Quick Hits: Halloween, No More Racing In Memphis, Football

The big events of the weekend will most likely be Halloween focused. It seems as if almost every bar in Memphis is throwing some sort of Halloween bash. The most intriguing will be the Spindini's Kittens and Cougars party. There will be a hottest cougar and cougar bait competitions.

If the weather clears up today, a good spot to visit will be the South Main Trolley Tour. Early Halloween revelers will be out and about enjoying galleries, cocktails and the 3rd annual Memphis Pops next to Earnestine and Hazel's. This year's event will feature Mitch Easter, The Simple Ones and The New Mary Jane. Admission for all this fun is free.

On a sad note, it was announced today that the Memphis Motorsports Park will be closing. Annual NASCAR races have already been moved to Nashville and St. Louis, while other races are in the process of being moved to other cities. The biggest reason for the track closure is economics (slow ticket sales and sponsorships).

This may not mean much to many in the Mid-South, but the track's closing could be an indicator of the state of professional sports in Memphis. The PGA tournament at Southwind is currently without a title sponsor, Grizzlies tickets sales are offensive (so is the team) and the Redbirds are behind on bond payments. Who will be the next to leave town? A betting man would lay the farm on the Grizzlies.

Football Picks

Memphis should have scheduled a football game for Halloween night. With the scary season the Tigers are having, it would have been a perfect haunted house with lots of anger, screams and tears.

Last Week: 4-2
Season: 30-12 (72%)

Centre College over Rhodes
Tennessee-Knoxville over South Carolina
Ole Miss over Auburn
USC over Oregon
Tennessee Titans over Jacksonville Jaguars
New Orleans Saints over Atlanta Falcons

Grizzlies Season Tips Off Tonight, Tigers Lose...Again, Free Tacos

The Memphis Grizzlies begin the 2009-10 regular season tonight against the Detroit Pistons. If the pre-season is a true indicator of how the team will perform, fans can expect a rough year. The Grizzlies should improve throughout the season once the team gets healthy. Playoffs? Probably not, but games should be entertaining. Tip off is tonight at 7p at the FedEx Forum. Tickets are still available.

Tommy West and the Memphis Tigers dropped another game last night against East Carolina. With their record standing at 2-6, its safe to say that the Tigers will not having a winning season. Another alarming stat is the published attendance from last night's game. According to the Memphis website, there was only a little over 4,100 people at the game last night. Its been said over and over, but its true - a coaching change in needed.

As if bucket loads of candy weren't enough, Taco Bell is adding another course to your Halloween night meal. They are giving away free Black Jack tacos Saturday night. Sounds like a nice tie-in for the holiday.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 10/26/2009

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions are published weekly to show a possible college football playoff format. Similar to the NCAA basketball tournament, 11 conference champions receive automatic bids. 5 additional spots are available for at-large bids.

Round 1 games would be hosted by the higher ranked seeds. Rounds 2 - 4 would incorporate the bowl system with host cities/bowls bidding to host the games. The "Big 4" BCS bowls would be permanent playoff hosts on a round-rotating basis (Championship, semi-finals and 1 round 2 game).

For the week of October 26, 2009:

1. Alabama (SEC Champion)
2. Florida (At Large SEC)
3. Texas (Big 12 Champion)
4. Iowa (Big 10 Champion)
5. Cincinnati (Big East Champion)
6. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
7. USC (Pac 10 Champion)
8. Boise State (WAC Champion)
9. LSU (At Large SEC)
10. Penn State (At Large Big 10)
11. Oregon (At Large Pac 10)
12. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
13. Georgia Tech (ACC Champion)
14. Houston (CUSA Champion)
15. Central Michigan (MAC Champion)
16. Troy (Sunbelt Champion)

Dropped out: Miami (#8, ACC Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (2), Pac 10 (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), CUSA (1), MAC (1), Mountain West (1), Sunbelt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Alabama
(9) LSU at (8) Boise State
(12) Oklahoma State at (5) Cincinnati
(13) Georgia Tech at (4) Iowa
(11) Oregon at (6) TCU
(14) Houston at (3) Texas
(10) Penn State at (7) USC
(15) Central Michigan at (2) Florida

Round 2
(8) Boise State vs (1) Alabama
(5) Cincinnati vs (4) Iowa
(6) TCU vs (3) Texas
(7) USC vs (2) Florida

Round 3
(4) Iowa vs (1) Alabama
(3) Texas vs (2) Florida

Championship Game
(2) Florida vs (1) Alabama

Quick Hits: Sip Around The World, Halloween Goes To The Dogs (or Cats), Football

Wine lovers will enjoy Sip Around The World at the Botanic Gardens on November 6 from 7p-10p. $65 will get you hors d'eouvres, music, auctions and a fantastic wine tasting. Proceeds will benefit the National Kidney Foundation of West Tennessee. For tickets or more information, call 901-683-6185.

MobileVet Memphis is throwing a Halloween party for you and your pets. Pumpkins and Pets is a free event benefiting the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. There will be fun for the whole family (your kids too) including a costume contest for pets, trick or treating for all, givewaways, free nail clippings for your four legged friend, free drinks/food and more. This will also be a good time to learn more about animal adoptions. Festivities are from 11am - 2pm on October 31 at the Humane Society (935 Farm Ave. near Shelby Farms).





Football Picks

Maybe playing on Tuesday night will help Coach West and the Memphis Tigers get a much needed victory. Chances are slim at best.

Here is something fun to brighten your spirits.



Last Week: 5-1
Overall: 26-10 (72%)

Austin College over Rhodes
Alabama over Tennessee-Knoxville
Arkansas over Ole Miss
Southern Miss over Tulane
BYU over TCU
New Orleans Saints over Miami Dolphins

Scotch Tasting and Dinner at The Grove Grill

The Grove Grill is hosting a scotch tasting and dinner on Wednesday October 28 at 7pm. Reservations are recommended. Five courses for just $65 (plus tax and tip)

Here is the menu for the tasting/dinner.

Sweet and Sour Crisp Tuna
Mongolian BBQ Beef Sate
Caramelized Onion and Gorgonzola Cheese Puff

Talisker, 10 Year

****
Smoked Seafood Cocktail

cedar planked salmon, hickory smoked mussels and bay scallops oak grilled gulf white shrimp

The Smooth Gentleman 8 yr, Wemyss Malts

****
Spiced Mahogany Roast Duckling
with sweet corn and wild rice risotto

The Spice King 8yr, Wemyss Malts

****
Coriander Roast Venison
with 4 potato home fries and shiitake demi glace

The Peat Chimney 8yr, Wemyss Malts

****
Sour Cream-Apple Tart

Singleton, 12 Year

Big Fun This Weekend

Here are a few recommendations for people looking to get out of the house this weekend.

RiverArtsFest returns to the South Main Arts District on Saturday and Sunday. There will be nearly 200 visual artists, 4 music stages and food/beverages will be available for purchase. Admission is free.

It's homecoming week at Rhodes College. The Lynx will take on Austin College Saturday afternoon at 2pm on the Rhodes Campus.

Immaculate Conception's fall festival is Sunday from 1-6pm. Festivities include games/prizes, a chili cook-off, live music and crafts.

Zoo Boo continues at the Memphis Zoo on Friday and Saturday nights.

Get your redneck on the Memphis Motorsports Park on Saturday night. The NASCAR Nationwide invades the Mid-South for one night only. The weather should be perfect for this event.

Wharton Transition Team, Halloween With Raiford

A round of applause is needed for Memphis Mayor-elect A.C. Wharton's transition team. This a strong and diverse group of Memphis leaders who understands the opportunities that are available in the Bluff City.

Paula & Raiford's Halloween bash will be Thursday night, October 22 from 9pm - til. The Thriller Night Halloween Party will have contests for sexiest, scariest and most creative costumes.

Remember, its not too late to get your costume.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 10/19/2009

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions are published weekly to show a possible college football playoff format. Similar to the NCAA basketball tournament, 11 conference champions receive automatic bids. 5 additional spots are available for at-large bids.

Round 1 games would be hosted by the higher ranked seeds. Rounds 2 - 4 would incorporate the bowl system with host cities/bowls bidding to host the games. The "Big 4" BCS bowls would be permanent playoff hosts on a round-rotating basis (Championship, semi-finals and 1 round 2 game).

For the week of October 19, 2009:

1. Alabama (SEC Champion)
2. Florida (At Large SEC)
3. Texas (Big 12 Champion)
4. Iowa (Big 10 Champion)
5. Cincinnati (Big East Champion)
6. USC (Pac 10 Champion)
7. Boise State (WAC Champion)
8. Miami (ACC Champion)
9. TCU (MWC Champion)
10. LSU (At Large SEC)
11. Penn State (At Large Big 10)
12. Oregon (At Large Pac 10)
13. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
14. Houston (CUSA Champion)
15. Central Michigan (MAC Champion)
16. Troy (Sunbelt Champion)

Dropped out: Virginia Tech (#4, ACC Champion), Ohio State (#5, Big 10 Champion), Kansas (#12, At Large Big 12)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (2), Pac 10 (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), CUSA (1), MAC (1), Mountain West (1), Sunbelt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Alabama
(9) TCU at (8) Miami
(12) Oregon at (5) Cincinnati
(13) Oklahoma State at (4) Iowa
(11) Penn State at (6) USC
(14) Houston at (3) Texas
(10) LSU at (7) Boise State
(15) Central Michigan at (2) Florida

Round 2
(8) Miami vs (1) Alabama
(5) Cincinnati vs (4) Iowa
(6) USC vs (3) Texas
(7) Boise State vs (2) Florida

Round 3
(4) Iowa vs (1) Alabama
(3) Texas vs (2) Florida

Championship Game
(2) Florida vs (1) Alabama

Quick Hits: A.C. Gets The Win, Same Old Grizzlies, Limbaugh, Football Picks

A.C. Wharton has won the special Memphis mayoral election and will complete the final two years of the term vacated by Willie Herenton. Wharton is a great guy and the results show his support crossed racial lines in the Bluff City. Memphis was in desperate need of change and A.C. needs to hit the ground running by fixing current problems and developing a proactive plan that takes Memphis to the next level.

Sure its only pre-season and they are without Allen Inverson, but the Memphis Grizzlies are proving they are the same old mess. Has anyone on the court at FedEx Forum ever heard of defense? A little bit of it may go a long way. Also, will Iverson really be that much of an impact on the court? He will not contribute anything more than the current squad on the court. Iverson is good for two things...ticket sales and a mid-season trade to a contender.

Does anyone find the NFL/Rush Limbaugh nonsense a joke? For those that don't know, Limbaugh was trying to be a part of the minority ownership group trying to buy the St. Louis Rams. After pressure from left wing whack jobs, Limbaugh is no longer associated with the group. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL Players Association and others came out against Limbaugh's bid saying they did not want his political and alleged racial commentary to be associated with the league.

Goodell allows killers, wife beaters and druggies to be a part of the league. Surely, those crimes are at the same level if not worse than Limbaugh's comments.

And the political comment argument is pure horse manure. Steelers owner/chairman Dan Rooney openly supported President Obama in the last election and is now the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland. If political commentary and ties are an issue, then Goodell should ask Rooney to step down from his position.

I may not agree with Limbaugh's philosophy, but he deserves just as much of an opportunity to be involved with the league as Michael Vick (animal killer), Donte Stallworth (DUI/manslaughter) or Rooney. Goodell, NFL owners and the NFLPA who were vocally against Limbaugh are hypocrites who caved in to left wing pressure (media and radicals) to not allow Limbaugh's opportunity for tean ownership. This is a bad day for the NFL.

Football Picks

How about that? Tommy and the Tigers got a win against an FBS program. Can they make it two in a row? Most Tiger fans no longer care...basketball season has arrived.

Last Week: Bye
Season Total: 21-9 (70%)

Millsaps over Rhodes
Memphis over Southern Miss
Ole Miss over UAB
Texas over Oklahoma
New England Patriots over Tennessee Titans
New Orleans Saints over New York Giants

Big Fun This Weekend

Here are a few recommendations for people looking to get out of the house this weekend.

A change of pace at the Levitt Shell this weekend with film night on Friday and Saturday. Friday night will begin at 7pm with Elvis '68 Special. Big Lebowski hits the big screen on Saturday night at 8:45pm. Both events are free.

There will also be a jazz concert Sunday night at the Shell. Sax In The City featuring the Strickly Jazz Quartet will kick things off a little after 6pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children under 17. Gates open at 5pm.

Zoo Boo starts at the Memphis Zoo on Friday. A costume contest and rock climbing are just a couple of the fun things that will be going on at the zoo. If you can't make on Friday night, Zoo Boo continues on October 17, 23 and 24.

The University of Memphis men's and women's basketball kick off their seasons at Memphis Madness on Friday night at the FedEx Forum. Fans can check out the teams scrimmage against each other and there will be a slam dunk and three point shooting contests. Celebrity judges for the contest will be currently Grizzlies Rudy Gay, Allen Iverson and former Tiger and NBA all-star Penny Hardaway. Admission is free.

Election Time, Kooky Halloween, Downtown Dining

The special election for the Memphis mayor post vacated by Willie Herenton is this Thursday (October 15). Even with 20 plus candidates, the field is relatively weak. The top three finishers should be Carol Chumney, Myron Lowery and A.C. Wharton. Be sure to get out and vote.

Kooky Canuck announced their annual Halloween celebration will be Thursday, October 29. There will be cheap drinks, live music, cash prizes, great people watching and loads of fun. Festivities begin at 9pm.

Its not too late to pick up a costume. You can save 20% at Spirit Halloween. Click below for more details.




A great way to try Downtown Memphis restaurants at a great low price is coming in early November. Downtown Dining Week will feature over 20 restaurants offering three courses for only $20.09. Beverages, tax and tip are not included. This great deal is only available from Sunday, November 8 through Thursday, November 12.

My Ranch O, New Management At Spindini

A new Mexican restaurant will be opening soon in the space formerly occupied by Los Compadres on Poplar. My Ranch O should be open by the end of the year.

Confirming rumors that have been floating around for a while now, there is a new management group running Spindini. River City Management will take over day-to-day operations of the restaurant. Judd Grisanti will still be a part owner and will be active in the restaurant. River City also operates several other Downtown locations including the Mesquite Chop House, The Pig, Rum Boogie Cafe, the Tap Room, King’s Palace Cafe, Prime Time Sports Bar and Club Chill. Aside from Rum Boogie and the Tap Room all of the other spots are average at best with a premium price. Let's see if River City can retain Spindini's best cougar bar title.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 10/12/2009

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions are published weekly to show a possible college football playoff format. Similar to the NCAA basketball tournament, 11 conference champions receive automatic bids. 5 additional spots are available for at-large bids.

Round 1 games would be hosted by the higher ranked seeds. Rounds 2 - 4 would incorporate the bowl system with host cities/bowls bidding to host the games. The "Big 4" BCS bowls would be permanent playoff hosts on a round-rotating basis (Championship, semi-finals and 1 round 2 game).

For the week of October 12, 2009:

1. Florida (SEC Champion)
2. Texas (Big 12 Champion)
3. Alabama (At Large SEC)
4. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
5. Ohio State (Big 10 Champion)
6. Boise State (WAC Champion)
7. USC (Pac 10 Champion)
8. TCU (MWC Champion)
9. Iowa (At Large Big 10)
10. Cincinnati (Big East Champion)
11. Miami (At Large ACC)
12. Kansas (At Large Big 12)
13. LSU (At Large SEC)
14. Houston (CUSA Champion)
15. Central Michigan (MAC Champion)
16. Troy (Sunbelt Champion)

Dropped out: None

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), ACC (2), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (2), Big East (1), CUSA (1), MAC (1), MWC (1), Pac 10 (1), Sunbelt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Florida
(9) Iowa at (8) TCU
(12) Kansas at (5) Ohio State
(13) LSU at (4) Virginia Tech
(11) Miami at (6) Boise State
(14) Houston at (3) Alabama
(10) Cincinnati at (7) USC
(15) Central Michigan at (2) Texas

Round 2
(8) TCU vs (1) Florida
(5) Ohio State vs (4) Virginia Tech
(6) Boise State vs (3) Alabama
(7) USC (2) Texas

Round 3
(4) Virginia Tech vs (1) Florida
(3) Alabama vs (2) Texas

Championship Game
(2) Texas vs (1) Florida

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 10/5/2009

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions are published weekly to show a possible college football playoff format. Similar to the NCAA basketball tournament, 11 conference champions receive automatic bids. 5 additional spots are available for at-large bids.

Round 1 games would be hosted by the higher ranked seeds. Rounds 2 - 4 would incorporate the bowl system with host cities/bowls bidding to host the games. The "Big 4" BCS bowls would be permanent playoff hosts on a round-rotating basis (Championship, semi-finals and 1 round 2 game).

For the week of October 5, 2009:

1. Florida (SEC Champion)
2. Texas (Big 12 Champion)
3. Alabama (At Large SEC)
4. LSU (At Large SEC)
5. Boise State (WAC Champion)
6. Ohio State (Big 10 Champion)
7. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
8. USC (Pac 10 Champion)
9. TCU (MWC Champion)
10. Cincinnati (Big East Champion)
11. Miami (At Large ACC)
12. Iowa (At Large Big 10)
13. Kansas (At Large Big 12)
14. Houston (CUSA Champion)
15. Central Michigan (MAC Champion)
16. Troy (Sunbelt Champion)

Dropped out: Oklahoma (#7, At Large Big 12), Penn State (#14, At Large Big 10)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), ACC (2), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (2), Big East (1), CUSA (1), MAC (1), MWC (1), Pac 10 (1), Sunbelt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Florida
(9) TCU at (8) USC
(12) Iowa at (5) Boise State
(13) Kansas at (4) LSU
(11) Miami at (6) Ohio State
(14) Houston at (3) Alabama
(10) Cincinnati at (7) Virgina Tech
(15) Central Michigan at (2) Texas

Round 2
(8) USC vs (1) Florida
(5) Boise State vs (4) LSU
(6) Ohio State vs (3) Alabama
(7) Virginia Tech vs (2) Texas

Round 3
(4) LSU vs (1) Florida
(3) Alabama vs (2) Texas

Championship Game
(2) Texas vs (1) Florida

Quick Hits: Los Compadres On The Move, Red Rooster, Football

Midtown-favorite Los Compadres is vacating its current location and moving east on Poplar. The new location, the space formerly used by Costa Vida, will include a patio and outdoor bar.

Downtown's Red Rooster has shut its doors after being open for almost a year and a half. The bar started out strong, but the novelty wore off after a while. Look for the Red Rooster to open in another location with lower rent. Look for other Downtown bars and restaurants to follow suit soon.

The contest to see how hot Tommy West's seat will get continues this week. Although the game is winnable, Memphis will find a way to lose.


Football Picks

Last Week: 5-1
Season Total: 18-6 (75%)

Rhodes over Washington University
UCF over Memphis
Auburn over Tennessee-Knoxville
Florida State over Boston College
Tennessee Titans over Jacksonville Jaguars
New Orleans Saints over New York Jets