Another Happy Mexican, New Irish Pub In Midtown, & Shell Out For The Arts

The Happy Mexican is opening its fourth Memphis location in the space formerly used by On The Border near Winchester and Hack's Cross. It's great to see a locally owned and operated business grow in these tough economic times. Did anyone know there was a Happy Mexican near Wolfchase Mall?

A new Irish pub is opening in Midtown on Madison, catty-corner from the Blue Monkey. The Dublin House is planning to open in November in the space formerly occupied by Melos Taverna. The location has been empty for a few years now. There were rumors flying around for a while that the owner's of Dan McGuinness and TJ Mulligan's were planning on opening a bar/restaurant in the spot after they purchased building. Instead, Jody Clark will lease the property from the ownership group. Downtowner's may remember Jody from her days at manager of the now closed Dan McGuinness in Peabody Place. This will be a great addition to an already busy part of Midtown. The only issue I see here is parking. Finding a space for your car is already a chore. Maybe they will re-open the parking lot that is now fenced-in behind the building to ease the problem.

Here's a great event for a great cause. $20 gets you beer, wine, dinner and great music from Alvin Youngblood Hart. Since they are close together, why not check out the Broad Avenue Art Walk and then head over to the Levitt Shell for the festivities.

Broad Ave. Art Walk, Halloween, Art On Fire, Belgian Beer Dinner, College Football and Football Picks

The 5th Annual Broad Avenue Art Walk is coming up next Friday (October 8) from 5p-10p. For those who aren't familiar with the area, its location Broad Avenue between Hollywood and Collins. Some of the featured events include: Bala Boyd's "Void?" (won Best in Show at the 2010 Alys Beach Digital Graffiti Festival), art exhibits and openings at various galleries, flame throwing (this could be interesting) and belly dancing and the opportunity to try food from Broadway Pizza, The Cove and Three Angels Diner. If  the weather continues to be nice, this will be a fun event.

Halloween is just a few weeks away. You can get some great deals at Spirit by clicking on the banner above. Yep, that was a shameless plug. What are some of the hot costume ideas this year?

Lady Gaga's meat dress

              Kick Ass and Hit Girl

Antoine Dodson

 Bruce Vilanch

Halloween is on a Sunday night this year, but it is safe to say the Halloween parties will going on all weekend. If you don't want to dress up all weekend, you might want to check out Art On Fire at the Dixon. More details about this event are coming out tomorrow.

Keep an eye out for an upcoming announcement for a Belgian beer dinner at Cafe Society in Midtown. Cafe Society probably has the best selection of Belgian beer in the city and the food isn't too shabby either. Details soon.

Some media outlets are reporting that the Big East Conference is looking at adding TCU in the next round of expansion. Would the addition of the Horned Frogs be a great addition to the conference? Sure. They have a top-notch athletic program with top ranked teams in football (currently #5 in polls) and baseball (reached the College World Series last year). With TCU's location being close to 900 miles west of the Big East's closest team (Louisville), you would think more teams may be asked to join the conference. Perhaps schools between Kentucky and Texas. Again this is all speculation, but why not add four schools and qualify for the coveted conference championship. If the additions of TCU and Villanova (reportedly asked to join the Big East earlier this month) go through, add East Carolina, Houston, Memphis or Southern Miss to the conference and you have playing partners for TCU and the other southern Big East schools.

How does Memphis improve its football stock? It is not with Tiger Lane. The answer: just win.

Here's what the new conference may look like.

Big East North
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Villanova
West Virginia

Big East South
Louisville
East Carolina or Southern Miss
Houston
Memphis
South Florida
TCU
 
Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 4-2
Season: 18-6 (75%)


Rhodes over LaGrange College
LSU over Tennessee-Knoxville
Tulsa over Memphis
Oregon over Stanford
Denver Broncos over Tennessee Titans
New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers

Mostly because I'm bored, here's a new feature. A quick stab at who will be representing Conference USA and the SEC in this year's Liberty Bowl.

Weekly Liberty Bowl prediction: Central Florida vs Tennessee

And now, what has to be, the worst song of all-time.

Southwest Coming To Memphis?, Three Angels Diner, Wild Abundance, Pig Party

Southwest Airlines has announced that it will buyout AirTran. This could be great news for travelers looking for lower airfares out of Memphis. AirTran currently has five flights per day out of Memphis and one out of Tunica. Southwest will most likely take over these routes and, hopefully, add flights to more destinations. Delta may be forced to compete with Southwest's lower fares, which will be a good thing for Memphis travelers who are getting hosed by Delta's high fares.

On a friend's recommendation, I made it over to Three Angels Diner last week for lunch.  The menu ranges from soups and sandwichs to plate lunch/dinners and fried chicken. I recommend the adult grilled cheese sandwich. The sandwich is loaded with cheddar, smoked gouda and goat cheese. Add bacon for a buck more and you are good to go. Three Angels is not currently serving alcoholic beverages, but should do so in the near future. The restaurant is a much needed and welcome addition on up and coming Broad Avenue. Definitely a good spot for a good, inexpensive meal.

Hunting season is upon us and ArtsMemphis has released a new book just in time for the season. Wild Abundance: Ritual, Revelry & Recipes of the South's Finest Hunting Clubs. The book is described as a "tribute to the cooks, spirit and culture that make Southern duck hunting clubs unique" and features stories and recipes from chefs including John Besh, John Currence, Kelly English, and more. This could be a perfect holiday gift for an outdoor enthusiast.

Don't forget to wear your Pink Pig clothing this Friday. Downtown's Shelton Clothiers is hosting its 3rd Annual Pink Pig Party on Friday from 5p to 9p. To get in the party, all you need to do is wear a Pink Pig item or buy special event items that night. Once you get in, you'll be able to enjoy bbq, wine and beer.

Speaking of pigs, Arkansas fans are still reeling after the Razorbacks' heartbreaking  loss to Alabama on Saturday. Ryan Mallet still has a lot to learn, after throwing two careless interceptions with the game on the line. Here's to hoping the Crimson Tide drops a game to Florida this week.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 9/27/10

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 September 27, 2010:

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

Dropped out: Texas (#8, At Large Big 12), Arkansas (#10, At Large SEC)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (2), 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) Alabama
(9) Oklahoma at (8) Florida
(12) Miami at (5) Oregon
(13) West Virginia at (4) TCU
(11) Wisconsin at (6) Nebraska
(14) Houston at (3) Boise State
(10) Utah at (7) Auburn
(15) Temple at (2) Ohio State

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

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

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

Goner Fest, Charles Krug Wine Dinner, Big Football Weekend

Fresh off its #8 ranking in Rolling Stone's top 25 record stores in America, Goner Records is hosting Goner Fest 7 this weekend. The music festival kicked off last night and continues through Sunday at the Hi Tone and other venues in Midtown.

Fans of Charles Krug wines should enjoy the Krug-themed wine dinner at The Grove Grill on Wednesday, September 27 at 7pm. The menu looks pretty good.

Charles Krug Wine Dinner Menu



Sampling of Tapas and Bruschettas

****
Tuna and Avocado Ceviche
With Mike Taylor's Scotch Bonnet Dressing

2008 Sauvignon Blanc

****
Sautéed Mahi Mahi Piccatta
With grilled polenta and honey-saffron preserved onions

2008 Chardonnay

****
Wood Grilled Carolina Quail
With lentil salsa and bell pepper glace de vallie

2006 Zinfandel

****

Roast Center Cut Rib Eye and Seared Rib Eye Cap Steak
With gorgonzola gnocchi and pickled cherry tomatoes

2005 Generations

****

Tennessee Peach Short Cake and Caramel Ice Cream

The wine dinner will cost you $55 plus tax and tip. Contact the Grove Grill for more information.

There is tons of great football on the tube this weekend. Arkansas vs Alabama, Auburn vs South Carolina, LSU vs West Virginia and Boise State vs Oregon State are just a few the notable games to watch on Saturday. If you want to get an early start on your football weekend, get out tonight at watch Miami take on Pitt or tomorrow night for the Battle for the Iron Skillet between SMU and #4 TCU.


Congratulations also need to go out to Larry Porter for getting his first win as a head coach against Middle Tennessee State last weekend. It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win. 


Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 3-3
Season: 14-4 (77%)

Alabama over Arkansas
UTEP over Memphis
Fresno State over Mississippi

Boise State over Oregon State
Tennessee Titans over New York Giants
New Orleans Saints over Atlanta Falcons

I'm hearing good things about the Three Angels Diner. I might have to check it out today for lunch.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 9/20/10

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 September 20, 2010:

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

Dropped out: Iowa (#7, At Large Big 10)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 12 (3), SEC (3), Big 10 (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) Troy at (1) Alabama
(9) Florida at (8) Texas
(12) Miami at (5) Oregon
(13) West Virginia at (4) TCU
(11) Wisconsin at (6) Nebraska
(14) Temple at (3) Boise State
(10) Arkansas at (7) Oklahoma
(15) Houston at (2) Ohio State

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

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

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

Restaurant News, Random Notes, Plus Football Picks

Here's a few quick notes on local eateries. Three Angels Diner has opened in the Broad Avenue Arts District. A new spot from the owner's of Bari, Three Angels will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 11am to 2am.

Downtown's Quetzal has closed its doors. The owners have not ruled out opening a new restaurant in the near future. Mental note for the owners, bad service equals slow-to-no business.

Dunkin Donuts is planning to open a location on Union Avenue in Midtown in the space formerly occupied by Wolf Camera at 1540 Union. Its a chain, but a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Decent donuts, much better coffee.

Don't forget that Cooper Young Festival is Saturday. It might get a little warm during the day, but it will still be a good time.

As I stated earlier this week, its time for Bruce Pearl and Mike Hamilton to get the boot. Unfortunately, it may not be that easy to get rid of Pearl. Hamilton on the other hand should start cleaning his desk.

Just in time for fall weather, Mirimichi golf course in Millington has reopened after being closed since January. Can't wait to get out there and see the improvements to the facility. Justin Timberlake is hoping that the renovations will lead to a LPGA or PGA Champions Tour event at the course. The Senior PGA is great, but the LPGA might be more fun to watch.

Ryan Williams finally gets the opportunity to start for the Memphis Tigers this weekend against Middle Tennessee State. MTSU will, most likely, still win the game, but it will be nice to see a competitive game. Plenty of tickets are still available. Might be a nice option after Cooper Young.


Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 5-1
Season: 11-1 (92%)

Florida over Tennessee-Knoxville
Middle Tennessee State over Memphis
Trinity over Rhodes
Auburn over Clemson
Tennessee Titans over Pittsburgh Steelers
New Orleans Saints over San Francisco 49ers

Redbirds Adance, PCL Championship Begins Tomorrow

The Memphis Redbirds have advanced to the Pacific Coast League Championship for the second consecutive year. The Redbirds will face the Tacoma Rainers, who won their series last night. Due to stadium renovations in Tacoma, the entire series will be played in Memphis at AutoZone Park. The PCL Championship Series begins tomorrow night at 7:05pm. Tickets are on sale now and the Redbirds are running a two for one special. Here's the schedule:

Tuesday, September 14 - 7:05pm
Wednesday, September 15 - 7:05pm
Friday, September 17 - 7:05pm
Saturday, September 18 - 3:05pm (if necessary)
Sunday, September 19 - 1:05pm (if necessary)

Cooper Young Fest, PyrateFest & Watermelon Fun

Cooper Young Festival  is Saturday, September 18. There will be lots of great music, vendors and people watching. The weather should be perfect for a day of fun. Here's the music line up.

Goner Records/Young Avenue Deli Stage

12:30 p.m. – John Paul Keith and 145s

1:30 p.m. – Overnight Lows

2:30 p.m. – Jack O and the Tennessee Tearjerkers

3:30 p.m. – Missing Monuments

4:30 p.m. – The Limes

Visible School Stage

12:15 p.m. – Darien Clea

12:35 p.m. – Battle Victorious

1:15 p.m. – Donte’ Everhart

2:15 p.m. – Arma Secreta

3:15 p.m. – Keia Johnson

4:15 p.m. – Speakerboxx

Main Stage

12:15 p.m. – U of M Jazz Quartet

1:15 p.m. – Sheriffs of Nottingham

2:15 p.m. – D Monet

3:15 p.m. – Tony Dickerson

4:15 p.m. – Reba Russell

5:15 p.m. – Marcela & Orquesta Caliente


Here's a new festival for you to check out. In celebration of National Talk Like a Pirate Day, PyrateFest will be held on Sunday, September 19 from noon until 5pm at the National Ornamental Metal Museum. Here is some of the fun and games you will be able to enjoy.

• Sea Chanties with Pepe the Pyrate
• Pyrate Parade (for all dressed like Pyrates!)
• Bob & Susie Salley
• Pyrate Mistress Samra and the Pyrate Roses
• Celtic Fiddle with John Albertson and Janelle
• 30-foot Pirate Playship
• Children's Costume Contest
• Adult Costume Contest
• Talk Like a Pirate Contest
• Pirate Elvis Contest

Excuse me, while I go put on my pirate suit.

And now for a little watermelon humor.

Wine Dinner, Sliders In Midtown

Sorry that I missed what sounded like a tremendous wine dinner tonight. The dinner was located at River Oaks and featured dishes from Memphis chefs Jose Guiterrez of River Oaks, Kelly English of Restaurant Iris and Reinaldo Alfonso of Chez Philippe. Luckily this was the first of three wine dinners that this trio will prepare. Can't wait learn more about the next one.

The owners of Bardog are opening a new spot in Midtown. The new restaurant will be called The Slider Inn and it will be located on Peabody near the corner of Cooper. The name pretty much tells you what the restaurant specialty will be. Here's the big question, which will open first Adlo's Pizza Pies or The Slider Inn? After walking by Aldo's a couple of weeks ago, it looks like it has a long way to go before it is ready to open.

Pearl Embarrasses Knoxville Again, Tigers Are Terrible

First Bruce Pearl made most of America throw up with his shirtless antics.

Then came his failed attempt at stand up comedy. And who could forget his rapping?




And now this...



Is this his attempt at acting? Do you really think he is sorry for his actions or more worried about the cash he has to give up for not telling the truth?

When will Tennessee-Knoxville athletic director Mike Hamilton draw the line and give Pearl the boot? Or better yet, when will UT-K administrators, alumni and boosters show Hamilton the door for hiring Pearl and everyone's favorite coach, Lane Kiffin?

Bringing the sports discussion back to the west side of the state, the Memphis football team is just plain terrible. Some fans are guessing at the best that Larry Porter's squad will get two wins. If they keep playing like the last two weeks, it will be more like zero. Porter needs to make the move now and bench Cannon Smith. He was overrated in high school and there was a reason he couldn't get on the field at Miami. Give freshman Ryan Williams the ball and let him do the job that Smith can't.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 9/13/10

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 September 13, 2010:

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

Dropped out: Florida State (#12, ACC 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) Troy at (1) Alabama
(9) Wisconsin at (8) Texas
(12) Miami at (5) Oregon
(13) West Virginia at (4) TCU
(11) Nebraska at (6) Oklahoma
(14) Houston at (3) Boise State
(10) Florida at (7) Iowa
(15) Temple at (2) Ohio State

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

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

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

Best Bets: Positive Press, Alley Jams, Tiger Lane & Weekly Football Picks

With Murfreesboro, TN and Gainesville, FL receiving national attention for anti-Muslim actions, its good to see the Memphis area getting some positive press about the new Memphis Islamic Center in Cordova.

The Alley Jams series return on Friday night at Main Street and Peabody with special guests Memphis Jones and The Soul Shockers. If the weather holds up, this should be a great free event. See below for more Alley Jams info.



Tiger Lane, the Liberty Bowl's new tailgating area, will celebrate its grand opening this evening with a ribbon cutting ceremony. I've passed by Tiger Lane several times and it is very impressive, especially when compared to the previous fairgrounds set up. It won't be like going to the Grove in Oxford, but Tiger Lane will be a welcome addition for Memphis games, the Liberty Bowl and this weekend's Southern Heritage Classic.

Speaking of tailgating, today's Memphis Living Social offer is great deal for pre and post game snacks.

This week is a dream week for most football fans. The NFL kicks off tomorrow night when the Saint take on the Vikings (Calhoun's will be a great place to catch the game) and there are several huge college games (Miami vs Ohio State, Florida State vs Oklahoma and Penn State vs Alabama) on the slate.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 6-0
Season: 6-0 (100%)

New Orleans Saints over Minnesota Vikings
East Carolina over Memphis
Washington University over Rhodes
Jackson State over Tennessee State
Alabama over Penn State
Tennessee Titans over Oakland Raiders

Don't forget that the Rebirds start post-season play tonight at AutoZone Park.

Redbirds Win Division, More Trouble In Oxford

The Memphis Redbirds won the Pacific Coast League's American North Division, yesterday, with a ninth inning homerun in the final game of the regular season. Next up for the Redbirds will be the best of five American Conference Championship. The first two games of the series will be at Autozone Field tomorrow evening. Tickets are still available.

American Conference Championship Schedule

Wednesday: Oklahoma City at Redbirds, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday: Oklahoma City at Redbirds, 7:05 p.m.
Friday: Redbirds at Oklahoma City, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday: Redbirds at Oklahoma City, 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Sunday: Redbirds at Oklahoma City, 1:05 p.m.* (if necessary)

Its still hard to believe that Ole Miss lost to FCS member Jacksonville State over the weekend. The Rebels will need a blow out win over Tulane this weekend to convince fans that things are getting better. Tulane struggled in their first game over Southeastern Louisiana, but the Green Wave did get the win over the FCS Lions. Here's to pulling for the Green Wave.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 9/6/10

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 September 6, 2010:

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

Dropped out: Virginia Tech (#9, ACC Champion), Pittsburgh (#13, Big East Champion), Middle Tennessee State (#16, 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) Troy at (1) Alabama
(9) Florida at (8) Wisconsin
(12) Florida State at (5) Texas
(13) West Virginia at (4) TCU
(11) Oklahoma at (6) Iowa
(14) Houston at (3) Boise State
(10) Nebraska at (7) Oregon
(15) Temple at (2) Ohio State

Round 2
(8) Wisconsin vs (1) Alabama
(5) Texas vs (4) TCU
(6) Iowa vs (3) Boise State
(7) Oregon vs (2) Ohio State

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

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

Art On Tap, Outdoor Ice Skating, Football Picks

I hear that tickets to Art on Tap are selling quickly. You might want to snag yours now. This year Art on Tap will be held on Friday, September 10th. Its a great way to have unlimited samples of beers from around the world and support a good cause. Bosco's has crafted a special beer for the event called Biere de Garden (might have the spelling wrong here). I've had a sample of it already and its pretty good.

The Memphis Zoo is bringing outdoor ice skating to Memphis this winter. From November 19 through January 31, skaters will be able to get on the ice in a tented ice skating rink located in the picnic area between Northwest Passage and Teton Trek. This should be fun.

Lots of great football games this weekend, starting tomorrow night. Here's some picks for the first week of the season.

South Carolina over Southern Miss
Westminster College over Rhodes
Mississippi State over Memphis
Tennessee-Knoxville over Tennessee-Martin
LSU over North Carolina
Boise State over Virginia Tech