashville is closing. They made a post to Facebook this week saying that after 23 years, it was time to say goodbye. They invited Nashville Beerknurds to come by and pick up their plates which hung on the wall, denoting 200-beer trips around the Saucer’s Ring of Honor. People have texted me and asked if this could have implications for the Memphis Saucer; could the restaurant/beer garden chain be downsizing? I haven’t heard anything to that effect. I know they had a 20-year lease from 1997-2017 and went all-in on a new lease (whatever that means) five years ago. I’ll keep my ear to the ground. I haven’t been to the Saucer since 2018 so I’m a bit out of the loop on what goes on there.

The Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Robert Moody, music director, invite you to Magic of Memphis! this Saturday, December 11, with 2:30 and 7:30 performances. The concert is described as a “holiday collage concert celebrating Memphis’s rich and beautiful artistic community.”

This Saturday you’ll have a chance to shop for both Christmas presents and Christmas dinner. The Memphis Farmers Market will host a special Homegrown Holiday Market Saturday, December 11, from 9 AM to 1 PM. Artisans and food vendors will be onsite. This will be your last chance to shop the Market until April 2, 2022. The Market is at the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson behind the movie theater.

Dillon Brooks got ejected from last night’s Grizzlies-Dallas game and he can expect a fine after he criticized the game’s officials in his post-game media availability. The Grizzlies lost to the Mavs, 104-96. Grizzlies center Steven Adams also received a technical, and Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis got T’d up as well. The Grizzlies remain in 4th place in the West with a 14-11 record, a half-game ahead of the L.A. Clippers.

The Grizzlies are back on the home court tonight against the L.A. Lakers at 7 for GameDay presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners (I still don’t know what that means).

Oh, man, this does not look good:

The risk of severe weather on FRIDAY, mainly overnight, has increased to level 3. Plan ahead today for the possibility of severe storms with damaging wind and tornadoes when you are normally sleeping. You may also need to reconsider evening activities. More details later today. pic.twitter.com/m5guzfjzsN

— MemphisWeather.net (@memphisweather1) December 9, 2021

Hotel houskeeping staff are now being referred to as Tidiness Enthusiasts. My God.

Here’s a library of airline seatback safety cards through the years. (h/t Morning Brew)

Today is National Llama Day.

The Memphis Redbirds have been sold to a new ownership group, Diamond Baseball Holdings, a subsidiary of global sports entertainment company Endeavor. The ‘birds will continue as the St. Louis Cardinals’ affiliate and will continue to play games at AutoZone Park. USL soccer team Memphis 901 FC will also continue to play at AutoZone Park.

Here’s a list of trucks that will be at today’s food truck rodeo in Court Square 11 AM-2 PM. Also, ArtsMemphis will celebrate Arts Week at the event. Look for performances by Stax Music Academy Alumni Band, CazaTeatro Bilingual Theater Group, and Subroy Dance Studio.

My plan for today is to stay home and write, only venturing out at 11 for the food truck rodeo and an afternoon DGX run for groceries. I seriously feel like I have enough to do that I could not go out again until April. Back tomorrow with more news.

WREG reports that WalletHub ranked 180 cities on their “sinfulness” based on key indicators, and Memphis ranked 10th most sinful out of the 180. Memphis ranked especially high in Jealoisy (2nd) and Anger & Hate (10th).

A new event space called The Kent will open in the Snuff District. The venue will be able to accommodate crowds of up to 750 for everything from business meetings to banquets. The venue is named for the first two and last two letters of the streets that intersect nearby: (Ke)el and Fro(nt).

The Grizzlies host back-to-back games at FedExForum, playing Dallas tonight and the L.A. Lakers tomorrow night, both games at 7 PM. Hey, do any Grizzlies employees read this blog? Because I have a question. On this season’s promorional schedule, certain games (including tomorrow’s) are listed as “Game Day presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners.” What happens at those? Is there any kind of special benefit to fans, like a bonus if you sign up for a Pinnacle account that night? Or is it solely a vehicle to get a big sponsor’s name out there to the public?

Congratulations to Peabody Hotels & Resorts president Doug Browne, who has been named chairman of the Greater Memphis Chamber. Browne has previously served as vice-chair. Browne has worked for the Peabody since 2003.

Cordelia’s Market has added a Holiday Essentials section to its refrigerated case to help you quickly locate everything you need.

The group that operates the Orpheum plans to buy the building from the city. There will be numerous “outs” in the agreement, such as the city regaining ownership if the Orpheum Group goes bankrupt or closes the theater.

Here’s a list of the most mispronounced words of 2021. COVID variant Omicron made the list. (h/t Morning Brew)

A.J. Croce plays the Halloran Centre Friday night. Tickets are $37.50.

That’s it for today. Going to stay home and get writing done until about 2 and then venture out. Back tomorrow.

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.