Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 11/14/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 14, 2011:

1. LSU (SEC Champion)
2. Oklahoma State (Big 12 Champion)
3. Alabama (At Large SEC)
4. Oregon (PAC 12 Champion)
5. Oklahoma (At Large Big 12)
6. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
7. Clemson (ACC Champion)
8. Virginia Tech (At Large ACC)
9. Stanford (At Large PAC 12)
10. Houston (C-USA Champion)
11. Michigan State (Big 10 Champion)
12. TCU (Mountain West Champion)
13. Cincinnati (Big East Champion)
14. Arkansas State (Sun Belt Champion)
15. Northern Illinois (MAC Champion)
16. Nevada (WAC Champion)

Dropped out: Boise State (#5, Mountain West Champion), Penn State (#12, Big 10 Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), ACC (2), Big 12 (2), PAC 12 (2), Big 10 (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) Nevada at (1) LSU
(9) Stanford at (8) Virginia Tech
(12) TCU at (5) Oklahoma
(13) Cincinnati at (4) Oregon
(11) Michigan State at (6) Arkansas
(14) Arkansas State at (3) Alabama
(10) Houston at (7) Clemson
(15) Northern Illinois at (2) Oklahoma State

Round 2
(8) Virginia Tech vs (1) LSU
(5) Oklahoma vs (4) Oregon
(6) Arkansas vs (3) Alabama
(7) Clemson vs (2) Oklahoma State

Round 3
(4) Oregon vs (1) LSU
(3) Alabama vs (2) Oklahoma State

Championship Game
(2) Oklahoma State vs (1) LSU

Downtown Dining Week, Football

Memphis' 3rd Annual Downtown Dining Week takes place next week (November 14 - 20, 2011). Enjoy three-course dinners or special offers in participating Downtown restaurants all week!

Memphis fans give R.C. Johnson a ton of hell for his perceived mishandling of the Tigers athletic department, but it's safe to say everyone is happy that there isn't a Penn State situation going on off of Highland. Wow, what a mess in Happy Valley. Everyone involved in the football program should be fired at the end of the season. Penn State's educational accrediting board (Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools) should also place the school on probation for allowing the athletic department to hold too much power over the university's administration and leadership.


Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 4-2
Season: 41-19 (68%)

Centre College over Rhodes
Memphis over UAB
Georgia over Auburn
Oregon over Stanford
New Orleans Saints over Atlanta Falcons
Tennessee Titans over Carolina Panthers

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Vanderbilt

Houston looks to be the class of Conference USA, although Southern Miss may give them problems. Let's give Vandy a shot to come to the Bluff City. The Commodores have a little fight in them this year.

Memphis Wins Championship, Rudy Gay All-Star Game Update, New Cooper Young Restaurant

Congratulations to the Memphis Tigers women's soccer program for having an undefeated regular season (21-0-1) and winning the Conference USA Championship. As a #4 seed, they will host Tennessee-Martin Saturday at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex at 7pm. The winner will move on to face the winner of Dayton and Louisville.

Tickets are still available for Rudy Gay's All-Star Game tonight at the DeSoto Civic Center. Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and more are expected to play. Proceeds from the game will benefit the Flight 22 Foundation, Gay's non-profit organization that raises funds for childhood education.

A new restaurant will be opening at the corner of Cooper and Young. Mulan Chinese Bistro will be opening the space that used to be the home of Blue Fish and The Reef. The restaurant will feature two styles of Chinese food, described as American-Chinese food and Szechuan-style food. Mulan should be open in the next few months. It's good to see another restaurant opening in the Cooper-Young area.

Nutt Out In Oxford, Jack Magoo's, Tamales

It is being widely reported that Houston Nutt will announce his resignation effective at the end of the season at Mississippi at a 2pm presser. The big question is why did it take so long? Nutt should have been let go last year. It appears that athletic director Pete Boone will also be a casualty. Here's the short list of names I'm hearing to replace Nutt...Terry Bowden (HC at North Alabama), Hugh Freeze (HC at Arkansas State), Skip Holtz (HC at South Florida), Mike Leach (former HC at Texas Tech), Gus Malzahn (OC at Auburn), Kirby Smart (DC at Alabama) and Kevin Sumlin (HC at Houston).

Memphis fans and boosters should get the same ball rolling, especially if Memphis loses to UAB this weekend.

I had the opportunity to go to Jack Magoo's over the weekend to watch football games. Located on Broad Avenue, Jack Magoo's is a great place to gather for drinks, grab a bite to eat and to watch sports. There isn't a bad view in the place.

Speaking of Jack Magoo's food, I noticed there were tamales on the menu, so I gave them a try. They were a little spicy, but overall were very good. I'd definitely get them again, but Bosco's still has the lead.

Memphis Best Tamales Rankings (as of 11/7/2011)
1. Bosco's Sqaured - Black Bean & Goat Cheese Tamale
2. Jack Magoo's - Miss Sherry's Tamales

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 11/7/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 7, 2011:

1. LSU (SEC Champion)
2. Oklahoma State (Big 12 Champion)
3. Stanford (PAC 12 Champion)
4. Alabama (At Large SEC)
5. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
6. Oregon (At Large PAC 12)
7. Oklahoma (At Large Big 12)
8. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
9. Clemson (ACC Champion)
10. Virginia Tech (At Large ACC)
11. Houston (C-USA Champion)
12. Penn State (Big 10 Champion)
13. Cincinnati (Big East Champion)
14. Arkansas State (Sun Belt Champion)
15. Nevada (WAC Champion)
16. Northern Illinois (MAC Champion)

Dropped out: Nebraska (#9, At Large Big 10), Toledo (#14, MAC Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), ACC (2), Big 10 (1), Big 12 (2), PAC 12 (2), 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) Northern Illinois at (1) LSU
(9) Clemson at (8) Arkansas
(12) Penn State at (5) Boise State
(13) Cincinnati at (4) Alabama
(11) Houston at (6) Oregon
(14) Arkansas State at (3) Stanford
(10) Virginia Tech at (7) Oklahoma
(15) Nevada at (2) Oklahoma State

Round 2
(8) Arkansas vs (1) LSU
(5) Boise State vs (4) Alabama
(6) Oregon vs (3) Stanford
(7) Oklahoma vs (2) Oklahoma State

Round 3
(4) Alabama vs (1) LSU
(3) Stanford vs (2) Oklahoma State

Championship Game
(2) Oklahoma State vs (1) LSU

Best Tamales, Rudy Gay All-Stars, Football

Black bean and goat cheese tamale @ Bosco's

What's the best place in Memphis to get tamales? I know there are many restaurants in town that sell great tamales, but I haven't nailed down the best one yet. I'm going to hit up a few restaurants of the next few weeks to find out who the winner is. The first stop was at Bosco's for their black bean and goat cheese tamale. Even without meat, it was a tasty tamale. Where's should I go next?

Rudy Gay's charity all-star game is looking like it could me a must see event if you are a professional basketball fan. With big names like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul, it will have a NBA all-star game feel. Last I heard, tickets are still available. 

Yet another round of conference realignment was in the rumor mill this week. It appears that the Big East wants to add Conference USA members Central Florida, Houston and SMU as all sports members, Mountain West members Boise State and Air Force as football only members and Navy as a football only member. Once again, Memphis has been looked over in the process. If the Tigers had a .500 football team, Memphis would easily be on the list. There has to be a way to put more focus on the football group while maintaining a top-notch basketball program. Here's to hoping the next version of Conference USA and the Mountain West can still provide a quality of football that can get a look at BCS AQ inclusion.


Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 4-2
Season: 37-17 (69%)

Birmingham Southern over Rhodes
Mississippi over Kentucky
Arkansas State over Florida Atlantic
Alabama over LSU
New Orleans Saints over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cincinnati Bengals over Tennessee Titans

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Vanderbilt

Houston looks to be the class of Conference USA, although Southern Miss may give them problems. Let's give Vandy a shot to come to the Bluff City. The Commodores have a little fight in them this year.

Vanelli's, Rudy Gay, Memphis Airport

I had the opportunity to re-visit Vanelli's Deli in Germantown yesterday and I can't wait to get back. If you make the drive out east, try The 'Ami, a sandwich with pastrami, genova salami, filzette salami, Provolone, green pepper, red onion, lettuce, tomato and Vanelli's Italian dressing. Something new on the menu is the muffaletta.

Here's an early thank you for Rudy Gay for setting up a basketball exhibition game. The Grizzlies had a ton of moment coming off of last year's play off run, but the sizzle has faded away with the current NBA lockout. Details of the game will be announced later today, but of right now the game is rumored to be on November 8 at the Desoto Civic Center.

For the longest time, Larry Cox, president and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, has said that Memphis has some the most competitive airfare prices in the country. Memphis travelers have often wondered if Cox was confused. Apparently it's not just Memphians who feel we are getting hosed at the airport. An annual convention is moving to Kansas City because of the growth of the convention and because "the flight costs were an issue. Memphis is one of the most expensive airports in the country." As Delta continues to reduce capacity in and out of Memphis while raising prices, Cox and the rest of his team need to find other carriers to increase flights to and from Memphis and put pressure on Delta to reduce fares. It's time to bring competition to the airport that will benefit all parties (the airport, airlines and travelers), not just FedEx and Delta.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 10/31/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 31, 2011:

1. LSU (SEC Champion)
2. Alabama (At Large SEC)
3. Oklahoma State (Big 12 Champion)
4. Stanford (PAC 12 Champion)
5. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
6. Oregon (At Large PAC 12)
7. Oklahoma (At Large Big 12)
8. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
9. Nebraska (At Large Big 10)
10. Clemson (ACC Champion)
11. Houston (C-USA Champion)
12. Penn State (Big 10 Champion)
13. Cincinnati (Big East Champion)
14. Toledo (MAC Champion)
15. Nevada (WAC Champion)
16. Arkansas State (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Michigan State (#10, Big 10 Champion), Kansas State (#11, At Large Big 12)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (2), PAC 12 (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) Arkansas State at (1) LSU
(9) Nebraska at (8) Arkansas
(12) Penn State at (5) Boise State
(13) Cincinnati at (4) Stanford
(11) Houston at (6) Oregon
(14) Toledo at (3) Oklahoma State
(10) Clemson at (7) Oklahoma
(15) Nevada at (2) Alabama

Round 2
(8) Arkansas vs (1) LSU
(5) Boise State vs (4) Stanford
(6) Oregon vs (3) Oklahoma State
(7) Oklahoma vs (2) Alabama

Round 3
(4) Stanford vs (1) LSU
(3) Oklahoma State vs (2) Alabama

Championship Game
(2) Alabama vs (1) LSU

Bleu, Halloween, Rankings, Football

After a couple of weeks of guessing and a shaky e-mail campaign, Downtown's newest restaurant has opened in the Westin. I haven't heard anything positive or negative about the Bleu, so I'll have to check it out in the near future.

Halloween festivities started to kick off at local bars on Thursday night. It's safe to say that most bars in the city will have some type of Halloween costume contest tonight. Can't wait to see all of the creativity.

A week after being announced as the #9 team in the pre-season Coaches Poll, Memphis has debuted at #11 in the AP Poll. Looks like their are some big expectations this season.

After beating Tulane last week, Memphis dropped out of ESPN's Bottom 10. Don't get your hopes up, the Tigers are still on the waiting list.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 2-4
Season: 33-15 (69%)

Central Florida over Memphis
Rhodes over Sewanee
Georgia over Florida
Stanford over USC
New Orleans Saints over St. Louis Rams
Tennessee Titans over Indianapolis Colts

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Tennessee-Knoxville

Houston looks to be the class of Conference USA, although SMU may give them problems. Mississippi State may only win or two more games this year, so the Vols should get the nod.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 10/24/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 24, 2011:

1. LSU (SEC Champion)
2. Alabama (At Large SEC)
3. Oklahoma State (Big 12 Champion)
4. Stanford (PAC 12 Champion)
5. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
6. Clemson (ACC Champion)
7. Oregon (At Large PAC 12)
8. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
9. Oklahoma (At Large Big 12)
10. Michigan State (Big 10 Champion)
11. Kansas State (At Large Big 12)
12. Houston (C-USA Champion)
13. Cincinnati (Big East Champion)
14. Toledo (MAC Champion)
15. Nevada (WAC Champion)
16. Arkansas State (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Wisconsin (#4, Big 10 Champion), Nebraska (#11, At Large Big 10), Louisiana-Lafayette (#14, Sun Belt Champion), Temple (#15, MAC Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), Big 12 (3), PAC 12 (2), ACC (1), Big 10 (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) Arkansas State at (1) LSU
(9) Oklahoma  at (8) Arkansas
(12) Houston at (5) Boise State
(13) Cincinnati at (4) Stanford
(11) Kansas State at (6) Clemson
(14) Toledo at (3) Oklahoma State
(10) Michigan State at (7) Oregon
(15) Nevada at (2) Alabama

Round 2
(8) Arkansas vs (1) LSU
(5) Boise State vs (4) Stanford
(6) Clemson vs (3) Oklahoma State
(7) Oregon vs (2) Alabama

Round 3
(4) Stanford vs (1) LSU
(3) Oklahoma State vs (2) Alabama

Championship Game
(2) Alabama vs (1) LSU

Latest Clue On New Downton Restaurant, RiverArtsFest, Football

The latest clue on Downtown's newest restaurant is "We pull flavors from around the world so you can taste the world here." I've given up on guessing. The only thing that can be confirmed is restaurant will be in the Westin.

The weather is looking perfect for the RiverArtsFest this weekend. If you haven't been to this festival, be sure to check it out.

A lot of the focus has been on the poor state of Memphis football, but there are some positives with Memphis athletics right now. Two other teams are ranked for the good things they are doing. Memphis basketball is ranked #9 in the first USA/ESPN Coaches Poll of the season and Tigers women's soccer team is ranked in the Top 10 in two polls.


Larry Porter's football team is still ranked in ESPN's Bottom 10 poll, coming in at #4. The beauty of this weekend's game against Tulane is that someone has to win. The Tigers have a chance. Ole Miss is #10.


Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 5-1
Season: 31-11 (74%)

Tulane over Memphis
Austin College over Rhodes
LSU over Auburn
Wisconsin over Michigan State
New Orleans Saints over Indianapolis Colts
Tennessee Titans over Houston Texans

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Tennessee-Knoxville

Houston looks to be the class of Conference USA, although SMU may give them problems. Mississippi State may only win or two more games this year, so the Vols should get the nod.

Quick Liberty Bowl note - KC and the Sunshine Band will be this year's half time entertainment.

Second Clue For Neu Spot Downtown, Alchemy, C-USA Coaching Change, Conference Re-alignment

The second clue for Downtown's newest restaurant was revealed yesterday. "Cleu #2" is "We like to keep company with superstars." This again led me to believe that the new Westin restaurant was probably the right guess. Then later, I was proven right. The restaurant to replace Sole is being announced Thursday. With all the neu, cleu and bleu talk, who knows what the name will be. Let's just hope it's a good spot.

After talking to one of the owner's of McEwan's on Monroe, it sounds like Alchemy is shooting to open in early November. Located in Cooper-Young, Alchemy will feature 30 plus small plates.

Today, Tulane had the guts to fire their head coach after another embarrassing loss. If the Memphis Tigers lose to Tulane this weekend, then Larry Porter needs to be canned before the bus ride home. Tulane is rumored to be going after LSU's top recruiter Frank Wilson. Hey Green Wave fans and administration, look at the Larry Porter experiment. It doesn't work.

RC Johnson should be on the chopping block shortly after, but it's looking like Memphis will need someone to guide the Tigers through conference re-alignment. The announced football alliance between the Mountain West and Conference USA seems like the best possible position for Memphis. The Big East is reportedly adding six teams and Memphis is not one of them. Once the latest round of moves is complete, then Johnson should pack his bags and move on.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 10/17/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 17, 2011:

1. LSU (SEC Champion)
2. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
3. Alabama (At Large SEC)
4. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
5. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
6. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
7. Stanford (PAC 12 Champion)
8. Clemson (ACC Champion)
9. Oregon (At Large PAC 12)
10. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
11. Nebraska (At Large Big 10)
12. West Virginia (Big East Champion)
13. Houston (C-USA Champion)
14. Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt Champion)
15. Temple (MAC Champion)
16. Nevada (WAC Champion)

Dropped out: Michigan  (#11, At Large Big 10), Hawaii  (#14, WAC Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (2), PAC 12 (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) Nevada at (1) LSU
(9) Oregon  at (8) Clemson
(12) West Virginia at (5) Oklahoma State
(13) Houston at (4) Wisconsin
(11) Nebraska at (6) Boise State
(14) Louisiana-Lafayette at (3) Alabama
(10) Arkansas at (7) Stanford
(15) Temple at (2) Oklahoma

Round 2
(8) Clemson vs (1) LSU
(5) Oklahoma State vs (4) Wisconsin
(6) Boise State vs (3) Alabama
(7) Stanford vs (2) Oklahoma

Round 3
(4) Wisconsin vs (1) LSU
(3) Alabama vs (2) Oklahoma

Championship Game
(2) Oklahoma vs (1) LSU

Neu, Five Guys, Bottom 10, Football

The first clue for the location of Neu, one of newest restaurants in downtown Memphis, was issued yesterday. Here's the clue: "One of our neighbors is very high strung." My initial guess that this is referring to the Gibson Guitar Factory. Is the Gibson Lounge space in play? Could there be a new restaurant coming to the Westin? Or replacing the former Ground Zero? Guess we will find out when Neu opens on October 22.

In last night's Overton Square development presentation, Loeb Properties announced that Five Guys Burgers is opening in Midtown. The location will be on Union near Cooper in a spot that used to be a title loan business. I think this is next to Burger King on Union.

The Memphis Tigers are still holding a firm spot in ESPN's Bottom 10 this week, coming in at #4.

The college football realignment carousel keeps on spinning this week. TCU is now locked in to join the Big 12 next season and the Big East is scrambling to find new members. Air Force, Army and Navy have been rumored to join the Big East and there have been reports that Conference USA members Central Florida and East Carolina are also in the mix. Memphis has been mentioned, but only briefly. The wild card in all of this is the SEC's decision on a 14th member. Once Mike Slive plays his card, the next wave of moves will be set in motion for the destruction of college football as we know it.

Here's the picks for this week.

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

East Carolina over Memphis
Millsaps over Rhodes
LSU over Tennessee-Knoxville
Oregon over Arizona State
New Orleans Saints over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chicago Bears over Minnesota Vikings

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Mississippi State

Houston looks to be the class of Conference USA, although SMU may give them problems. If the Bulldogs continue this slide, they may be spending bowl season in Starkville.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 10/10/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 10, 2011:

1. LSU (SEC Champion)
2. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
3. Alabama (At Large SEC)
4. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
5. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
6. Stanford (PAC 12 Champion)
7. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
8. Clemson (ACC Champion)
9. Oregon (At Large PAC 12)
10. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
11. Michigan (At Large Big 10)
12. West Virginia (Big East Champion)
13. Houston (C-USA Champion)
14. Hawaii (WAC Champion)
15. Temple (MAC Champion)
16. Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Texas (#10, At Large Big 12), Nevada (#14, WAC Champion), Ohio (#15, MAC Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), PAC 12 (2), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (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) Louisiana-Lafayette at (1) LSU
(9) Oregon  at (8) Clemson
(12) West Virginia at (5) Boise State
(13) Houston at (4) Wisconsin
(11) Michigan at (6) Stanford
(14) Hawaii at (3) Alabama
(10) Arkansas at (7) Oklahoma State
(15) Temple at (2) Oklahoma

Round 2
(8) Clemson vs (1) LSU
(5) Boise State vs (4) Wisconsin
(6) Stanford vs (3) Alabama
(7) Oklahoma State vs (2) Oklahoma

Round 3
(4) Wisconsin vs (1) LSU
(3) Alabama vs (2) Oklahoma

Championship Game
(2) Oklahoma vs (1) LSU

Election Day, Football, Steve Jobs

Today is Election Day in Memphis. Please get out and exercise your right to vote. Early in the day, the lines have been thin with no wait. Here is a list of the Memphis polling locations. Polls close today at 7pm.

Another week, another Memphis loss and more chatter about conference realignment. There's even talk out of New Orleans that the Big 12 is looking at Tulane. Even though the Green Wave's football program is well below average, it makes you wonder the role of academics in this puzzle. Could being a top tier university be the tie-breaker? Probably not, but in the crazy world of conference re-shuffling, who knows.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 3-3
Season: 21-9 (70%)

Rice over Memphis
LSU over Florida
Arkansas over Auburn
Texas over Oklahoma
New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers
Pittsburgh Steelers over Tennessee Titans

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Mississippi State

Houston looks to be the class of Conference USA, although SMU may give them problems. If the Bulldogs continue this slide, they may be spending bowl season in Starkville.

Apple IIc

Today we remember Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. For many people, the Apple influence has only been in the past decade or so with Iphones, Ipads and for a longer period, Mac computers. I like to think of myself as an early adopter of Jobs' vision. My first computer, in 1984, (when I was 8 years old) was an Apple IIc . What a gem it was at the time. Lemonade Stand, Oregon Trail were some of my favorite games. Ah, the good ole days when you had to know computer languages and programming to operate computers. Come to think of it, I still have it in my attic. Maybe one day it will be a collector's item.

Hopefully innovation will continue to thrive at Apple without Jobs.

Canadian Thanksgiving, ESPN Bottom 10

Canadian-themed restaurant Kooky Canuck will host a Thanksgiving celebration on Monday, October 10. Wonder if Shawn will have the "Thanksgiving Day Classic" on tv?

Here's the menu:

Lunch $7.99 - Dinner $12.99

Turkey (6oz portion)
Dressing ( 6 oz scoop) served on top of turkey
Broccoilli & Cheese ( 8 oz )
Garlic Mash Potato's & Gravy ( 6 oz )
Cranberry Sauce ( 2oz Scoop)
Stuffing ( 4 oz )
Dinner Roll (1 ) with butter pat's (2)
Minced Tart ( 2) with (1) oz scopp of Ice cream in center


Whenever I think of Canada, South Park comes to mind. Here's the latest Canada-themed South Park episode, Royal Pudding.

Larry Porter's Memphis football team improved in the ESPN Bottom 10 rankings, coming in at #6 this week.

The Blind Bear, Restaurant Poll

The Blind Bear will be the new bar replacing Bar None on Main Street in Downtown Memphis. Congrats to Jamie and Jeanette. Can't wait for it to open!

The Memphis Magazine Restaurant Poll is running through October 31. Be sure to visit the poll and let them know your favorite spots in Memphis.

Memphis Madness, Mississippi State Football

The time of year that all University of Memphis sports fans are waiting for has finally arrived. Basketball season tips off on Friday with Memphis Madness at FedEx Forum.

Larry Porter's football team looked like a much improved club in their loss to Middle Tennessee. Maybe there is something to build on, but a loss is still a loss.

Mississippi State has returned to their losing ways. In addition to trying to keep the wheels from completely falling off the bus, Dan Mullen needs to remind his players of the appropriate places to use the restroom. In the hedges at the University of Georgia is not the spot.

MSU DB Nickoe Whitley having fun with the hedges.

Do these guys live on a farm? Oh wait...

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 10/3/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 3, 2011:

1. LSU (SEC Champion)
2. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
3. Alabama (At Large SEC)
4. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
5. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
6. Stanford (PAC 12 Champion)
7. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
8. Clemson (ACC Champion)
9. Oregon (At Large PAC 12)
10. Texas (At Large Big 12)
11. Arkansas (At Large SEC)
12. West Virginia (Big East Champion)
13. Houston (C-USA Champion)
14. Nevada (WAC Champion)
15. Ohio (MAC Champion)
16. Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Nebraska (#8, At Large Big 10), South Carolina (#10, At Large SEC), Virginia Tech (#11, ACC Champion), South Florida (#12, Big East Champion), Temple (#14, MAC Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 12 (3), SEC (3), PAC 12 (2), ACC (1), Big 10 (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) Louisiana-Lafayette at (1) LSU
(9) Oregon  at (8) Clemson
(12) West Virginia at (5) Boise State
(13) Houston at (4) Wisconsin
(11) Arkansas at (6) Stanford
(14) Nevada at (3) Alabama
(10) Texas at (7) Oklahoma State
(15) Ohio at (2) Oklahoma

Round 2
(8) Clemson vs (1) LSU
(5) Boise State vs (4) Wisconsin
(6) Stanford vs (3) Alabama
(7) Oklahoma State vs (2) Oklahoma

Round 3
(4) Wisconsin vs (1) LSU
(3) Alabama vs (2) Oklahoma

Championship Game
(2) Oklahoma vs (1) LSU

New Owners @ Bar None

Bar None has been sold to two new owners who are planning to transform the bar/restaurant into something "really cool." Chef John Bragg announced this tonight on Facebook. Bragg will concentrate on Circa and plans on opening a second Circa in Nashville in 2012.

Look for an announcement from the new owners in the next few days.

Oktoberfest @ Bosco's, Best of Memphis

Bosco's is hosting a Oktoberfest Brewmaster's Dinner on Tuesday, October 18th. Seating is limited and reservations are required. The menu is looking pretty good.

Aperitif

~Boscos Biere de Garde(n) ~

Appetizer

Bratwurst & Cabbage

Authentic Nurnberg Bratwurst on a Bed of Braised Cabbage

~Boscos Weissbier ~

Soup

Beer Cheese with Brandy Duck Sausage

Flaming Stone Cheese Soup with Homemade Sausage

~ Boscos Famous Flaming Stone ~

Entrée

Pork Tenderloin

Roasted Pork Tenderloin Served with Roasted Red Pepper Polenta

Finished with Sun Dried Cherry and Balsamic Reduction

~Isle of Skye Scottish Ale ~

Stuffed Quail

Grilled Quail with a Bratwurst Stuffing served with Butternut Squash

Topped with an Apple Cider Glaze

~Boscos Midtown Brown ~

Dessert

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Served with a Praline and Marshmallow Cream Sauce

~Boscos Milk Stout ~

*Beers are Subject to Change*

Here is a better link to the 2011 Best of Memphis winners in the Memphis Flyer.

Best of Memphis, Memphis Football Ranked Again, Football

The Memphis Flyer's 2011 Best of Memphis awards came out today. If you can't find an issue around town, you can check it out electronically here.  (The issue should be available for download later today or tomorrow morning). Congrats to all the winners!

After a week of not being on the list, the University of Memphis football team has returned to ESPN's Bottom 10. This week the Tiger's come in at #2. At #1 on this week's list is New Mexico, who fired their coach earlier this week after another embarrassing loss. Falling out of the Bottom 10 this week is Mississippi. The Rebels/Black Bears are on the Waiting List. Middle Tennessee State checks in at #7 this week. The Blue Raiders face Memphis this weekend.

Speaking of the Tigers vs Blue Raiders match up, when is the last time anyone saw a 0-3 team favored to win by 20 plus points? Win-less MTSU comes into this week's game as a 22.5 favorite over Memphis (1-3). Fans of the losing school in this match up should be put on suicide watch.

Here's the picks for this week.

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

Middle Tennessee State over Memphis
LaGrange over Rhodes
South Carolina over Auburn
Wisconsin over Nebraska
New Orleans Saints over Jacksonville Jaguars
Cleveland Browns over Tennessee Titans

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Tennessee-Knoxville

No change here. Houston looks to be the class of Conference USA and the Vols should finish in the middle or bottom of the pack in the SEC, securing their birth in the Liberty Bowl for the first time since 1986.

Memphis Dawgs, Paul Simon, Rosh Hashanah

I finally had the opportunity to grab lunch from Memphis Dawgs yesterday. Todd Bourne serves up 100% beef Nathan's 1/4 pound hot dogs and a mean, thick barbecue bologna sandwich. If you see Memphis Dawgs, break the monotony of your usual fast food chain lunch and grab a bite from this locally owned and operated lunch spot. To find out where Todd and Memphis Dawgs are setting up next, follow them on Twitter @MemphisDawgs or like them on Facebook here.

Memphis Dawgs Cart/Menu (photo from Memphis Dawgs)

Memphis Dawgs BBQ Bologna Sandwich

Tickets for Paul Simon's live show at Mud Island on October 29 go on sale Friday. Here's a little Paul Simon for your listening enjoyment.




Happy New Year to all of our Jewish friends. Rosh Hashanah begins tonight at sunset tonight and goes through nightfall on Friday, September 30. L'Shana Tova! Chag Sameach!Gut Yontiff!

Beale Street Shooting, Tiger Football, Soul Burger

Most of you have heard about the shooting on Beale Street Saturday night outside Club Crave. When is the city finally going to shut the building (not just the business) down for being a public nuisance? The Plush Club was bad enough. Just knock the thing down.

Here is some of Fox 13's coverage of the event. The lady in the parking lot screams class.

Six Injured in Beale Street Shooting: MyFoxMEMPHIS.com

Painful Memphis/Porter related quote of the week: "LSU has obviously been able to overcome the loss of Coach Porter."

The failing project some may call the Johnson-Porter era reared its ugly head again the Liberty Bowl over the weekend. As usual, the Tigers looked over-matched and the coaches had no answer to SMU's game plan. Why schedule a team like SMU for homecoming? Yes, there's a good chance that Memphis may only win one game, but Austin Peay, UAB or Marshall would have been more evenly matched or closer losses.

Remember that attendance is one of the factors being considered for conference expansion. The chances are getting more slim every day that the Tigers will be included in the next wave, but having people in the stands or at least tickets sold may help the cause. It's a long shot, but there's not much else fans can do with the way the Tigers are sucking it up on the field. On this note, Conference USA and Mountain West officials will get together this evening in Dallas to discuss a possible football-only merger.

Who will be the next scapegoat let go at the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex? A random position coach, Pouncer or a golf graduate assistant? New Mexico made the right choice yesterday. When will boosters and alumni finally pull the plug on this dying experiment?

Earnestine & Hazel's is getting some recognition in the latest issue of Garden & Gun magazine. The Soul Burger has been named one of the 50 Best Southern Foods. Chef Martha Foose of Greenwood, MS also mentioned that breakfast at the Beauty Shop in Cooper Young would be her choice for her last meal. It looks like it's time to check out breakfast at the Beauty Shop.

The dry rub wings from Central BBQ also had a mention in the issue.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 9/26/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 26, 2011:

1. LSU (SEC Champion)
2. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
3. Alabama (At Large SEC)
4. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
5. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
6. Stanford (PAC 12 Champion)
7. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
8. Nebraska (At Large Big 10)
9. Oregon (At Large PAC 12)
10. South Carolina (At Large SEC)
11. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
12. South Florida (Big East Champion)
13. Houston (C-USA Champion)
14. Temple (MAC Champion)
15. Nevada (WAC Champion)
16. Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Texas A&M (#8, At Large Big 12), Florida State (#11, ACC Champion), West Virginia (#12, Big East Champion), Florida International (#14, Sun Belt Champion), Ohio (#15, MAC Champion)


Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (3), Big 12 (2), Big 10 (2), PAC 12 (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) Louisiana-Lafayette at (1) LSU
(9) Oregon  at (8) Nebraska
(12) South Florida at (5) Oklahoma State
(13) Houston at (4) Boise State
(11) Virginia Tech at (6) Stanford
(14) Temple at (3) Alabama
(10) South Carolina at (7) Wisconsin
(15) Nevada at (2) Oklahoma

Round 2
(8) Nebraska vs (1) LSU
(5) Oklahoma State vs (4) Boise State
(6) Stanford vs (3) Alabama
(7) Wisconsin vs (2) Oklahoma

Round 3
(4) Boise State vs (1) LSU
(3) Alabama vs (2)Oklahoma

Championship Game
(2) Oklahoma vs (1) LSU

ESPN Bottom 10, Gould's On TMZ, Fire Safety

For the first time in this short college football season, the Memphis Tigers are not in ESPN's Bottom 10. After beating Austin Peay last week, the Tigers aren't completely out of the woods with a spot on the waiting list. Another Mid-South program did make it on the list this week. Mississippi came in at #5 after the Rebels (or Black Bears) embarrassing loss to Vanderbilt last week. If Tigers fans are calling for Larry Porter's firing, how is there not as much heat on one the of most overrated coaches in college football history, Houston Nutt.

Gould's Salon is getting some national pub on TMZ. It looks like a "D list" celebrity skipped out on a bill  last week while at a Gould's location, guessing at the Peabody Hotel.

Not to get preachy about safety, but after reading about a fire fatality in Memphis yesterday, it doesn't hurt to talk about the importance of smoke detectors. If you have them - awesome. If you don't, buy one or two. If you can't afford them, you can get a free smoke detector from the Memphis Fire Department. The MFD will even install free batteries if your battery has lost its charge. All Memphis homeowners are eligible. Call 320-5338 for more information.

Early Voting, Memphis Dawgs, Football

Early voting for the October 6th election kicked off last week. Next time you are on your lunch break or on your way to/from work, stop by one of the Memphis early voting locations. The most important race is for city mayor. A.C. Wharton should be easily re-elected, but there are a handful of candidates who think they have a shot, including Prince Mongo. The other elections will be easy for voters, since a majority of the races for city council have incumbents running unopposed. Early voting ends on October 1, 2011.

Has anyone had a hot dog from Memphis Dawgs? Wondering if its worth the drive out east (or where ever the daily location may be) to grab one.

All of the talk this week in the college football world  has been about conference realignment. The timing is almost perfect, changing the focus of Memphis fans from the hapless Tigers to which conference they may be playing in the future. If this was a basketball driven move, Memphis might be near the top of the list. Unfortunately, football is driving this bus. Yes, Memphis football is poor, but fans need to show their support, go to games (win or lose) and show the "bigger" conferences that Memphis has the fan base and potential to thrive in greener pastures. Too bad the losing streak starts again this week against SMU.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 5-1
Season: 13-5 (72%)

SMU over Memphis
DePauw over Rhodes
Alabama over Arkansas
LSU over West Virginia
New Orleans Saints over Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans over Denver Broncos

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Tennessee-Knoxville

No change here. Houston looks to be the class of Conference USA and the Vols should finish in the middle or bottom of the pack in the SEC, securing their birth in the Liberty Bowl for the first time since 1986.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 9/19/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 19, 2011:

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

Dropped out: South Carolina (#11, At Large SEC), Temple (#14, MAC Champion), Hawaii (#15, WAC Champion)


Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 12 (3), Big 10 (2), PAC 12 (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) Nevada at (1) Oklahoma
(9) Nebraska  at (8) Texas A&M
(12) West Virginia at (5) Stanford
(13) Houston at (4) Boise State
(11) Florida State at (6) Wisconsin
(14) Florida International at (3) Alabama
(10) Oregon at (7) Oklahoma State
(15) Ohio at (2) LSU

Round 2
(8) Texas A&M vs (1) Oklahoma
(5) Stanford vs (4) Boise State
(6) Wisconsin vs (3) Alabama
(7) Oklahoma State vs (2) LSU

Round 3
(4) Boise State vs (1) Oklahoma
(3) Alabama vs (2) LSU

Championship Game
(2) LSU vs (1) Oklahoma

Book Sale @ Cooper Young Fest, BBQ Festivals, Zac Brown

If you are going to Cooper Young Festival tomorrow, stop by Literacy Mid-South for their annual book sale. Over 5,000 new books will be available for purchase from 9am - 5pm.

There are a couple of barbeque festivals going on this weekend in the Memphis Area. The biggest will be the Smokin' Aces Festival at Harrah's in Tunica. If pork isn't your thing, the ASBEE World Kosher BBQ Championship is Sunday.

Tickets for the Zac Brown Band's show on November 10 at FedEx  Forum went on sale today. Great to see ZBB back in Memphis.

3rd Thursday, Downtown Parks, Football

Tonight's 3rd Thursday at Main and Peabody will feature live music Deborah Swiney, Blind Mississippi Morris and Sufflegrit. In addition to the free music, there will be drink and food specials and retail discounts at participating businesses. The weather should be perfect for this event in addition to all outdoor activities in the Memphis area this weekend.

If you are Downtown tomorrow, try and check out the 16 mini-parks that will be set up on Peabody Place between Front and Second from 11am to 6pm.


Not much to say about FBS football in Memphis this weekend. It will be nice to have fans show up and support the Tigers, but everyone knows the focus will be on the Volunteers and Gators this weekend. Heck, going to the Rhodes game against Trinity might be more entertaining.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 3-3
Season: 8-4 (67%) 

Memphis over Austin Peay
Trinity over Rhodes
Florida over Tennessee-Knoxville
Oklahoma over Florida State
Baltimore Ravens over Tennessee Titans
New Orleans Saints over Chicago Bears


Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Tennessee-Knoxville

With Case Keenum leading the offense for Houston, the Cougars will be tough to beat in Conference USA. Having a built in fan base in the Memphis area, the Vols appear to be a no-brainer.

New Midtown Sports Bar, Memphis #1 Again

The Midtown area is gaining a new sports bar this weekend. Jack Magoo's will open this Friday (September 16) in the Broad Avenue Arts District. Located at 2583 Broad Avenue, the two level bar will have more than 20 TV's and upscale pub grub. It's good to have another sports bar option in the city.Will definitely check it out this weekend.


For the second straight week, the University of Memphis football team has the number one ranking in ESPN's Bottom 10. The Tigers' best chance for a victory will be this weekend against FCS member Austin Peay. If they lose this one, the entire staff should be wiped out. With or without a win, RC Johnson should retire or be fired. The Calipari fiasco occurred under Johnson's watch (as well as probation in other sports) and the Porter hire is looking like an extremely poor decision. It's time for new blood to take control of the athletic department and get things back on track. You can't get to the next level until the current problems are fixed. Once Johnson is gone, the next person to go should be Dr. Shirley Raines.

Cooper Young Fest, Air Show, Bottom 10

One of the better festivals in Memphis will be this Saturday with the annual Cooper Young Festival. This event is always great for people watching and free live music. Let's hope the weather stays nice for this can't miss festival.


If Cooper Young isn't your cup of tea, you may enjoy the Memphis Airshow this Saturday and Sunday at the Millington Regional Jetport. In addition to the common airshow activities (flight demonstrations, skydiving and wing walking), the Blue Angels will appear.

With their embarrassing 47-3 loss to Arkansas State over the weekend, the Memphis Tigers should be a lock to retain their #1 ranking in ESPN's  Bottom 10. The entire coaching staff should be dusting off their resumes and putting their houses on the market.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 9/12/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 12, 2011:

1. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
2. Alabama (SEC Champion)
3. LSU (At Large SEC)
4. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
5. Florida State (ACC Champion)
6. Stanford (PAC 12 Champion)
7. Wisconsin (Big 10 Champion)
8. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
9. Texas A&M (At Large Big 12)
10. Nebraska (At Large Big 10)
11. South Carolina (At Large SEC)
12. West Virginia (Big East Champion)
13. Houston (C-USA Champion)
14. Temple (MAC Champion)
15. Hawaii (WAC Champion)
16. Florida International (Sun Belt Champion)

Dropped out: Virginia Tech (#11, At Large ACC), Northern Illinois (#14, MAC Champion)


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 12 (1), Sun Belt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Florida International at (1) Oklahoma
(9) Texas A&M  at (8) Oklahoma State
(12) West Virginia at (5) Florida State
(13) Houston at (4) Boise State
(11) South Carolina at (6) Stanford
(14) Temple at (3) LSU
(10) Nebraska at (7) Wisconsin
(15) Hawaii at (2) Alabama

Round 2
(8) Oklahoma State vs (1) Oklahoma
(5) Florida State vs (4) Boise State
(6) Stanford vs (3) LSU
(7) Wisconsin vs (2) Alabama

Round 3
(4) Boise State vs (1) Oklahoma
(3) LSU vs (2) Alabama

Championship Game
(2) Alabama vs (1) Oklahoma

Shell Out For The Arts, Mid-South Fair, Football

Shell Out for the Arts will be Friday, October 7th from 6:30 to 9:30pm at the Levitt Shell. $20 will get you into a private tent before the Gary Clark, Jr. concert. Included in the price is beer, wine and dinner from Fratelli's. You must make reservations in advance. All proceeds will go to ArtsMemphis.

Speaking of Fratelli's, does anyone else think of The Goonies when they hear the restaurant name? One of funniest scenes from the movie.





With the emergence of the Delta Fair and its relocation to Southaven, the Mid-South Fair has almost turned into a forgotten middle child. Fair organizers are offering a sweet deal to get you and your family down to Mississippi  to enjoy the rides, music and other events.


Ugly. That's probably the easiest and most polite way  to describe the opening game of the season for the Memphis Tigers. Everyone knew that Mississippi State would in, but the Tigers looked unprepared, over matched and uninspired. The Tigers have an easier opponent this week when they visit Arkansas State, but until Memphis proves otherwise, fans should expect another not-so-pretty outing. A few more games like last week's will have Larry Porter looking for a new gig later this year.

Here's the picks for this week.

Last Week: 5-1
Season: 5-1 (83%)

Green Bay Packers over New Orleans Saints
Rhodes over Washington University (St. Louis)
Arkansas State over Memphis
Michigan over Notre Dame
Jackson State over Tennessee State
Tennessee Titans over Jacksonville Jaguars

Weekly Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Tennessee-Knoxville

With Case Keenum leading the offense for Houston, the Cougars will be tough to beat in Conference USA. Having a built in fan base in the Memphis area, the Vols appear to be a no-brainer.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week of 9/5/2011

Now in its 6th season, 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 5, 2011:

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

Dropped out: Oregon (#3, PAC 12 Champion), UCF (#13, C-USA Champion), Ohio (#14, MAC Champion)


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

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Florida International at (1) Oklahoma
(9) Oklahoma State  at (8) Wisconsin
(12) West Virginia at (5) Florida State
(13) Houston at (4) Boise State
(11) Virginia Tech at (6) Stanford
(14) Northern Illinois at (3) Alabama
(10) Nebraska at (7) Texas A&M
(15) Hawaii at (2) LSU

Round 2
(8) Wisconsin vs (1) Oklahoma
(5) Florida State vs (4) Boise State
(6) Stanford vs (3) Alabama
(7) Texas A&M vs (2) LSU

Round 3
(4) Boise State vs (1) Oklahoma
(3) Alabama vs (2) LSU

Championship Game
(2) LSU vs (1) Oklahoma

Delta Fair, Slider Inn, Football

The Delta Fair & Music Festival kicks off on Friday and continues through September 11th.  This event continues to add strange attractions every year. This year's new events include sumo wrestling and "pig wrastling." For those not into the freak shows, there is pretty respectable music line-up as well. Best bets for the festival: The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Sister Hazel.

Finally had the chance to stop by the Slider Inn this week. There is a ton of potential for this new Midtown restaurant owned by Aldo of Bardog Tavern fame. Its pretty obvious they are working out the kinks, so be patient. Give the lobster roll a try on your next visit.  

For many sports fans, it's this week is the most wonderful time of the year. College football kicks off another season Thursday night. One of the games on Thursday night will be Mississippi State visiting Memphis at the Liberty Bowl.

One way to build up the Memphis football fan base is to continue to have quality opponents at home, like the Bulldogs. Future home games against BCS AQ conference teams include games against Duke, Missouri and Miami. Schedule them and they (the fans) will come.

The only negative to Thursday night's game will be the constant ringing of cowbells and the "Go State, Go State" cheer. Thank goodness the Liberty Bowl sells beer.

Here's the picks for the first week of the football season.

Mississippi State over Memphis
Tennessee-Knoxville over Montana
Illinois over Arkansas State
BYU over Mississippi
Oregon over LSU
Boise State over Georgia



Pre-season Liberty Bowl Projection: Houston vs Auburn

With Case Keenum back at quarterback for Houston, the Cougars could win Conference USA over East Division Champion Southern Miss or UCF. Many are expecting Auburn to have a down year after winning the National Championship last season. 

College Colors Day, Cafe Society Deal

With the opening weekend of college football just ahead of us, school spirit is in the air. College Colors Day seems like an easy way for employers to allow employees the opportunity to wear apparel of their favorite teams. Here a few groups from Memphis that have officially signed up to participate this year - Arlington High School, Richland Elementary, ServiceMaster's Payroll Department and Sheffield Pediatrics. Get your office or school to sign up today.

If you can't find gear for your favorite school, check out CollegeFootballStore.com .

Today's Living Social deal for Memphis has a great offer for Cafe Society. Sounds like a the perfect incentive to try out some of their new menu items.

Midtown Ranks High, WSP, Thursday Fun Stuff

Midtown Memphis, specifically zip code 38104, is ranked 18th in the nation for affordable fun, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Maybe next time they will get a better picture, instead of the 38103 image.

Tickets for Widespread Panic's 25th Anniversary show at FedEx Forum on Saturday, October 1st go on sale this Friday (August 19th) at 10am. WSP typically puts on a great show, so this should be fun. Looks like this might be a bad week to quit listening to jam bands. 

If you are looking for something to do tomorrow, don't forget about 3rd Thursdays at Main & Peabody. Live music and food/drinks specials might be a great way to beat the Memphis August heat.

Another solid option is the "Rock For Love Five" concert at the Hi-Tone tomorrow night at the Hi-Tone. Star & Micey, The Near Reaches, Bryan Hartley Industries, Grace Askew and DJ Lady Problems will be performing at this benefit for the Church Health Center.

Here's a little Widespread Panic for your listening enjoyment.

Yosemite Sam's Closing

Owners of Yosemite Sam's have confirmed they are shutting their doors after selling the property to Loeb Properties. The karaoke bar is set to close on August 27th. There are conflicting reports as to what Loeb plans to do with the property. Although Loeb has not made a formal statement, Yosemite Sam's owners told The Commercial Appeal that Loeb plans to restore the property. Other sources have indicated the Loeb plans to take down the existing building and develop it as a parking lot or add a new building. Loeb also owns several properties on and around Overton Square and it leading a charge to develop the area into commercial/retail center for Midtown.

Late night weekend drunken karaoke will be missed on Overton Square. Speaking of  karaoke, the Midtown Blue Monkey is getting some pretty good crowds on Thursday night for karaoke. Great people watching.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football 2011 Pre-Season Playoff Predictions

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions will return for another college football season. Now its sixth 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 2011 season is:

1. Alabama (SEC Champion)
2. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
3. Oregon (PAC 12 Champion)
4. Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
5. Florida State (ACC Champion)
6. LSU (At Large SEC)
7. Stanford (At Large PAC 12)
8. Nebraska (Big 10 Champion)
9. Texas A&M (At Large Big 12)
10. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
11. Virginia Tech (At Large ACC)
12. West Virginia (Big East Champion)
13. UCF (C-USA Champion)
14. Troy (Sun Belt Champion)
15. Ohio (MAC Champion)
16. Hawaii (WAC Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 12 (3), ACC (2), PAC 12 (2), SEC (2), Big 10 (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) Hawaii at (1) Alabama
(9) Texas A&M  at (8) Nebraska
(12) West Virginia at (5) Florida State
(13) Central Florida at (4) Boise State
(11) Virginia Tech at (6) LSU
(14) Troy at (3) Oregon
(10) Oklahoma State at (7) Stanford
(15) Ohio at (2) Oklahoma

Round 2
(8) Nebraska vs (1) Alabama
(5) Florida State vs (4) Boise State
(6) LSU vs (3) Oregon
(7) Stanford vs (2) Oklahoma

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

Championship Game
(2) Oklahoma vs (1) Alabama

2011 Memphis Area College Football

The 2011 college football season has officially started in the Memphis area. Late last week, Memphis Tigers players reported to camp looking to improve on their less than stellar 1-11 record in 2010.

Many Memphis fans were ready to fire head coach Larry Porter after his first year. After two recruiting classes, Porter's team should better, but this year will not be the year for Memphis to compete for the Conference USA championship.

The often forgotten college football team in Memphis is at Rhodes. The NCAA Division III Lynx, should be competitive in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference under new head coach Dan Gritti.

2011 Memphis Tigers Football Schedule
Best Home Game - Mississippi State (Thursday, September 1)


2011 Rhodes College Lynx Football Schedule
Best Home Game - Austin College (Saturday, October 22)

Frida's, Football Season and More

I noticed today that a Mexican restaurant named Frida's opening the space formerly occupied Zinnie's on Madison Avenue in Midtown. It's good to see something new opening there. The addition of Frida's to the corner of Madison and Belvedere could make for an interesting in evening...Mexican food followed by after dinner beverages at the Lamplighter and/or Old Zinnie's.

Football season is right around the corner. SEC Media Days were held this week and the NFL is close to wrapping up its work stoppage. Practice should be starting at all football levels in the next week or so. Look for Memphis-area college football info (schedules, etc) soon.


In another random note, it appears that MTV is bringing Beavis and Butthead back to the air with new episodes this October. Here is a quick preview of one of the new episodes. Apparently not much has changed.

Get More: Beavis and Butt-Head, MTV Shows

Long Time

Its been a long time since there has been a new post on Memphis Lagniappe. Reason? Its summer time, travel, etc. The Grizzlies lost in the NBA playoffs, a successful BBQ Fest was held at Tiger Lane, Memorial Day and the 4th of July have passed and I'm refreshed and ready to go.

So, what's new? Its hot. Not just a little warm, but it is miserably hot outside. I hope you and your friends are staying cold inside or maybe playing in a pool. Remember the sun block kids.

Moral of the story, more frequent posts coming soon.

Weather, BBQ Fest Moving, Grizzlies

Wow! Who else is sick of all the rain?  Unfortunately, the Mississippi River continues to take on water and will crest in Memphis around May 10. Hopefully the flooding won't be as bad as predicted. On the bright side, we should have beautiful, spring-like weather for the weekend.

The anticipated flooding has already impacted one Memphis in May event. The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (BBQ FEST) has been moved from Tom Lee Park to Tiger Lane in Midtown. Tiger Lane is a sweet addition that the University of Memphis added to the fairgrounds near Liberty Bowl Stadium. This move has to hurt all of the Downtown bars and restaurants that were anticipating overflow from the competition. Midtown bars need to step up and welcome crowds. 

How about those Grizzlies? They continued to impress everyone yesterday against Oklahoma City. Game 2 of the second/conference semi-final round is tomorrow night at 8:30. Max's, Next Door and Dan McGuiness should be great places to watch the game.

Vodka Tasting Update, Grizzlies Tonight

Hope everyone made it through the night safely after another round of storms. Any bets if there will be rain for music fest next weekend?

The Three Olives Vodka Martini & Cocktail Tasting that was scheduled for tonight at Cafe Society has been rescheduled for Wednesday May 18 at 6:30pm.

The Grizzlies will try to win game two of the their playoff series with the San Antonio Spurs tonight. A couple of good places to watch the game will be Sweet Grass' Next Door and Max's. 

Art Walk, Hot Wings, Crawfish and Grizzlies

There's lots of fun events going on this weekend. Here a few to keep your eye on.

Broad Avenue Spring Art Walk - Friday, April 15
10 Art Exhibits, 12 local artists join for the evening at the Artist Market and music by Dynaflow. There will also be a fun wine tasting fundraiser. Admission is free and food/drink will cost you a few bucks.


Southern Hot Wing Festival on Saturday from 10am to 6pm at South Main and G E Patterson. This is usually a fun event, with great people watching. You can usually sample the wingsfrom each team for a small donation to a charity. Otherwise, the event is sort of like BBQ fest. You have to know someone on a team in order to sample the food and get free drinks. Beer and other food is available for purchase from local vendors. There is also a nominal admission fee.

The Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival is Sunday afternoon from 12-6 at Wagner Place between Union and Beale. This free admission event is usually one of the best festivals in Memphis. If the weather is good, you can expect great people watching and an annual visit to the Pier.

The Grizzlies also kick off their playoff run on Sunday at noon against the San Antonio Spurs. With the Grizzlies playing on the road, Sunday Funday at local bars might be packed for the game. The Grizzlies will host games three and four of the best of seven series on Saturday, April 23 and Monday, April 25. If necessary, game six will be played in Memphis on Friday, April 29.

Don't forget, there is plenty of time to get your favorite Grizzlies and NBA playoffs gear. Just click the banner below.

Grizzlies, Crawfish, Baseball, Next Door

With last night's win over Sacramento, the Grizzlies clinched a spot in the playoffs. The next few games are important for seeding purposes. At this point, it might be better to be the #8 seed and face the struggling San Antonio Spurs. If the Grizz move up to #7, then Memphis would face the hot Lakers. Let's pull for #8.

Today's weather is perfect for the Overton Square Crawfish festival (noon til 6). There should be plenty of people out there for the fest. If you are looking for a smaller crawfish event, the High Point Pub is having a crawfish boil from 5 til 1am.

If crawfish isn't your speed, then baseball might be a good option. The Redbirds are in town and the University of Memphis is hosting #14 Southern Miss all weekend. The Tigers won in dramatic fashion last night, so the next couple of days could generate some fierce play.

Finally! Midtown has a sports bar. Cooper Young's Sweet Grass has opened Next Door (literally next door to Sweet Grass), a higher end sports pub. They have a great drink selection, lots of tvs with all of the sports packages and a nice menu. Highly recommend is the burger, which comes with deep fried pimento cheese. Add a fried egg to that and you are set. Other recommendations are the chicken and waffles and the french fries fried in duck fat.

King of Leon tonight. Anyone else going?

3 OIives Tasting and Lots of Music

Cafe Society is hosting a 3 Olives Cocktail & Martini Tasting on Wednesday, April 20th at 6:30pm. The cost is $25 plus tax and tip. After today's weather, this might be a perfect way to get things going again later in the week.

It looks like most, if not all, of the Memphis spring/summer music series have been announced. There are some fun and interesting bands coming to town.


SNOWDEN GROVE CONCERT SERIES

April 15: Pat Green
April 16: Steel Magnolias
May 24: Whitesnake

May 26: Kenny Chesney
June 3: Poison
June 9: Willie Nelson's Country Throwdown

For more information, go to snowdengroveamphitheater.com


LIVE AT THE GARDEN


June 4: ZZ Top
June 25: Steve Miller Band
July 8: Michael McDonald with Bozz Scaggs

July 22: Huey Lewis and the News
August 12: Goo Goo Dolls with Michelle Branch

For more information, go to liveatthegarden.com
2011 LEVITT SHELL SPRING FREE CONCERT SERIES


May 19: Civil Twilight
May 20: Rebirth Brass Band

May 21: Dor L'Dor
May 22: Ray Wylie Hubbard
May 24: The Verve Pipe


May 26: George Porter Jr. and Runnin' Pardners
May 27: Jimmy Davis
May 28: Aubrey Ghent
May 29: Yoro Ndiaye
May 31: Jack & the Zinghoppers
June 2: Mindy Smith
June 3: Papa Grows Funk


June 4: Eric Lindell
June 5: Jazz Orchestra of the Delta
June 7: Bob Dorough
June 9: Lost Bayou Ramblers
June 10: Thalia Sanchez & Mariachi America
June 11: Di Anne Price and Her Boyfriends
June 12: Tab Benoit
June 14: Trout Fishing in America
June 16: The Spring Standards
June 17: Carolyn Wonderland
June 18: The Bo-Keys
June 19: Brave Combo
June 21: New Ballet Ensemble

For more information, go to levittshell.org

Live at the Garden, Kooky News, Memphis Sports Fans

Although the official announcement for this year's Live at the Garden series will not be until April 1, the following shows have been confirmed.

June 25 - Steve Miller Band

July 8 - Michael McDonald with Boz Scaggs

There are also rumblings that Huey Lewis and the News will be playing on July 22.


One of the only negatives at Kooky Canuck has been the lack of quality TVs. As of tonight, this is no longer a problem. Kooky Canuck isntalled 5 new 37" flat screens above the bar all HD and all with the Comcast premium sports package. Good job guys! Now if only they would add TVs to the back room.

Grizz crowd on Monday

Where's the Blue?

What's the deal with Memphis sports fans? Not just Grizzlies fans, but Tigers fans too. The Grizzlies are in the playoff hunt and the turnout Monday night was less than half full and it wasn't against a lower tier team. At least there were some Grizzlies fans in attendance. 

Where were the Tigers fans at Autozone Park last night for Memphis' baseball game against Arkansas? The crowd easily favored the Razorbacks 20 to 1 and that might a generous estimate. Yes, Memphis basketball attendance is incredible, but the lack of fan support shown last night and for football are one of the main reasons conferences like the Big East will always over look Memphis when considering expansion. Memphis sports fans on all levels should be embarrassed.

Basketball (Pearl, Tigers, Grizzlies), Hogs Coming To Town, Patio Season

It's official, Tennessee-Knoxville has fired head basketball coach Bruce Pearl. This was an easy decision, but also difficult for Vols fans. Pearl had to be fired for the violations he committed. Without him, the program should go back to being an average club. What should happen next? Athletic director Mike Hamilton should step down or be fired for the Pearl situation and the hiring and departure of Lane Kiffin.

The Tigers wrapped up their season on Friday with a loss to the Arizona Wildcats in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Everyone seems to be jumping on the refs for the lack of a call, but several media sources at the game and the replays pretty much show that it was a clean block. Memphis should be improved next season, but that will only come if Joe Jackson picks up his game and shows more consistent play.

The Grizzlies are in action tonight at FedEx Forum against the Utah Jazz. The Grizzlies are in a fight to for the last playoff spot, with Utah right on their tails. This should be a great game and fans need to show up and be loud. If you haven't been to a game yet, you are definitely missing a great team to watch.

Weather this week should be perfect for Wednesday nights University of Memphis baseball game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at AutoZone Park. The Razorbacks have a strong club this season and Memphis has a decent club as well. Should be great weather and a great game.

Speaking of weather, the recent warm front has officially opened patio season at local restaurants and bars. Patios were festive yesterday for the first warm weather Sunday Funday of season.  Still trying to figure out where the best patio fun is. Bayou, Bhan Thai, Boscos, Brookhaven, Celtic Crossing, Flying Saucer and Majestic are always strong. Where else can you find good patio fun?

Japan Relief

If you are looking to help out the people of Japan, here are a few easy ways.

To give to the American Red Cross Japan relief fund, text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 from your mobile phone. You can also donate online.

Catholic Relief Services has also launched a relief effort in Japan, and you can donate here.

The Salvation Army is already responding on the ground and is you can text JAPAN or QUAKE to 80888 to make a $10 donation to their relief efforts.

Save The Children, which focuses its disaster aid on kids, is also accepting donations.