Cafe Eclectic Temporarily Closed

Due to a car ramming its front doors just after lunch today, Cafe Eclectic on McLean will be temporarily closed. No one was injured from the incident, but apparently there was some structural damage to the restaurant. No word yet as to when the Midtown eatery will reopen.

Smith Named Tigers QB, QB Trouble In Oxford, Football Kicks Off This Weekend,

Is anyone really surprised that Canon Smith was named the Memphis starting quarterback? Many will say it was his father's influence, but  the truth is he is just a bit ahead of true freshman Ryan Williams. Smith, now a 23-year-old redshirt junior, is older and wiser, but not the best quarterback on the Tigers' staff. Williams has all of tools and ability, but he is obviously young and needs to gain a little experience. My guess is that Williams will eventually be the starter for Larry Porter's team this season, probably sooner than later.

In somewhat breaking news, the NCAA will not grant a waiver allowing Oregon transfer Jeremiah Masoli to play football at Mississippi this season. The ruling will prevent Masoli from playing football until the 2011 season.  This is obviously bad news for Houston Nutt and Rebel fans. Masoli was brought in to be the savior at quarterback this season with the Rebels being very thin at the position. Mississippi plans to appeal the decision. The NCAA could rule on the appeal as soon as Friday of this week, but no later than Tuesday of next week. The Rebels should win with or without Masoli this week against FCS member Jacksonville State and most likely the following two weeks at Tulane and home against Vanderbilt. By the fourth game of the season, whoever is taking the snaps should be comfortable running the offense against Fresno State. If not, it could be a long season for the Rebels.


College football's regular season kicks off Thursday night with a handful of games including Southern Miss at South Carolina. This game will be featured on ESPN. Other big games this weekend include Memphis at Mississippi State, LSU vs North Carolina and Boise State vs Virginia Tech.

Just like last year I'll have weekly football picks. Pretty proud of my 72% record last season.

Lots Of Music This Week

In addition to the Metal Museum Thursday night series, music lovers should have a great time this week at Live at the Garden and the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival.

The final Live at the Garden concert of the season brings Blondie and Cheap Trick to the Memphis Botanic Garden. Tickets are still available. Here's a quick sampling of a couple of the hits you might hear.





Wonder if Cheap Trick's lead guitarist is still packing that monster axe?

The Memphis Music and Heritage Festival returns on Saturday and Sunday on Main Street between Peabody and Gayoso. In the past, this has been a great event and its FREE. As you can list from the list of music, there is a ton of music to enjoy.

2010 Memphis Music and Heritage Festival Performers

Bobby Rush, Hill Country Revue, Kate Campbell, Sonny Burgess and the Pacers, Joyce Cobb, Sid Selvidge & Jimmie Crosthwaith, Smoochy Smith Trio, Hickory Withe Bluegrass, Eden Brent, Los Cantadores, Star & Micey, Bill Shipper, Bluff City Backsliders, Eddie Bond, FreeWorld, Homemade Jamz Blues Band, Tonya Dyson and Green Onions, The Bo Keys, Lisa Lambert & the Pine Ridge Boys, Darrell Petties and S.I.P., Elmo & the Shades, Blind Mississippi Morris, MouseRocket, Randal Morton, Cody Dickinson Project, Devil Train, Exodus, Mellow Tones, Moments of Joy, Orange Mound Jazz Messengers, Popa Tops Westcoast Turnaround, Sweet Angel, Symbiosis, The Daddy Mack Blues Band, The Golden Keys, The Jumpin' ChiChis, Valerie June, Voice of Golden Eagle, William Lee Ellis, The Sultana, John Paul Keith and the 145s, Valerie and Jason Show, The Memphis Klezmer All-Stars, The Jazz Collective, and Sidney, Cidney, Sidney.

Bardog Fundraiser, Local, New Concert Series At Metal Museum Begins This Thursday,

Had a great time yesterday at Bardog at their fundraiser for St. Jude. Lots of people, beverages, great food, meatball eating contests and music from the Bluff City Backsliders. The Commercial Appeal has a nice article about the event.

We stopped by Local Gastropub after Bardog. This was my first visit to Local for food. The meatball sliders were fantastic.

Thursday Night Live at the Metal Museum begins this Thursday with Family Fun Night featuring the The Soulsville Charter School Philharmonic Orchestra on the grounds of the National Ornamental Museum. This will be the first of four events geared to music lovers at the museum. For those that haven't been, the Metal Museum has a great view of the river and the grounds will be a perfect place for a concert series. Tickets are $5 for non-members and food and beverage will be available for purchase. All shows begin at 6:30pm

Thursday Night Live at the Metal Museum Line Up

9/2 - Family Fun Night with a performance by The Soulsville Charter School Philharmonic Orchestra
9/9 – Musical Guest: Star and Micey
9/16 - Marcela Pinilla
9/23 – Rebirth of Soul featuring Tim Terry

Here's a little sample of the Bluff City Backsliders for your enjoyment.

Hank Jr Coming To Mid-South

Tickets going on sale today for the Hank Williams Jr concert at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven. The concert will be Friday, October 15. Jamey Johnson and Colt Ford will be the opening acts. Should be a great night for country music fans.

Here's a quick sampling of each artist.

Restaurant Updates: Circa Moving, Cajun-Creole Wine Dinner

Chef John Bragg has announced that his restaurant, Circa by John Bragg, is moving to East Memphis this fall. Circa will move into the space formerly occupied by Mikasa in the Regalia Shopping Center near Poplar and Ridgeway. After the move, Bragg will open a new casual dining restaurant in space currently used by Circa. Its unfortunate to see Circa head to East Memphis. Casual dining spots are nice to have, but Downtown Memphis needs more upscale restaurants.

The Grove Grill is hosting a Cajun-Creole wine dinner on August 25th. The menu looks fantastic.

Sweet Corn Johnny Cakes with smoked Tennessee duck

Mas Amiel, "Spheres" Brut

****
Creole Tomato Crab Bisque with crawfish and tasso Croque Monsieur

Brandborg Pinot Gris, 2008, Oregon

****
Andouille and Okra Stuffed Lemon Sole over summer corn maque choux

Merryvale Starmont, Chardonnay, 2008, California

****
Wood Grilled Newman Farms Pork Loin local shiitake and asparagus crepes
Whole grain mustard veloute

Rosenblum Zinfandel, 2006, Paso Robles

****

Golden Raisin and Croissant Bread Pudding Prichard's rum anglaise and
sweet potato ice cream

Merryvale Antigua

****
$55.00 plus tax and gratuity
For reservations call 901-818-9951, or go to www.thegrovegrill.com

Levitt Shell Fall Schedule Announced

Officials with the Levitt Shell have announced the fall concert series line up. Shows will continue Thursday through Sunday beginning on September 16. The late Saturday afternoon kids-themed series will also continue. All shows will begin at 7:30pm, except for Saturday kids (5:30pm).

Levitt Shell Fall Series

Thursday, September 16 - Tear Down The Walls
Friday, September 17 - Ruthie Foster
Saturday, September 18 (Kids) - Hatiloo Theater Presents Music "The Wiz"
Saturday, September 18 - Tracy Nelson
Sunday, September 19 - Incendio

Thursday, September 23 - Bob Schneider

Friday, September 24 - Eden Brent
Saturday, September 25 (Kids) - Ekpe & Company Presents "I Am A Genius!"
Saturday, September 25 - Guy Forsyth
Sunday, September 26 - Colour Revolt


Thursday, September 30 - Latin Music Fest!
Friday, October 1 - Ryan Peel
Saturday, October 2 (Kids) - Snowden Elementary's Centennial Celebration
Saturday, October 2 - Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Sunday, October 3 - Keith Sykes

Thursday, October 7 - Jim Lauderdale
Friday, October 8 - Alvin Youngblood Hart

Saturday, October 9 (Kids) - Voices of the South Presents "Kallahoney Kids"
Saturday, October 9 - Rangoli: Colors of India
Sunday, October 10 - Kevin Gordon

Thursday, October 14 - Jackopierce
Friday, October 15 - The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker
Saturday, October 16 (Kids) - Project:Motion Presents "Riverdreams"
Saturday, October 16 - Danielia Cotton
Sunday, October 17 - Vaneese Thomas

2010 Memphis Area College Football Schedules

With college football season just a few short weeks away, here are the home football schedules for fans of Memphis college football playing schools.

Memphis will struggle this season under first year coach Larry Porter, but the Tigers have a great home schedule with visits from Sun Belt pre-season champion Middle Tennessee State, Conference USA's pre-season divisional champion picks Houston and Central Florida and in-state rival Tennessee-Knoxville.


Memphis Tigers 2010 Home Schedule

September 18 - Middle Tennessee State
October 2 - Tulsa
October 16 - Southern Miss
October 30 - Houston
November 6 - Tennessee-Knoxville
November 27 - Central Florida

Memphis Full Schedule


Rhodes Lynx 2010 Home Schedule

September 11 - Washington University
October 2 - Lagrange
October 16 - Millsaps
October 30 - Centre (Homecoming)
November 6 - Birmingham Southern


Rhodes Full Schedule

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Pre-Season Playoff Predictions

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions will return for another college football season. Now its fifth published season, click here to see last season's final mock playoff field.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions are published weekly on Monday afternoons 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).

The pre-season playoff field for the 2010 season is:

1. Alabama (SEC Champion)
2. Ohio State (Big 10 Champion)
3. Boise State (WAC Champion)
4. Florida (At Large SEC)
5. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
6. Texas (Big 12 Champion)
7. Oklahoma (At Large Big 12)
8. Nebraska (At Large Big 12)
9. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
10. Oregon (PAC 10 Champion)
11. Iowa (At Large Big 10)
12. Wisconsin (At Large Big 10)
13. Pittsburgh (Big East Champion)
14. Houston (C-USA Champion)
15. Temple (MAC Champion)
16. Middle Tennessee State (Sun Belt Champion)


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

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Middle Tennessee State at (1) Alabama
(9) Virginia Tech at (8) Nebraska
(12) Wisconsin at (5) TCU
(13) Pittsburgh at (4) Florida
(11) Iowa at (6) Texas
(14) Houston at (3) Boise State
(10) Oregon at (7) Oklahoma
(15) Temple at (2) Ohio State

Round 2
(8) Nebraska vs (1) Alabama
(5) TCU vs (4) Florida
(6) Texas vs (3) Boise State
(7) Oklahoma vs (2) Ohio State

Round 3
(4) Florida vs (1) Alabama
(3) Boise State vs (2) Ohio State

Championship Game
(2)Ohio State vs (1) Alabama

Football Season Is Here, Grizzlies Schedule Announced, Death Week

Is anyone else excited that football season is here? College and NFL teams are all on the practice field and NFL pre-season games have already started.

Keeping with the sports theme, the NBA announced their 2010-11 regular season today. The Grizzlies will open their season at home against the Atlanta Hawks on October 27. The game that will have the hottest ticket will be on November 20 when the Miami Heat come to the FedEx Forum. Get the full schedule here.

It appears that Elvis "Death Week" has arrived. There should be tons of Elvis themed activities going on this week/weekend. The best may be the 2nd Annual Stumbling Elvis pub crawl on Saturday night. Dress up like Elvis, enjoy adult beverages and bring canned goods or a cash donation for the Midsouth Food Bank. The festivities begin at 7pm at the Downtown Flying Saucer, then go to Blue Fin, the Peabody Lobby, Alfred's, Silky's and then finish up at the Saucer.

Its not too late to get Elvis gear for the pub crawl.