Snoop Dogg, New Year's Week Activites

Snoop Dogg is coming to Memphis on Monday, February 7th at Minglewood Hall. Tickets go on sale on January 3, 2011. There's even a V.I.P. option where you can meet Snoop Dogg and Minglewood seems like the perfect setting for a Snoop show.

There's all kinds of fun things going on this week. In addition to the normal New Year's Eve festivities, the Tigers are playing on Thursday night and the Liberty Bowl is on Friday afternoon. If you are looking for something to do before the Tigers play Lipscomb, you may want to the Liberty Bowl Beale Street Parade. If the weather is nice, this should be a good time with fans from Central Florida and Georgia.
 

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Festivus or whatever you celebrate this time of year. I hope that you were able to spend the day with friends, family and others that you care about. More fun posts starting soon.

Cannon Smith Arrested

It's fairly safe to say that everyone in the Memphis area has heard that Memphis quarterback Cannon Smith has been arrested for his actions near Beale Street. It's a minor charge that is just being blown up because of Smith's connection with FedEx. What's more surprising is the fact that the Commercial Appeal has failed to mention Smith's prior arrests when he was 19. The point being, this isn't Smith's first rodeo.

Retaurant Updates: Grace & Reef Closed

Cooper-Young's Restaurant Grace and The Reef have closed. Grace is sort of a shocker, but The Reef is far from a surprise.

Bar None, BBQ Nachos, Cafe Society Corsair Artisan Tasting Update

A few people have asked what's the best thing to eat at Bar None. Having only been there twice, with limited snacking, it's hard to say. The few items I did try tasted great, with the mango-sriracha wings being my favorite. Any recommendations?

Central BBQ nachos

Have you ever had bbq nachos at Central BBQ? If not, make sure you try them the next time you visit one of their locations. They are fantastic. Most people get them loaded with pork shoulder, but give the chicken a try. You will love it. One more thing, it is a huge plate. Easy for two people to split for a meal.

The Corsair Artisan Distillery tasting scheduled for this Wednesday night at Cafe Society in Midtown has been rescheduled to Wednesday, January 12, 2011. More details as they become available.

Music Updates - NOLA Bingo Show & Huey Lewis

Bingo cards from last night

Anyone who wasn't at the Hi-Tone on Sunday missed a fantastic night of entertainment. Amy Lavere, the opening act, could entertain most people for hours. Great performance as always. The special surprise of the night was The New Orleans Bingo Show. The best way to describe the Bingo Show is an interactive music and theater/cabaret show. They played great music, had original skits, short films and we even got to play bingo. On the way home, all I could think was "wow!" I can't wait to see this group again.

Minglewood Hall has announced that Huey Lewis & The News will be playing on January 27, 2011. Many people will remember these guys from their 80's hits like "The Power of Love" and "Hip To Be Square." Their latest CD "Soulsville" was recorded in Memphis at Ardent Studios in Midtown. Tickets go on sale on Friday, December 17.

Here's a little Huey Lewis & The News for your enjoyment.





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Libert Bowl Set, Cafe Society Events, Umai Closed, Steve Martin

We are looking forward to seeing Central Florida and Georgia fans roaming the streets of Memphis on New Years weekend for the Liberty Bowl. UGA usually has a strong fan following, but with the Bulldogs having an off year, there is a chance for weak turnout. UCF is familiar with playing in Memphis during December. The Knights last played in the Liberty Bowl in 2007, a 10-3 loss to Mississippi State.

Midtown's Cafe Society is having a couple of fun events next week. On Monday, local artist Patti Smith is having an art show/open house and wine tasting at the restaurant. Smith's art will be featured and there will be $5 samples of wine. A portion of the proceeds from the art and wine sales will be donated to the Memphis Food Bank.

Gorgonzola Stuffed Filet at Cafe Society

The fun continues at Cafe Society on Wednesday night at 6:30pm for a Corsair Artisan Spirits Tasting. $25 plus tax and tip will give you the opportunity to taste Triple Smoke Whiskey, Vanilla Bean Vodka, Spiced Rum & Gin-Head Style Gin. $5 small plates will be available as well.

Next time you are at Cafe Society, ask if the Gorgonzola Stuffed Filet is still on special. Great stuff!

In some less glamorous news, Midtown's Umai has closed after failing to pay taxes to the state of Tennessee. I never had the chance to go to Umai, but many people said that they had a good product.

Tickets are on sale now for Steve Martin's one night show at the Orpheum on Saturday, May 28, 2011. Martin may have some jokes up his sleeve, but the main focus of the evening will be his banjo playing skills. Should be a great night of banjos and bluegrass.

Here's a quick sampling of some of the sounds you may hear at Steve Martin's show.



On tonight's agenda, either checking out Robert Earl Keen at Minglewood or Walrus at Swanky's.

 

Who's Playing In The Liberty Bowl?

Central Florida earned a spot to play in the 2010 Liberty Bowl yesterday with the Knights win over SMU in the Conference USA Championship game. Which SEC opponent will the Knights face on New Year's Eve? Right now, it could be between Georgia and Tennessee-Knoxville. The Vols seem like a logical choice with the built in fan base in the Memphis area, but they will most likely receive a bowl invitation from the Music City Bowl in Nashville.

So that leaves the Bulldogs from Georgia. If invited, it would be UGA's third appearance in the Liberty Bowl. The Bulldogs last appearance in the game was in 1987, a 20-17 victory over Arkansas.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 12/6/10 - FINAL

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 December 6, 2010:

1. Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
2. Auburn (SEC Champion)
3. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
4. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
5. Stanford (At Large PAC 10)
6. Ohio State (At Large Big 10)
7. Michigan State (At Large Big 10)
8. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
9. Boise State (WAC Champion)
10. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
11. LSU (At Large SEC)
12. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
13. Central Florida (C-USA Champion)
14. Connecticut (Big East Champion)
15. Miami (MAC Champion)
16. Florida International (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Northern Illinois (#13, MAC Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 10 (3), SEC (3), PAC 10 (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), Big 12 (1), C-USA (1), MAC (1), Mountain West (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Florida International at (1) Oregon
(9) Boise State at (8) Arkansas
(12) Oklahoma at (5) Stanford
(13) Central Florida at (4) Wisconsin
(11) LSU at (6) Ohio State
(14) Connecticut at (3) TCU
(10) Virginia Tech at (7) Michigan State
(15) Miami at (2) Auburn

Round 2
(8) Arkansas vs (1) Oregon
(5) Stanford vs (4) Wisconsin
(6) Ohio State vs (3) TCU
(7) Michigan State vs (2) Auburn

Round 3
(4) Wisconsin vs (1) Oregon
(3) TCU vs (2) Auburn

Championship Game
(2) Auburn vs (1) Oregon

Bacon Club, Cheap Local Eats, St. Jude Marathon

Overheard at a Midtown bar last night was talk of a bacon club. Yep, a bacon club. I didn't hear the entire conversation, so I had to do a little research and came across Zingerman's Bacon of the Month Club. The basic three month intro club membership includes bacon delivered monthly, "just in time for weekend frying." Great concept. Not sure if it's worth $99, but it might be worth a shot or it could make for a nice gift for the bacon fans your life. We all have them.

Side note - the Zingerman's are, apparently, into all kinds of food ventures. Check out all of their businesses.

The December 2010 issue of Memphis Magazine has a great list of great local food under $20, $15 and $10. They did an awesome job putting this together. Guess I know wear I'll be eating for the next few weeks.

Congratulations to all of the runners in the St. Jude Marathon today! Seems like perfect weather for the run.

Bar None Website Up & Running

Bar None by John Bragg has their website up and it includes the new menu. Can't wait to try it out. May have to get a sampler of all of the sliders.

Liberty Bowl Entertainment

By the end of the weekend, we should know which Conference USA and SEC teams will be participating in this year's Liberty Bowl. One thing we know for sure is the halftime entertainment. The O'Jays will bring their R&B and soul inspired music for everyone's enjoyment.

Here are a few of their hits.





Can't have The O'Jays without a Soul Train Line Dance.



Kick off for the Liberty Bowl is scheduled for 2:30 on New Year's Eve. Tickets are still available.

Bar None Opening Friday Night

John Bragg's newest concept is opening Friday night in Downtown Memphis. Bar None by John Bragg opens its door at 8pm. To help celebrate, it will be happy hour all-night!

What can you expect at Bar None? As with any Bragg venture, you can can expect great food. In this case, great pub grub. Although downtowners will miss Circa, Bar None will bring a new festive spot to Main Street.

Might have to check this place out Saturday night after the parade.

Stumblin' Santas, Welcome Back Le Chardonnay, Football

Just a reminder to dust of your Santa suits, elf costumes or whatever holiday costume that you like to wear. The 6th Annual Stumblin' Santa Pub Crawl will take place Saturday night in Downtown Memphis. All the fun starts at 6:30pm at the Flying Saucer. Make sure you get an early boost of Christmas cheer by going to the Memphis Holiday Parade before you get your stumble on. The parade starts at 5pm with a short route on South Main Street from GE Patterson to the Orpheum.

Le Chardonnay is back! Owners closed the popular Overton Square spot last year to open Italian-themed The Villa. The new Le Chardonnay will feature its popular menu items in addition to some of the best dishes from The Villa.

It's hard to believe how quickly the 2010 college football season has gone by. The story lines were great this year. Cam Newton, undefeated teams, BCS busters and we still have the bowl season to add to the drama. Championship weekend kicks off tomorrow with the MAC Championship game. Here's to another fun-filled football weekend.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 2-4
Season: 51-27 (65%)

MAC Championship - Northern Illinois over Miami (OH)
C-USA Championship - Central Florida over SMU
SEC Championship  - Auburn over South Carolina
ACC Championship - Virginia Tech over Florida State
Big 12 Championship - Oklahoma over Nebraska
New Orleans Saints over Cincinnati Bengals
Tennessee Titans over Jacksonville Jaguars

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Central Florida vs Georgia

Assuming Central Florida wins the Conference USA championship on Saturday, a UCF vs Georgia match up would be great. Both teams are evenly matched and it having UGA and their fans in town for the game and New Year's festivities would be great for Memphis.

Small Biz Support, Rio Azul, Dunkin Donuts

American Express has extended its Small Business Saturday promotion throughout the holiday season. American Express will give $25 back to cardmembers who register and used their AmEx card at any small business through December 31. This is a great promotion encouraging consumers to shop at locally owned shops, restaurants and more. Plus it doesn't hurt to get a $25 credit on your AmEx card.

Over the past few years more and more quality Mexican restaurants have opened in the Memphis area. Rio Azul is another Mexican eatery that fits this description. Located in Cordova near Houston Levee and Macon, Rio Azul has great traditional Mexican food at low prices. The staff is very friendly and the drinks are fantastic. If you are out that way, it's worth a stop.

Dunkin' Donuts' Union Avenue location will open on Wednesday. I may stop by to welcome the new business, but it may be hard to step away from Donald's Donuts. Dunkin' does serve a mean cup of coffee though. Much better that Starbucks.

Dunkin' Donuts is also hosting the 5th annual Holiday Recycled Bicycle Giveaway. All collected bikes will be refurbished and distributed to kids in the Binghampton neighborhood. New and used bikes will be collected at the at the Union Avenue location through the first weekend in December. Anyone who donates a bike will receive a $10 Dunkin’ gift card.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 11/29/10

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 November 29, 2010:

1. Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
2. Auburn (SEC Champion)
3. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
4. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
5. Stanford (At Large PAC 10)
6. Ohio State (At Large Big 10)
7. Michigan State (At Large Big 10)
8. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
9. LSU (At Large SEC)
10. Boise State (WAC Champion)
11. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
12. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
13. Northern Illinois (MAC Champion)
14. Central Florida (C-USA Champion)
15. Connecticut (Big East Champion)
16. Florida International (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Oklahoma State (#9, Big 12 Champion),  Alabama (#10, At Large SEC), Pittsburgh (#15, Big East Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 10 (3), SEC (3), PAC 10 (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), Big 12 (1), C-USA (1), MAC (1), Mountain West (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Florida International at (1) Oregon
(9) LSU at (8) Arkansas
(12) Oklahoma at (5) Stanford
(13) Northern Illinois at (4) Wisconsin
(11) Virginia Tech at (6) Ohio State
(14) Central Florida at (3) TCU
(10) Boise State at (7) Michigan State
(15) Connecticut at (2) Auburn

Round 2
(8) Arkansas vs (1) Oregon
(5) Stanford vs (4) Wisconsin
(6) Ohio State vs (3) TCU
(7) Michigan State vs (2) Auburn

Round 3
(4) Wisconsin vs (1) Oregon
(3) TCU vs (2) Auburn

Championship Game
(2) Auburn vs (1) Oregon

Thanksgiving Wine Line Up

Here's a quick sampling of some of the wines we will be enjoying on Thanksgiving Day. It's safe to say, there are more to come. As always, there will be winners and losers. Look for more details later this weekend.

 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Paso Robles

La Crema Pinot Noir 2007 Sonoma Coast

 Bogle Merlot 2007 California

 Layer Cake Primitivo aka Zinfandel 2007 Puglia, Italy

 Luna Rosa Malbec 2006 Procedencia Mendoza

 Concannon Limited Release Pinot Noir 2007 Central Coast

Substance Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Washington

Turkey Day, TurBaconEpic, Restaurant Poll

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Hopefully everyone is able to be with family and friends this holiday weekend. Safe travels to all who are on the road and to those who received an airport pat-down this weekend.

Keeping with the notion of over-indulgence on Thanksgiving day, Here is something that may just clog your arteries.



Don't forget that Memphis Magazine's Restaurant Poll is still running through December 1, 2010. The poll only takes a few minutes and you just might win dinner for two.

More Italian In Midtown, Turkey Tip Off, Super T, Football

It looks like a new Italian restaurant will be opening in Midtown Memphis. Cortana will open in the space formerly occupied by Dish on the corner of Cooper and Young. It is expected to open in early 2011.

Don't forget that Kooky Canuck's Turkey Tip Off starts Wednesday at 11am and runs through 2:30am on Thanksgiving morning. In addition to traditional Turkey Day lunch and dinner specials, there will also be 99 cent Bud Light draft all day.

What's Thanksgiving night in Memphis without spending time with Super T at Newby's? The Tyrone Smith Revue returns again Thursday night for his annual Thanksgiving night party. It's good to see that Super T is still working his magic after all these years. They have been using this same promo picture for years. Wonder what Super Tyrone looks like now.

Tyrone Smith Revue, aka Super T

The Memphis Tigers football season will mercifully come to an end on Saturday. It has been a long campaign for first-year coach Larry Porter. Lack of depth, young players and little support have doomed the Tigers this year. A win over Central Florida is a long shot at best, so it's fairly safe to say that Memphis will finish the year with a 1-11 record. Some are calling for Porter to be fired.  Changes will most likely happen, but Porter will still be the coach next year. Look for changes at position coach and possibly the coordinator levels. Thank goodness it's basketball season.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 5-1
Season: 49-23 (68%)

Dallas Cowboy over New Orleans Saints
Alabama over Auburn
Central Florida over Memphis
Arkansas over LSU
Oklahoma State over Oklahoma
Tennessee Titans over Houston Texans

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Central Florida vs Tennessee-Knoxville

There is a possibility that Liberty Bowl officials will not select the Conference USA Champion, instead the SEC may force bowl officials to take a Big East team. This scenario only comes into play if all of the SEC bowl slots are not filled.


What I'm reading: Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 11/22/10

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 November 22, 2010:

1. Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
2. Auburn (SEC Champion)
3. Boise State (WAC Champion)
4. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
5. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
6. Stanford (At Large PAC 10)
7. LSU (At Large SEC)
8. Ohio State (At Large Big 10)
9. Oklahoma State (Big 12 Champion)
10. Alabama (At Large SEC)
11. Michigan State (At Large Big 12)
12. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
13. Northern Illinois (MAC Champion)
14. Central Florida (C-USA Champion)
15. Pittsburgh (Big East Champion)
16. Florida International (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Nebraska (#7, Big 12 Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), Big 10 (3), PAC 10 (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), Big 12 (1), C-USA (1), MAC (1), Mountain West (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Florida International at (1) Oregon
(9) Oklahoma State at (8) Ohio State
(12) Virginia Tech at (5) Wisconsin
(13) Northern Illinois at (4) TCU
(11) Michigan State at (6) Stanford
(14) Central Florida at (3) Boise State
(10) Alabama at (7) LSU
(15) Pittsburgh at (2) Auburn

Round 2
(8) Ohio State vs (1) Oregon
(5) Wisconsin vs (4) TCU
(6) Stanford vs (3) Boise State
(7) LSU vs (2) Auburn

Round 3
(4) TCU vs (1) Oregon
(3) Boise State vs (2) Auburn

Championship Game
(2) Auburn vs (1) Oregon

Basketball: Huge Win For Grizzlies,Tigers Battle

Wow! What a huge win for the Memphis Grizzlies tonight! Rudy Gay nailed a buzzer-beater to lead the Grizzlies to a 97-95 victory over the Miami Heat. Yep, I were wrong in predicting a Memphis loss, but the Heat were without superstar Dwayne Wade. The win could be the start of good things for the Grizzlies, but if things should stay mediocre, then Hollins should go.

The Memphis basketball Tigers hit the road tomorrow to play LSU in Tupelo. LSU isn't playing good basketball right now and that Josh Pastner's club should win with ease. The game will be televised on CBS College Sports at 4pm.

Wrigley Football Changes, Grizzlies Lose, Carl's Commentary

It appears that the earlier mentioned dangers at the Illinois vs Northwestern game at Wrigley Field have been addressed. The new rules for this game are a little confusing, but it safety should come first. Just feel bad for the fans that bought bleacher seats at Wrigley. With or without the rule changes, you know there is going to be a big party outside of the stadium.

The Grizzlies lost tonight on the road against the Washington Wizards. The loss is the fifth in the row for the Lionel Hollins' club. Is it too soon to be exploring a coaching change for the Grizzlies? The schedule doesn't get easier for the Grizzlies. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosch will be at FedEx Forum Saturday night with the rest of the the Miami Heat. A Memphis win would be nice, but it's more likely that the Heat will be win BIG.

Speaking of the Heat, Chris Bosch may be the key to their success. If he continues to play well, Miami will be unstoppable.

And now some commentary from Carl Brutananadilewski.

Zoo Open For Skating

The grand opening for the Memphis Zoo on Ice is tomorrow (November 19) during the introduction of SunTrust Zoo Lights. Ice skating will be available daily from November 20 - January 30, 2011. Daily ice skating hours will be from 9:30am to 4:30pm. The rink will also be open on select nights through out the season. Admission will be $6, including skate rental and one hour of skate time. If you have your own skates, admission is only $5.

More On Broad, Boa Ball, Creme Fraiche

WMC ran a segment about the Broad Avenue activities going on this weekend. This is a great idea that will hopefully make Broad a destination spot for Memphians.

The Red Cross Boa Ball is Saturday night at the Central Station on South Main. It looks like there will be auctions, food and drinks and live music courtesy of The Bouffants. Tickets are $75 per person, $130 for couples and $500 for an eight person table. Proceeds will go to Mid-South Red Cross. The good times start at 7pm. You can purchase tickets by visiting www.midsouthredcross.org.

Great episode of South Park last night. Here's a clip from the episode.

Creme Fraiche
Tags: SOUTH
PARKRandy Marsh,Sharon Marsh,more...

New Face for an Old Broad, Memphian Honored By Jack Daniel's, Football

Just a reminder that the Broad Avenue face lift is scheduled for this weekend (November 19th & 20th). The goal is to showcase Broad Avenue's long-term vision as an arts district and connector between the Greenline and Overton Park. There will be mural painting, bike lane striping, live music and temporary retail and restaurant vendors in currently vacated buildings.

Luchessi's Bottle

A long-time Memphis alcohol salesman, the first for Jack Daniel's,  is being honored by Jack Daniel Distillery with commemorative birthday bottle. Congratulations Mr. Luchessi!

This is much classier look than the John Calipari Maker's Mark  bottle issued last year. I wonder what it would take to have a special edition bottle in my honor. One of these days I'll might have my name etched on a bottle of Ketel One or Macallan. To be honest, I would be just as honored on a bottle of Taaka or Old Smuggler.

Yankees Stadium

 Two Major League Baseball stadiums will host college football games. Yankees Stadium will host Army and Notre Dame and Chicago's Wrigley Field will host Illinois and Northwestern. Yankees Stadium will also host the Pinstripe Bowl later this year featuring teams from Big East and Big 12.

Wrigley Field

The football layout in New York looks comfortable, but squeezing the college field into the ivy at Wrigley looks dangerous. How professional football games were played there decades ago is beyond comprehension. If you take a close look at the Wrigley set up, you will notice that the goal post is mounted on the outfield wall and there is limited space between the end zone and the brick wall. The right field corner isn't much better. God bless any receiver running a post or corner route. It almost looks like arena football. Regardless of the safety issues, its nice to see athletic directors thinking of out of the box and working with promoters to bring games to non-traditional stadiums. Let's hope there aren't any serious injuries for Wildcats and Illini players.

Rhodes College completed their 2010 football campaign last week with a home victory over Sewanee. The Lynx finished the season with a disappointing 4-6 overall record, including a 3-3 record in conference play. Rhodes finished in a two-way tie for third place in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference standings. Following the season, head coach Joe White tendered his resignation ending his 14 years with the program.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 4-2
Season: 44-22 (66%)

UAB over Memphis
LSU over Mississippi
Illinois over Northwestern
Arkansas over Mississippi State
Tennessee Titans over Washington Redskins
New Orleans Saints over Seattle Seahawks

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Central Florida vs Georgia

There is a possibility that Liberty Bowl officials will not select the Conference USA Champion, instead the SEC may force bowl officials to take a Big East team. This scenario only comes into play if all of the SEC bowl slots are not filled.

Vehicle Inspection, Motorsports Auction, Carmouche

Things were different today at the Memphis vehicle inspection station on White Station. It may have been the rainy weather, but the lines were relatively short and inspectors were friendly and efficient in getting cars checked and back on the road. For those that have a car made from 1996 to the present, be prepared for a new process.

Have you ever wanted to own your own race track or drag racing strip? Now there's a chance to own both. Memphis Motorsports Park will be sold to the highest bidder at a December 14 auction at the facility. Many Memphis area residents may not be fans of NASCAR or NHRA racing, but it was nice to have tourists in town the three or four weekends a year when the larger racing events were in town.

Carmouche
(courtesy of gotigersgo.com)

How can you not be a fan of Charles Carmouche? In last night's game against Miami, he was a scrappy player, physical on defense, had five steals and made key free throws down the stretch. He may be overshadowed by bigger name players like local product Joe Jackson, but if he continues this kind of play he may be the fan favorite by the end of the season.

Carmouche has been earning frequent traveler miles since 2005, when his family was forced to move to Houston after Hurricane Katrina. After playing a year for a Houston high school, he returned to New Orleans and eventually signed with the University of New Orleans. Earlier this year, UNO announced it was moving from Division 1 to Division 3 in all sports. Carmouche knew he was too talented to play at that level, so he transferred to Memphis. It's pretty safe to say that Josh Pastner and Tigers basketball fans are happy that he picked the Bluff City for his latest stop and would like to see him stay for a couple of years.

Carmouche and the rest of Tigers return to action tomorrow night against the Demons of Northwestern State. Tip off is set for 7pm at FedEx Forum.

Mug Club Sells Out, Cake Coming To Minglewood

Boscos staffers weren't kidding when they said that the available mugs would go fast. Close to 50 mugs were available this morning at 11am and they were gone in less than 30 minutes.

Tickets go on sale Friday for Cake's live show at Minglewood Hall on Friday, January 21. Did anyone realize that Cake was still together or touring? Glad to hear that Memphis will be on the next tour. It's safe to say that Cake will be promoting their new album Showroom Of Compassionwhich is set to be released in January of 2011.

Here are a few of their hits.






 

Restaurant Week, Mug Club

Just a reminder that Downtown Dining Week kicks off tonight and runs through Sunday. Most of the participating restaurants are offering three courses for $20.10. After checking out the menu's, McEwan's On Monroe, Felicia Suzanne's and the Majestic will be on the top of my list. Based on last year's DDW, reservations are highly recommended.

The Boscos Mug Club renewal period ended last night at midnight. Any available mugs will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting today at 11am. Get there early, because they will not last.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 11/15/10

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 November 15, 2010:

1. Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
2. Auburn (SEC Champion)
3. Boise State (WAC Champion)
4. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
5. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
6. LSU (At Large SEC)
7. Nebraska (Big 12 Champion
8. Stanford (At Large PAC 10)
9. Ohio State (At Large Big 10)
10. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
11. Alabama (At Large SEC)
12. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
13. Northern Illinois (MAC Champion)
14. Central Florida (C-USA Champion) 
15. Pittsburgh (Big East Champion)
16. Florida International (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Michigan State (#11, Big 10 Champion), Troy (#16, Sun Belt Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (2), PAC 10 (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), C-USA (1), MAC (1), Mountain West (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Florida International at (1) Oregon
(9) Ohio State at (8) Stanford
(12) Virginia Tech at (5) Wisconsin
(13) Northern Illinois at (4) TCU
(11) Alabama at (6) LSU
(14) Central Florida at (3) Boise State
(10) Oklahoma State at (7) Nebraska
(15) Pittsburgh at (2) Auburn

Round 2
(8) Stanford vs (1) Oregon
(5) Wisconsin vs (4) TCU
(6) LSU vs (3) Boise State
(7) Nebraska vs (2) Auburn

Round 3
(4) TCU vs (1) Oregon
(3) Boise State vs (2) Auburn

Championship Game
(2) Auburn vs (1) Oregon

Beaujolais Nouveau, New Basketball Court Designs, Football, BTE

The Grove Grill is hosting a Beaujolais Nouveau dinner on Thursday, November at 18th at 7pm. The five course dinner is $55 plus tax and tip. Reservations are recommended. See below for the menu.

1st Course
Duck Pate on Baguette
Blue Cheese Gougeres, (puffs)

BeaujolaisNouveau, Cask, 2010

2nd Course

Riz au Fruit du Mer,
(Seafood Risotto)

Georges Duboeuf Macon Villages Domaine des Chenevieres, 2009

3rd Course

Columbia River Sturgeon Bourguignon
With baby carrots, pearl onions and button mushromms

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages Flower Label, 2009

4th Course

Roasted Pekin Duckling
With grilled stone fruit and Kircsh demi glace

Georges Duboeuf Morgon , 2009

5th Course

Millefuille de pomme Caramèlisèes
(Spitzenburg Apple, Almond and Puff Pastry)


The University of Oregon is already known for its unique football uniforms every Saturday, but now the Ducks basketball team is getting into the mix. The basketball program is rolling out its new basketball court this season. According to Wired.com, the wood floor "features a trippy, inverse perspective that makes it appear as if you’re looking up through a grove of fir trees."

What's up with Northwestern schools and their "special" field/court designs? First, there was Boise State's blue football field. Then earlier this year, Eastern Washington's football club rolled out its red turf. And now this gem at the soon to be completed Matthew Knight Arena at Oregon. By the way, the arena is named after Nike founder Phillip Knight's son. Knight and Nike are both huge supporters of Oregon athletics.


Just finished reading  Death to the BCS: The Definitive Case Against the Bowl Championship Series. It's a great book that advocates a 16-team playoff (similar to this blog's weekly playoff predictions) and shows all of the financial sense and hurdles that a postseason playoff is facing. If you think there is a better way than the BCS, then check out this book.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 4-2
Season: 40-20 (66%)

Mississippi over Tennessee-Knoxville
Ohio State over Penn State
Rhodes over Sewanee
Marshall over Memphis
Auburn over Georgia
Tennessee Titans over Miami Dolphins

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Central Florida vs Georgia

Better Than Ezra is playing at Minglewood Hall on Saturday night. There is no doubt that this will be a great show. Here's a sampling of what you might hear if you check out BTE's show this weekend.



The Memphis Tigers basketball team opens up their regular season tomorrow night against Centenary at FedEx Forum. This should be an easy win for the Tigers.

Porter Heat, High Point Triathlon, Backstreet Closed, Circa On The Move

The local media is probably giving Memphis football coach Larry Porter the most heat of any first coach in the country, maybe ever. Yes, the Tigers are 1-8, but does Porter deserve a little more slack? It's not like Tommy West left the program with a lot of talent. A new system combined with sub par players will result in a losing season. If the Tigers have the same issues and record next year, give Porter the boot.

The High Point Pub's Triathlon is coming up this Saturday from 6:30pm until 11:30pm. This event consists of a two-person team competing in three events - shuffleboard, darts, and a "Mystery" event. To sign up, visit a bartender at the Pub as quickly as possible. The entry fee is $15/person which includes food and beer, while supplies last.

The Commercial Appeal is reporting that Midtown's Backstreet club has been closed, once again, by law enforcement officials. Since this isn't the first time the club has been in trouble, there is a good chance that city and county officials may prohibit the bar from opening its doors again. 

As expected, Circa has officially begun the moving process from Downtown to East Memphis. Circa is planning to reopen in the Regalia Center in mid-December. In Circa's place will be Bar None, a casual restaurant/bar. Bar None will be open during Downtown's restaurant week (Nov 15-21), but will close until late November for renovations.

Belgian Beer Tasting

Just heard that there will be a Belgian beer tasting at Cafe Society tomorrow night (November 9). There will be five Belgian beers to sample all for $25 per person plus tax and tip. There will also be a $5 small plate menu available during the tasting. Space is limited, so reservations are recommended at 722-2177.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 11/8/10

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 November 1, 2010:

1. Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
2. Auburn (SEC Champion)
3. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
4. Boise State (WAC Champion)
5. Wisconsin (At large Big 10)
6. Nebraska (Big 12 Champion)
7. LSU (At Large SEC)
8. Stanford (At Large PAC 10)
9. Ohio State (At Large Big 10)
10. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
11. Michigan State (Big 10 Champion)
12. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
13. Central Florida (C-USA Champion)
14. Northern Illinois (MAC Champion) 
15. Pittsburgh (Big East Champion)
16. Troy (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Alabama (#5, At Large SEC), Utah (#6, At Large Mountain West), Oklahoma (#10, At Large Big 12)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 10 (3), Big 12 (2), PAC 10 (2), SEC (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), C-USA (1), MAC (1), Mountain West (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Oregon
(9) Ohio State at (8) Stanford
(12) Virginia Tech at (5) Wisconsin
(13) Central Florida at (4) Boise State
(11) Michigan State at (6) Nebraska
(14) Northern Illinois at (3) TCU
(10) Oklahoma State at (7) LSU
(15) Pittsburgh at (2) Auburn

Round 2
(8) Stanford vs (1) Oregon
(5) Wisconsin vs (4) Boise State
(6) Nebraska vs (3) TCU
(7) LSU vs (2) Auburn

Round 3
(4) Boise State vs (1) Oregon
(3) TCU vs (2) Auburn

Championship Game
(2) Auburn vs (1) Oregon

Jockey Fights & Beer Drinking Horse

Apparently it was just another day the Breeders Cup yesterday. Side note - Calvin Borel is even more of a scary looking guy when he is angry.



So Zenyatta is 19-0 in 19 career starts. What's her secret? Great trainers? High calorie diet like Michael Phelps? Little chocolate donuts? The correct answer might involve happy hour. Zenyatta is a big fan of Guinness beer. Are Irish Carbombs on the menu if she goes 20-0? Maybe the Flying Saucer or Celtic Crossing should bring her in for a drinking contest.

 

And for those of you who didn't get the chocolate donuts reference, enjoy this great clip featuring the late John Belushi.

Harvest Celebration, Carl's Commentary

Just noticed that the 2010 Harvest Celebration is coming up later this late afternoon (4-7) at Central Station on South Main. This is probably the best event of the season for the Memphis Farmers Market. It features tastings from local restaurants, entertainment and a complimentary bar, with all proceeds going to the Memphis Farmers Market. I'm guessing its too late to get advance tickets, so its looking like it will cost you $55 to join in on the fun.

And now some commentary from Carl Brutananadilewski.

Memphis Airport Overpriced, Moss To Titans, Chipotle

Confirming what Memphis travelers have known for a long time, Memphis International Airport was named the fifth priciest airport in country. Everyone is excited about the proposed merger of Air Tran and Southwest Airlines, but will the merger actually reduce prices at MEM? Are Memphis airport fees too high?

The Tennessee Titans have claimed wide receiver Randy Moss off of waivers. Now there might be a good reason to watch the Titans, besides Chris Johnson. Still not sold on Vince Young or Kerry Collins at quarterback, but the addition of Moss should open things up for Johnson's running game.

Chipotle Mexican Grill will finally open in Memphis at the Ridgeway Trace center in the second quarter of 2011. Chipotle is very similar to Moe's and Swanky's. Nothing against Chipotle, but Swanky will continue to be my "go to" taco/burrito shop. Plus, there are tons of authentic Mexican food restaurants that provide more value. Whenever I think of Chipotle, this video always pops in my mind.
 

Dead Celebrities
Tags: SOUTH
PARKmore...

Sip Around The World, College Basketball, Football

Sip Around The World is this Friday night at the Memphis Botanic Garden. This is usually a great event with lots of wine, hors d'oeuvers, music and more. This year event organizers have added a new Champagne Lounge for an additional fee. For ticket information, call 683-6185 or visit the nkfwtn.org.

Memphis Tigers basketball kicks off exhibition play tonight against LeMoyne-Owen at FedEx Forum. The contest shouldn't be competitive in any way, but it will give Tigers fans something to focus on instead of the hapless football team.

Speaking of the football team, Larry Porter's squad will host Tennessee-Knoxville Saturday night at the Liberty Bowl. Both teams will be playing for, what is most likely, their last win of the season. With the Volunteers having a horrific season, this could be one of the best opportunities for the Tigers to earn their second victory over Tennessee-Knoxville. Unfortunately, Memphis doesn't have the weapons to pull it off Saturday night.

This game is usually a sellout when it is played at the Liberty Bowl. With both teams playing so poorly, I wonder how many fans will actually attend the game. 

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 3-3
Season: 36-18 (66%)

Air Force over Army
Birmingham Southern over Rhodes
Alabama over LSU
Utah over TCU
Tennessee-Knoxville over Memphis
New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Central Florida vs Kentucky

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 11/1/10

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 November 1, 2010:

1. Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
2. Auburn (SEC Champion)
3. Boise State (WAC Champion)
4. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
5. Alabama (At Large SEC)
6. Utah (At Large Mountain West)
7. Wisconsin (At Large Big 10)
8. Nebraska (Big 12 Champion)
9. Ohio State (At Large Big 10)
10. Oklahoma (At Large Big 12)
11. Michigan State (Big 10 Champion)
12. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
13. Central Florida (C-USA Champion)
14. Northern Illinois (MAC Champion) 
15. Pittsburgh (Big East Champion)
16. Troy (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Missouri (#6, Big 12 Champion), Stanford (#10, At Large PAC 10), Florida State (#12, ACC Champion), East Carolina (#13, C-USA Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 10 (3), Big 12 (2), Mountain West (2), SEC (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), C-USA (1), MAC (1), PAC 10 (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Oregon
(9) Ohio State at (8) Nebraska
(12) Virginia Tech at (5) Alabama
(13) Central Florida at (4) TCU
(11) Michigan State at (6) Utah
(14) Northern Illinois at (3) Boise State
(10) Oklahoma at (7) Wisconsin
(15) Pittsburgh at (2) Auburn

Round 2
(8) Nebraska vs (1) Oregon
(5) Alabama vs (4) TCU
(6) Utah vs (3) Boise State
(7) Wisconsin vs (2) Auburn

Round 3
(4) TCU vs (1) Oregon
(3) Boise State vs (2) Auburn

Championship Game
(2) Auburn vs (1) Oregon

Tiger Basketball Commitment, Carl's Commentary

Memphis basketball fans got some good news yesterday, when Adonis Thomas committed to Josh Pastner's club. Thomas is ranked by some publications as the best high school basketball player in the country. Unfortunately, the Tigers couldn't pick up big commitments on back-to-back days. Memphis was high on D.J. Gardner's list, but he gave his pledge to Mississippi State earlier today.

And now some commentary from Carl Brutananadilewski.

Grizzlies Stumble In Opener, NBA Contraction, Bourbon Tasting

After going undefeated in the preseason, the Memphis Grizzlies dropped the ball when it counted. The Grizzlies lost to the visiting Atlanta Hawks 119-104, bringing their opening game losing streak to 10 games. The Grizz were without Marc Gasol and lost Zac Randolph during the game with an injury. Look at the bright side, they got their first loss out of the way. Now its time to start a winning streak against at the Dallas Mavericks tomorrow night, before returning home on Saturday to face the Minnesota Timberwolves. Plenty of seats are still available for Saturday night.

There have been recent reports that the NBA will request a 33% pay cut for player's salaries and the that NBA is looking a contracting the league. ESPN's Page 2 readers think that the Grizzlies should be the first team to go. Take the poll for what its worth. Page 2 readers also suggested getting rid of the New York Yankees.

Cafe Society is hosting a bourbon tasting on Wednesday, November 3rd at 6:30pm. Four bourbons (Woodford Reserve, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden and Jim Beam) will be sampled for $25 per person plus tax and tip. $5 small plates will also be available during the tasting. Space is limited so call for a reservation at 901-722-2177.

Its going to be chilly tonight, with lows hitting the upper 30's. It might be a bourbon night.

Bottom 10, Heat Experiment, World Series, Sweet Grass

It's a rare occurrence when you find the Memphis Tigers and the Texas Longhorns in the same football rankings. This week both are in the ESPN Bottom 10 rankings. Also receiving votes are our friends from Tennessee-Knoxville.

It was satisfying to see the Miami Heat Experiment go down to the Boston Celtics 88-80 last night. It looks like the patrons at the Whiskey Tango All American Bar & Grill in Hollywood, FL, were the big winners last night. Whiskey Tango agreed to pay for bar tabs of its customers for the Heat's first loss of the season (up to $25 per tab). The final tally was approximately $4,100. Great promotion. Wonder if a Downtown Memphis bar would be willing to make the same commitment?

The World Series starts tonight with the Texas Rangers facing the San Francisco Giants. Many Memphians may be pulling for the Giants with pitcher Matt Cain, formerly of Houston High School. It's hard not to pull for the Rangers, who beat the New York Yankees in the ALCS. Rangers win in six.

I visited Sweet Grass again last night for dinner. Just like my previous visit, the food was fantastic. I highly recommend the yellow fin tuna.

Halloween, Football, Grizz Opener

You could tell last weekend that its Halloween season. Several people were out in costumes after leaving Halloween themed parties. The fun continues this weekend, with parties slated all weekend long. If I had to pick one party on Halloween night, it would be the Kooky Halloween Bash at Kooky Canuck. $2.50 34 ounce Bud Light beer, costume contests and no cover are just a few of the highlights.

Speaking of Halloween, I still need to come up with a costume. A combo of the Ole Miss mascots? A redneck ghost? The, now dead, soccer picking octopus?

Did Tennessee-Knoxville's Derek Dooley really compare his football team to the Germans on D-day? I get where he is going with the reference, but wow! What was he thinking? I thought he was smarter than that. Maybe there's something in the water in Knoxville that just makes you a rambling idiot. See Kiffin, Pearl, Hamilton, now Dooley.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 3-3
Season: 33-15 (69%)
  
Centre College over Rhodes
Houston over Memphis
Florida over Georgia
Oregon over USC
Tennessee Titans over San Diego Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers over New Orleans Saints

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection:  East Carolina vs Louisville*

*The Liberty Bowl usually matches up the Conference USA champion vs a SEC representative. Its looking like two SEC teams will make it to the BCS bowls, so the SEC may not have enough bowl eligible teams to fill all of its bowl tie-ins. The Liberty Bowl has an alternate agreement with the Big East to provide a team if the SEC doesn't have enough teams.

Don't forget that the Memphis Grizzlies regular season opener is tomorrow night against the Atlanta Hawks at FedEx Forum. After a perfect preseason, expectations are high that the Grizzlies will return to the the playoffs. Tip off is at 7pm and plenty of seats are still available.

Broad Improvements, Consolidation, Early Voting Reminder

The businesses on Broad Avenue are going the extra mile to demonstrate the potential of the up and coming arts and entertainment area. Broad already has galleries and restaurants/bars in place, but there are many vacant buildings that are looking for tenants.


I was considering voting against the city/county consolidation, until I noticed who was coming to Memphis to fight the proposed merger. I am definitely pro-consolidation now.

Just a reminder that early voting ends on Thursday. If you missed getting out early, do your civic duty and vote in person on Tuesday.

Random Rainy Day Ramblings

What a swing in weather change this weekend. Yesterday was a beautiful day and today Memphis is getting slammed with rain. Many people may not realize that Memphis has been going through a severe drought over the past few weeks, so the rain is very needed.

After throwing two pick 6's to Cleveland Browns linebacker David Bowens, its fairly obvious that New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees really likes the name of his newborn son. His second son was born earlier this week. His name...Bowen.

Yesterday was great sports day. It was nice seeing LSU, Mississippi, Oklahoma and the Phillies lose. In honor of the Phillies loss, here is great clip from HBO's Life and Times of Tim. Yes, the clip is geared towards the Eagles/Giants rivalry, but it applies to all Philadelphia sports teams. 



Stay away from the Marmalade Lounge. I may choose to expand on this later, but do yourself a favor and stay away from this low class establishment.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 10/25/10

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 25, 2010:

1.Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
2. Auburn (SEC Champion)
3. Boise State (WAC Champion)
4. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
5. Michigan State (Big 10 Champion)
6. Missouri (Big 12 Champion)
7. Alabama (At Large SEC)
8. Wisconsin (At Large Big 10)
9. Utah (At Large Mountain West)
10. Stanford (At Large PAC 10)
11. Ohio State (At Large Big 10)
12. Florida State (ACC Champion)
13. East Carolina (C-USA Champion)
14. Pittsburgh (Big East Champion)
15. Northern Illinois (MAC Champion)
16. Troy (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Oklahoma (#4, Big 12 Champion), LSU (#7, At Large SEC), West Virginia (#13, Big East Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 10 (3), PAC 10 (2), SEC (2), Mountain West (2), ACC (1), Big 12 (1), Big East (1), C-USA (1), MAC (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Oregon
(9) Utah at (8) Wisconsin
(12) Florida State at (5) Michigan State
(13) East Carolina at (4) TCU
(11) Ohio State at (6) Missouri
(14) Pittsburgh at (3) Boise State
(10) Stanford at (7) Alabama
(15) Northern Illinois at (2) Auburn

Round 2
(8) Wisconsin vs (1) Oregon
(5) Michigan State vs (4) TCU
(6) Missouri vs (3) Boise State
(7) Alabama vs (2) Auburn

Round 3
(4) TCU vs (1) Oregon
(3) Boise State vs (2) Auburn

Championship Game
(2) Auburn vs (1) Oregon

Perfect Preseason, Carl's Commentary

The Grizzlies completed a perfect 8-0 preseason with last night's victory over the Detroit Pistons. There is potential for a special season at FedEx Forum, if the Grizzlies can fix the turnover and outside shooting problems. The Grizzlies regular season starts Wednesday night at home against the Atlanta Hawks.


And now some commentary from Carl Brutananadilewski.




Lots of football watching and River Arts Fest today.

Memphis Ranked In Preseason Poll, Candy Buy Back, Chef Needed At Chez Philippe

The USA/ESPN Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll was released yesterday and the Memphis Tigers are ranked number 19, one above the Tennessee-Knoxville Volunteers. Opening tip off is just a couple of weeks away.

Main Street Dental is starting a great program this Halloween season. On Tuesday, November 2, they are hosting a Halloween Candy Buy Back. From 8am - 6pm, Main Street Dental will give you $1 for every pound of your Halloween candy. The candy will then be organized into care packages and sent to United States military personnel overseas. Great concept Main Street Dental!

Executive chef Reinaldo Alfonso has announced that he is leaving Chez Philippe to pursue other interests in Philadelphia, PA. The search is on for a more traditional French chef to replace him. Its always sad to see good culinary talent leave, especially when Memphis is trying to define itself as a restaurant city. Good luck Reny!

Jim's Place East Closing...Kinda, Indie Memphis, River Arts Fest, Football

Jim's Place East is closing its Shelby Oaks location after nearly 35 years in business. The restaurant will reopen on Perkins Extended on November 15 as Jim's Place. Basically the same restaurant with a few menu changes, with a shortened name and a new location. This last day for the Shelby Oaks location will be Saturday.

There are two great festivals this weekend in Memphis. Film buffs will enjoy Indie Memphis being held at Midtown's Playhouse on the Square, Studio on the Square and the Brooks Museum beginning tomorrow night through Sunday. There will be full length and short films all weekend long in addition to a free screening of The Blues Brothers Friday night at the Levitt Shell.

River Arts Fest returns to the South Main area this weekend. This is usually a fun time with lots of people watching, art, live music and more. There will also be a preview party Friday night at the Memphis College of Art's South Main campus. Details are below.

Here are a few music recommendations for the Fest.

Eric Hughes (4pm Saturday,Midway Stage)
Billie Worley (11am Sunday, Sam's Town Main Stage)
Blind Mississippi Morris and Brad Web (2pm Sunday, Midway Stage)

Larry Porter's football team finally has a weekend off to get healthy and figure out if they want to win another game or two this season. The Memphis Tigers now boast a 1-6 overall record and are 0-4 in Conference USA. Local sports talk is showing that Memphis fans aren't happy with the way that the season is progressing and they are questioning if Porter was the right hire. Tiger fans needs to give Porter a break. The cupboard was bare after Tommy West's regime and it will take at least a year (maybe two) for Porter's system and players to be in place.  The Tigers very well may finish the season with one win (my guess is two), but I say give Porter a pass. If Memphis has the same record at the midway point of next season, then the Porter experiment will have to end. Maybe Tiger fans will get lucky and get a bonus firing of R.C. Johnson at the same time.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 4-2
Season: 30-12 (71%)

Navy over Notre Dame
Austin College over Rhodes
Auburn over LSU
Oklahoma over Missouri
New Orleans Saints over Cleveland Browns
Philadelphia Eagles over Tennessee Titans

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection:  East Carolina vs Syracuse*

*The Liberty Bowl usually matches up the Conference USA champion vs a SEC representative. Its looking like two SEC teams will make it to the BCS bowls, so the SEC may not have enough bowl eligible teams to fill all of its bowl tie-ins. The Liberty Bowl has an alternate agreement with the Big East to provide a team if the SEC doesn't have enough teams.

Here's a sampling of Billie Worley for your enjoyment.

Memphis Bottom 10 Update, Early Voting, Grizzlies Win, Barbara Billingsley

After another lopsided loss this weekend, Memphis should remain in the ESPN Bottom 10 this week. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Tigers come in at number four or five.

Don't forget that early voting is going on right now in Shelby County. I went today and it was painless. I was in and out within 5 minutes. Here are the early voting locations and a sample ballot for Shelby County residents. There are some big elections on the ballot, including governor, congressional seats and the controversial Memphis/Shelby County consolidation.

The Memphis Grizzlies are now a perfect 7-0 in preseason play after tonight's victory over the New Orleans Hornets. Again, its only preseason, but the team is playing well. The Grizzlies final preseason game is Friday night at Detroit. The Grizzlies open regular season play on October 27 at home against the Atlanta Hawks.

On a sad note, Barbara Billingsley passed away over the weekend. Many will remember Billingsley from her role on Leave It To Beaver, but my favorite Billingsley role was from Airplane!






Rest in peace Babs!

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 10/18/10

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 18, 2010:

1.Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
2. Boise State (WAC Champion)
3. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
4. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
5. Auburn (SEC Champion)
6. Alabama (At Large SEC)
7. LSU (At Large SEC)
8. Michigan State (Big 10 Champion)
9. Utah (At Large Mountain West)
10. Wisconsin (At Large Big 10)
11. Ohio State (At Large Big 10)
12. Florida State (ACC Champion)
13. West Virginia (Big East Champion)
14. East Carolina (C-USA Champion)
15. Northern Illinois (MAC Champion)
16. Troy (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Nebraska (#4, Big 12 Champion), South Carolina (#8, At Large SEC), SMU (#14, C-USA Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 10 (3), SEC (3), Big 12 (1), Mountain West (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), C-USA (1), MAC (1), PAC 10 (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Oregon
(9) Utah at (8) Michigan State
(12) Florida State at (5) Auburn
(13) West Virginia at (4) Oklahoma
(11) Ohio State at (6) Alabama
(14) East Carolina at (3) TCU
(10) Wisconsin at (7) LSU
(15) Northern Illinois at (2) Boise State

Round 2
(8)Michigan State vs (1) Oregon
(5) Auburn vs (4) Oklahoma
(6) Alabama vs (3) TCU
(7) LSU vs (2) Boise State

Round 3
(4) Oklahoma vs (1) Oregon
(3) TCU vs (2) Boise State

Championship Game
(2) Boise State vs (1) Oregon

Memphis Madness, Downtown Dining, Perfect Preseason For Grizzlies

Memphis Madness returns tonight to kickoff men's and women's basketball seasons at the University of Memphis. This is a free event at FedEx Forum. I encourage everyone to get there early. Last year there was an overflow crowd and fans were turned away.

Here's the quick schedule of events.
6:00 p.m. - Rockasaurus Rex plays on the Plaza
6:30 p.m. - Doors open
6:45 p.m. -- Men's team autograph session starts
7:15 p.m. - Live stream of Memphis Madness starts via All-Access at gotigersgo.com
7:20 p.m. - Men's team autograph session ends
7:45 p.m. - Women's team introductions
7:55 p.m. - Women's team drills
8:05 p.m. - Yo Gotti performance
8:20 p.m. - Men's team introductions
8:30 p.m. - Three-point shooting challenge
8:50 p.m. - Dunk contest
9:10 p.m. - Men's team scrimmage
9:30 p.m. - Memphis Madness concludes



Downtown Dining Week has been announced for November 15 - November 21. Most participating restaurants are three courses for $20.10 and there a few where two people can dine for $20.10. Make your reservations now.

Has anyone else noticed that the Grizzlies are undefeated so far during preseason play? Yes, the games are meaningless, but it good to see the fight that this team has. Hopefully this continues into the regular season. The Grizzlies play at home against the Milwaukee bucks on Saturday night. Tickets are still available.

New Mascot In Oxford, Downton Olympics, Football & 5,6,7,8's

University of Mississippi alumni, season ticket holders and students have finally selected a mascot. After what seemed like a painful search, Ole Miss stake holders went with the Rebel Black Bear. Probably the safest selection over Hotty Toddy and the Rebel Land Shark.

The Ole Miss marketing department must be drooling over the available promotional opportunities. Like, with Tim the Bear from Fox's The Cleveland Show,

or PSAs with Smokey the Bear,

or with Conan's Masturbating Bear.

Here's a quick look at Conan's friend in action.




Ole Miss may also have a chance to have the first jersey sponsorships of the SEC.

Just received a note that the Downtown Olympics are this Saturday. Here's the schedule of events.

11am: Registration & Check-in opens at Max’s (formerly Calhoun’s)

12 Noon: Opening Ceremony – Team Introductions

12:45pm: 4-Bar Relay Start

1:30pm: Synchronized Beer Drinking Start

2:45pm: Downtown Survivor Challenge Start

4:00pm: Big Wheel Race Start

5:15pm: Cornhole Tourney Start

7:00pm: DynaFlow Takes the Stage

7:30pm: Trophy & Medal Presentation

8:00pm: Dynaflow Rocks into the Night

The Events are as follows:

4-Bar Relay – short relay race where each team member must kill a beer which they have purchased, run with baton to next bar, pass baton to next team member, who then rinses & repeats until finish line at Max’s (previously Calhoun's)... Bars will be announced soon & runs will be kept to a minimum...

Synchronized Beer Drinking – All team members participate in a music-related skit which involves synchronized beer drinking...

Big Wheel Race – Two (2) team members participate in head-to-head bracket style racing on a Big Wheel or Tricycle (teams responsible for their own BigWheel)... Last year’s course included a figure-8, so expect to be challenged...

Downtown Survivor Challenge – Each team member will have to complete a downtown-related task before next team member can begin the next task & complete entire challenge... Expect beer purchase to be involved here...

Cornhole Tourney – Each team may have 2 distinct Two-person cornhole teams in cornhole tourney... Toss ‘em to win...

Then it’s Dynaflow in the courtyard behind Calhoun’s for some entertainment & winner’s celebrations.

If football is more your speed, then you should go to the Memphis football game on Saturday. Tickets are dirt cheap. For $10 you get your ticket, a soft drink and a hot dog. Not a bad deal.

College football in the state of Tennessee is just plain bad this year. Middle Tennessee State (2-3), Vanderbilt (2-3) and Tennessee-Knoxville (2-4) have an edge over Memphis (1-5) for the most wins of Volunteer State FBS programs. That's right, all of the FBS programs have losing records.  The FCS programs aren't doing much better. Tennessee State (3-3) has the best record over Austin Peay (2-3), Tennessee-Martin (2-4) and Tennessee Tech (2-4).

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 3-3
Season: 26-10 (72%)

10/16
Millsaps over Rhodes
Southern Miss over Memphis
Auburn over Arkansas
Ohio State over Wisconsin
Tampa Bay Buccaneers over New Orleans Saints
Tennessee Titans over Jacksonville Jaguars

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection:  East Carolina vs Cincinnati

The Liberty Bowl usually matches up the Conference USA champion vs a SEC representative. Its looking like two SEC teams will make it to the BCS bowls, so the SEC may not have enough bowl eligible teams to fill all of its bowl tie-ins. The Liberty Bowl has an alternate agreement with the Big East to provide a team if the SEC doesn't have enough teams.

The 5, 6, 7, 8's are playing at the Hi-Tone on Sunday night. You may remember them from Kill Bill Vol. 1 or from Vonage commercials. Here's a quick look.