APRIL/MAY 2011
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T
101 Things We Love About The Redbirds
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A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
V O L U M E 4 , N U M B E R 5
“If the Grizzlies are winning and the Tigers are not, then the fans could shift their allegiance.“–Marcus Hunter 6
Front Nine 4Nine questions and nine answers from Will Coleman.
Live Debate 6 Will the Grizzlies ever be as popular as Tiger Basketball in Memphis?
All-Stars 8 This soccer standout is a star on the rise.
Teamwork 9Futsol comes to the Memphis area.
Power Train 26Staying healthy on the go.
Varsity Spirit 28Meet Marci and the other cheer moms.
All In 30The future of slot technology.
Picture Puzzle 33Play. Play. Play.
Tailgating 34Riverkings and Globetrotters.
Jack’s Back 36The legendary broadcaster, Jack Eaton, is inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
10 18
28
Changed Man 10Former Tiger Shawne Williams is determined to
make the most of his second chance in the NBA.
101 Things We Love about the Redbirds 12Reasons galore to never miss a Redbirds game.
Tony’s Time 18Tony Allen talks basketball, life and craziness.
33
12
22 M AWARDS BALLOTThe fi fth annual M Awards are here. Start the voting.
1138 N. Germantown Pkwy Ste. 101-176Cordova, TN 38016
memphisport.nettwitter.com/memphisport
PublisherMike Bullard 901.229.4749 [email protected]
Managing EditorKevin Cerrito [email protected]
Director of PhotographyChase Gustafson [email protected]
Contributing PhotographerJustin Ford
Contributing WritersZach BerryJack EatonDoug GillonBen HoganBrandi HunterMarcus HunterAndre JohnsonRudi SchifferBrennan Somers
Contributing IllustratorAndrew Chandler
Cover IllustrationAndrew Chandler
©Copyright 2011 Memphis Sport Magazine LLC, All Rights Reserved
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4 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
You graduate in May with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. What in the world is that?
It is a concentration in criminology and sociology.
What are your plans for after college?
I would like to play basketball. But if not, get involved with the FBI or DEA.
Are you looking at playing overseas?
Playing wherever.
Who would be your dream team to play with?
The Heat. Just because I used to live in Miami when I went to school there. The city is great.
What was the highlight of you college basketball career?
Winning the conference tournament.
Coach Pastner described you as an “elite role model.” What would you say makes someone a good role model?
Someone that is always gonna stand up for what is right. No matter what it is, just someone who is always willing to do the right thing.
Who was your role model?
My mom. My parents. That is who made me the person I am today.
What is your favorite charity?
Not really an organization. Just stuff I like to do, like going out to elementary schools and speaking to kids.
Do you have any parting words for the people of Memphis?
Thank you. I love Tiger Nation. I love the people. Thank you for accepting me with open arms. Thank you for having me. Thank you for letting me play for your city. I’ve had a blast here and I loved it.
Written by Mike Bullard
F R O N T N I N E Nine questions. Nine Answers.
Will Coleman
“I would like to play basketball. But if
not, get involved with the FBI or DEA.“
Recruited by Coach Cal, Will Coleman was one of the few players who stuck around the program for the rebuilding with Coach Pastner. After winning the C-USA championship and a career-ending game against Arizona, Will answers nine questions for MemphiSport.
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 5
, the national governing body for cheerleading is excited to announce...
6 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
Marcus: I think the Tigers did a good job this year of having a late run that will keep the fans on their side for a little longer. But Memphis is a city of fans that like winners. If the Grizzlies are winning and the Tigers are not, then the fans could shift their allegiance.
Kevin: It would take a great deal of winning by the Grizzlies and a great deal of losing by the Tigers to make that happen. And let’s face it, winning is easier for a Conference USA team than it is for a small-market NBA team. When the Grizzlies fi nally make their big return to the playoffs, they will have to face a team like the Lakers, the Spurs or the Mavericks in a fi rst round seven-game series.
Marcus: Most of the Tiger fans in the city are cheering for the team because they are winning. As you saw when the Grizzlies started losing, people stopped showing up at the games. When the Tigers weren’t doing well this year, attendance dropped.
Now that the Grizzlies are winning, people are starting to get behind the team. Fans are starting to get to know the players, wanting to know more about them, wanting to pay to see them.
Kevin: A number of people are Tiger basketball fans because they went to the University of Memphis. Every fall the U of M has thousands of new freshmen enroll and offi cially become part of Tiger Nation for life. The Grizzlies don’t have that luxury.
Marcus: I know, but not all of those students stay in Memphis and there are so many more people in the city of Memphis who did not go to the university. There are plenty of people who live in Memphis that have never even been on the U of M campus.
Marcus: This argument is mostly about the casual fans. The fans who wear Tigers gear one day but will put on a Grizz shirt if they make the playoffs. Those are the fans I am talking about. Those are the fans that move the city. Those are the fans that “bring the city together” when the Tigers are winning. They bring together Tiger Nation and the casual fan. If there ever were an extended period of time where the Tigers were losing and the Grizz were winning, then the Grizzlies would be the ones bringing the city together.
Kevin: It is more complicated than just winning. Memphis has an unexplainable relationship and connection with Tiger basketball. Just look at how the city treated two players with similar characteristics. Will Coleman was on the Tigers for two seasons, is a physically talented big man who is terrible at basketball but has a great attitude. Hasheem Thabeet was on the Grizzlies for two seasons, is a physically talented big man who is terrible at basketball but has a great attitude. People couldn’t be happier to see Thabeet traded away while Coleman got a loving farewell tribute in the local newspaper.
Marcus: That is a good point. But remember Willie Kemp? Fans didn’t think much of him and his game either. Sure they rallied around him when his mother was sick, but he wasn’t a player they loved regardless of how he sucked on the court. I mean look at Hamed Haddadi. He hardly ever plays and when
Written by Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter, Photos by Chase Gustafson
L I V E D E B AT E Kevin and Marcus go head-to-head.
Will the Grizzlies ever be as Popular as Tiger Basketball in Memphis?
Marcus Hunter “If the Grizzlies
are winning and the Tigers are not, then the fans could shift
their allegiance.”
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 7
he gets in the game the fans love him. When fans see him on the street they love him. It all depends on the player, not who they play for. Thabeet was the No. 2 overall pick. Fans didn’t like him because he was a sign that the organization once again failed at the draft.
Kevin: What would have to happen for Grizzlies fans to rally together and welcome their team home at the airport?
Marcus: The Grizzlies would have to go to Los Angeles and win a playoff series against the Lakers. That could happen someday. I think it is great for the city to have a winning college basketball team and NBA team. Memphis is like no other city on the planet when it comes to basketball and how much the people here support their hoops. I would love nothing more than for both the Grizzlies and Tigers to be at the top of their leagues. That way the city can really come together with Tigers and Grizzlies fever.
Kevin: I’m cool with that, as long as it doesn’t lead to a citywide outbreak of Bieber fever.
Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter host the award-winning MemphiSport Live every Saturday at 11am on Sports56 WHBQ. Listen anytime at memphisport.net.
Kevin Cerrito “It is more complicated than just winning. Memphis has an unexplainable relationship and connection with Tiger basketball.”
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Six Memphis Area Locations
8 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
Written by Ben Hogan
SBA Standout is a Soccer Sensation.
A L L- S TA R S The best of the preps.
Star on the Rise
Local talent is always something the city of Memphis and the surrounding areas takes much pride in. A name that most people around the Mid-South might not be familiar with, but could become a household name soon is St. Benedict senior and athlete Julie Eckel. Eckel plays three different sports for the SBA Eagles basketball, track, and soccer. She enjoys playing all three, but her favorite to play is soccer, and that’s the one she will be playing when she attends the University of Tennessee this upcoming fall. During her senior season on the pitch where she played both goal keeper and forward, she racked up impressive stats at both positions, scoring fourteen goals and recording eleven shutouts while playing keeper.
Eckel has picked up many awards and accolades during her career at SBA. Some of her career achievements include 4-year starter, 4-year scholar athlete, All-Region MVP, All-Metro, All-State, and Top 10 fi nalist for Wendy’s Heisman/Scholar Athlete Award. She also participated in the Olympic Development Progam (ODP) and attended the Dynasty Goalkeeping Camp, as well as selected as the only female on the Under-19 Region ODP team.
This past summer, Eckel was selected as one of three high school girls to the ODP Alumni team to play the South Korean National Team, who ended up winning the Youth World Cup. The ODP team ended up losing 2-1, but Eckel learned from this experience by commenting, “they played at a lot quicker pace then I was used to, and played at a higher level.” She also played with two current members of the UT soccer team before she committed to play there.
While Eckel accomplished a lot in high school, there is one thing that she was not able to accomplish that she wish she could have. That one thing is she wishes she would have been able to win a state championship. Eckel’s coach, Julie Knowles feels the same way. Knowles, who just fi nished up her third year as head coach after serving two as an assistant at SBA, said “I felt we deserved to play in the state tournament, with all of the progress that some of the players made.” The Eagles fi nished the season 8-3-5 and lost to Battle Ground Academy 4-3 in overtime in the 2-AA quarterfi nals.
Coach Knowles will miss the leadership and hard work that Eckel brought everyday, as Eckel was described as a player “that always gave 100 percent and always made an impact.” If anything best describes the way Eckel was on the fi eld, it would be the story Knowles shared. It was Eckel’s junior year and they were playing ECS and Eckel was in goal, a shot came her way and she made a diving save, got back up and a shot was made to the other side of the goal and she was able to dive and make another save. Eckel played goalie for the most of her fi rst two year, but the fi rst time she played in the fi eld as a mid-fi elder she led a furious comeback and scored two goals.
One more thing that Knowles will be missing from Eckel is her leadership because “she never tried to impress anyone with how good she was” and “always tried for perfection.” Teammates would look up to Eckel as a sort of role model, “some people look up to Mia Hamm as a role model, but new players that would come in would say, I want to be like Julie Eckel,” said Knowles.
Eckel just fi nished up with SBA on the hardwood as they lost in the semifi nals of the 2-AA state tournament and is now focused on track and fi eld before she graduates.
Eckel is defi nitely a busy and talented athlete, and if people don’t know her name now, they may soon know it very well.
“Some people look up to Mia Hamm as
a role model, but new players that
would come in would say, I want to be like Julie Eckel”
1 0 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
Sporting a practice T-shirt and uniform shorts, Shawne Williams is sitting in front of his locker, less than an hour before a recent tipoff between the New York Knicks and the Memphis Grizzlies, telling several Knicks representatives about Memphis, the town in which he grew up.
He is telling them, among other things, about his days of playing pick-up basketball games in the crime and drug-infested neighborhood of South Memphis. He is speaking of how the National Civil Rights Museum has become a signifi cant landmark in the city where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was last seen alive. He is reminding them that Memphis is home to the renowned Graceland mansion and late rock ‘n’ roll icon Elvis Presley.
“I grew up like a few houses from (Graceland),” Williams said. “You can’t compare Memphis to New York. It’s a totally different world. It’s a large city. It’s a great stage to play on.”
For Williams, a former Hamilton High phenom who starred one season at the University of Memphis in 2005-06, the 25-year-old pro apparently isn’t suffering from stage fright, given he’s exhibiting his skills in the NBA’s largest market. Williams, to his credit, has proven to be an asset to the Knicks’ much-anticipated resurgence this season.
New York is now an Eastern Conference playoff team, in part because the 6-foot-9 Williams has emerged as one of head coach Mike D’Antoni’s key reserves since signing with the team back in September. Williams is currently eighth on the team in minutes played with 19.7 per contest through 47 games, and seventh in points per game with 6.9. He has started multiple games for the Knicks, his most productive outing coming in a January 12 loss at Utah when he scored a season-best 25 points in 34 minutes.
“I’m glad he’s here with us,” D’Antoni said of Williams. “We’re glad to have him.”
And Williams, as he puts it, deems himself “fortunate” that Knicks president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh believed in him enough to grant him a third chance to resurrect a career that was mired by a slew of off-the-court issues in recent years.
In September 2007, Williams, along with two other passengers in his car, were arrested in Indianapolis and on a charge of possession of marijuana. A stolen handgun that belonged to one of the passengers also was found in Williams’ vehicle. The other passenger was charged with possession of marijuana.
Then early last year, Williams encountered another run-in with the law when he was arrested in Memphis on felony charges for selling a codeine substance, a charge that was eventually reduced to a misdemeanor three months later after he pleaded guilty. Placed on six months probation, Williams was ordered to undergo mandatory drug testing, attend a drug offender school and contribute $10,000 to a local drug treatment facility.
Many, in fact, believed that Williams, who was drafted 17th overall by Indiana in 2006, had played his last game in the NBA after he was waived by the New Jersey Nets just four days following his arrest in Memphis. It was a situation about which he admittedly felt embarrassed, considering youngsters who looked up to him began questioning whether or not he would ever play professionally again.
“To be honest, I knew that I was going to get back (into the NBA),” said Williams, who also played one season in Dallas. “I felt like the light switch came on when my nieces and nephews got curious about me not playing. They were like, ‘Shawne, when are going to see you play
Written by Andre Johnson, Photo by Chase Gustafson
Former Tiger Shawne Williams is determined to make the most of his second chance in the NBA.
Changed Man
“I felt like the light switch came on when my nieces and nephews got
curious about me not playing. They were like,
‘Shawne, when are going to see you play again.’”
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 1 1
again.’ I didn’t want to lie to them. What that did really was want me to set an example for them. I wanted to give them a chance to see me play.”
As Williams got his legal troubles under control, his chances of resurfacing in the NBA became a strong possibility.
Kentucky head coach John Calipari, who coached Williams at Memphis, called close friend and then-Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown, to arrange for Williams to attend a free-agent mini-camp with the team during the 2010 Orlando summer league. He didn’t disappoint, considering he was eventually offered training camp invitations from the Bobcats and Knicks a couple of months later.
The Knicks, consequently, wound up being Williams’ sentimental choice to continue his career since Madison Square Garden was the last place his older brother, Ramone, who was murdered, saw him play.
He said that while his off-the-court misfortunes were self-manufactured, his time away from the NBA prompted him to assess his poor judgment and decision-making. Williams, in fact, describes himself as a “changed man” nowadays, primarily because he was fortunate to have been given another chance fulfi ll his dream.
“I’m just happy to have this opportunity to showcase my talents in New York,” Williams said. “They gave me an opportunity to do what I wanted to do in life and that was to play (basketball). I knew I needed to change my ways. I feel I’m doing well now. (New York) is a large city, a great stage to play on.”
Not to mention, a platform where he is fully embracing the golden opportunity this time around.
“I’m just happy to have this opportunity to showcase my talents in New York.”
1 2 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
Compiled by MemphiSport Illustrations by Andrew Chandler
101101Things We Love AboutThe RedbirdsThings We Love AboutThe Redbirds
1 BBQ Nachos
2 Opening day
3 Kids running the bases after Sunday games
4 Watching the next generation of Cardinals before they are Cardinals
5 Catching a home run ball on the bluff
6 Games are affordable family entertainment
7 Memoires of Albert Pujols’ game-winning walk-off homerun
in the 13th inning of Game 4 of the PCL Championship Series in 2000
8 The STRIPES (Sports Teams Returning to the Education
System) program, which helps to provide baseball opportunities for Memphis City School kids
9 Matinees
10 Having your kid’s ball team become “Little
Legends” on the fi eld before a game and during the national anthem
11 Local Ghost River Brewing available on draft
12 A picnic way out in right fi eld at the Picnic Pavilion
13 Firework games
14 Partying on the club level party deck
15 Live local bands performing in the plaza entrance
16 Rockey’s Kids Club
17 AutoZone Park’s view of downtown
Everyone in Memphis loves the Redbirds, but for anyone out there who still needs a reason to profess that love, MemphiSport offers up 101 of them. Enjoy.
BBQ
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Kidaft
WaCa
Catbal
Gafam
Megam
in the 13
Everyanyonthat l
29Taking a
picture with
Rockey
Compiled by MemphiSport, Illustrations by Andrew Chandler
1 2 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 1 3M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 1 3
Compiled by MemphiSport Illustrations by Andrew Chandler
18 The dancing and singing on Greek Heritage Night
19 Bad seats don’t exist at AutoZone Park
20 Singing along with “Take me out to the ball game”
during the 7th inning stretch
21 The Reviving baseball in the Inner Cities (RBI) program,
which is an instructional baseball and softball summer program
22 Up-to-date inside news from interns on the Chirp Chatter blog
23 Memories of Rick
Ankiel’s comeback as an outfi elder in 2007
24 Buying a little stuffed
Rockey to bring home
25 Catching practice baseballs during
the fl y ball warm ups
26 Hearing an organ played never sounded so good
27 The Big Dog, a half-pound jumbo grilled sausage covered
with chili, cheese, fried onion rings complete with and a knife and fork
28 Being 1 of the fi rst 5,000 fans on a free promotions night
29 Taking a picture with Rockey
30 Bird Vision videos on memphisredbirds.com
31 The cool A/C and relaxing furniture on the club level
32 A special Redbirds toolbar for your Internet browser
33 Standing up and clapping when there are two
outs in the top of the 9th
34 Picnicking on the bluff
35 The blue jerseys
36 No Orange Redhots thanks to the
Redhots new sponsor, Palm Beach Tans. will make sure
that they stay properly tanned all season long
37 A little basketball shooting at the
baseball game on the Boardwalk
38 Private watch parties from the balconies of the
overlooking apartment buildings
39 Bobbleheads
40 Funnel cakes
41 Winning the Birdbath water gun race at the Boardwalk
42 Kids running to fi rst base after a Tuesday game for
the Run a Single with Kraft Singles
43 Watching batting practice before the game
44 Getting a few autographs before the game
starts next to the dugouts
45 Catching a foul ball
46 Kids celebrating their birthday with Rockey
47 Buying a PCL Champs t-shirt
s
RB
thtan
1 4 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
Singing along with Tme out to the ball ga
ning stretch
ving baseball iies (RBI) progr
uctional basebamer program
-date inside neterns on the hatter blog
Memoriesof Rick
’s comeback aselder in 2007
Buying a little stuffed
o bring home
Catching practbaseballs durinwarm ups
aring an organ ver sounded so
Dog, a half-pjumbo grilled sausage
with chili, cheese, fried onion ricomplete with and a knife and f
Being 1 of the first 5
me outduring the 7th inn
The RevivInner Cit
which is an instruand softball summ
Up-to-from inChirp C
Ankiel’an outfi e
Rockey to
Cb
the fl y ball w
Heanev
The Bigjumbo g
C
78Memories of
the Stubby
Clapp backflip
48 The team is the AAA affi liate of the Cards
and not the Expos, Royals, Padres or Mariners like the Chicks were
49 The 2000 PCL Championship
50 The 2009 PCL Championship
51 Faith & Family Night
52 The tallest video screen in the minor leagues
53 Peanuts and Cracker Jacks
54 The playground next to the bluff
55 The Red Hots
56 Rockey zipping around on his ATV
57 Buy 1 Get 1 Free tickets every Tuesday when you bring a
KRAFT Singles package wrapper
58 Stepping into the batting cage at the Boardwalk
59 This fun fact: Because of BBQ Nachos, AutoZone Park
is the only ballpark in the country where top selling item is not hot dogs
60 Trading our Redbirds trading cards
61 Ice cream served in a miniature baseball helmet
62 AutoZone Park is a staycation destination
63 Bringing our dogs to the game once a year
on Bark in the Ballpark day
64 Doing a Harry Caray impression
on Redbirds Fantasy Radio
65 Singing along to the players at-bat songs
66 Chance to see up-and-comers from
other teams around MLB
nd bluff
kets e
o
ce to see up-and-comers from
her teams around MLB
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 1 5
40Funnel Cakes
55The Red Hots
67 The team’s continuous support of Habitat for Humanity
68 Games are a perfect backdrop for snapping
interesting Facebook photos
69 The red chair in right fi eld commemorating Albert
Pulhos’ PCL Championship home run
70 Season ticket holders can transfer, exchange,
or donate their tickets online
71 Catching a free t-shirt
72 The Rockey Hopper
73 AutoZone Park is a great place for a summer job
74 The 24-foot climbing wall on the Boardwalk.
75 Children under 3 get in free
76 After the game, you are just two
blocks from Beale Street
77 The team is proof that non-threatening mascots can win
78 Memories of the Stubby Clapp backfl ip
79 The Kiss Cam
80 The Dance Cam
81 The friendliest ushers in the Mid-South
82 Watching St. Louis Cardinal players rehab
83 Cheering on our favorite colors in the
Red, Blue, and Green car race
84 Making “it’s not delivery” jokes after your buddy
brings a DiGiorno back to the seats
85 The game every year after the NBA draft, when a new
Grizzlies player throws out the fi rst pitch
86 The Zooperstars
87 The Fourth of July game
88 The new picnic terrace seating
89 This fun fact: The team got a physic to predict
what game this season the team will absolutely win. She picked August 1st and now it is “Guarantee Win Night”
90 Listening Steve Selby call the games on Sports 56
91 Scout camp out night on the fi eld
92 The selection of cool stuff at the
Backstop Baseball Emporium
93 The buffet at Business Person Lunch
94 Watching people on Union and third from the
club and press level balconies
95 Doubleheader days
96 New concession items are added
every year like the Fritos chili pie and the ICEE Frozen Cokes
97 Happy Birthday shout outs on the video board
98 Rockey’s Rockin’ Readers program
99 Memories of the T-Rex throwing out the fi rst
pitch at a game in 2010
100 The classy “Pasttime” logo
101 They introduced us to Silly Bandz
uly game
34Picnicking
on the bluff
1 6 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
visitt our wwwwebssite att tto download aa cammp brrooccchhhuuurree,, oorrr ssttoopp bbyyyyy oonnneeeoof oour campuses ttoo pickk uuupp aaa pprriinntteeddd bbbrroooccchhhuurree
Collierville campus1880 Wolf RiR ver Blvd.Coolllliei rville, TN 3880177
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1 8 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 11 8 F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 1 1
Tony Allen talks basketball, life and craziness.
Written by Doug Gillon, Photo by Chase Gustafson
TONY’S TIME TONY’S TIME
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 1 9
Tony Allen has been in Memphis for less than a year, but he has already played his way into the hearts of many Grizzlies fans. His statistics this season have closely mirrored those of his fi rst fi ve seasons with the Boston Celtics, but Allen’s contributions to the Grizzlies’ depth and play style have gone well beyond his line.
The fans, his teammates, his coach, and even opposing players know that when Allen comes into the game, the contest changes. Players move faster. Awareness goes up, and defense, the all-important defense, goes through the roof.
Memphisport sat down with Tony Allen to get his thoughts on his new city, his experiences in the league and to fi nally get an answer to the question on everyone’s mind, what makes him tick.
What’s better… New England Clam Chowder or Memphis Barbecue?
I gotta say the clam chowder put a bad smell on your breath, and the barbecue put a gain on your calories, but they both good to me. I like ‘em.
What’s your take on the playoff beards?
Around this time every year I just let my hair grow. But for the most part it was a constant team effort so everybody’s doing it.
What does that say about the team?
It shows that we’re pulling together. We in it. We in it for the long haul. So we all in it together and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.
Why did you choose number nine?
I chose it because I wanted something new. I was starting off fresh and going in a new direction, so number nine gave me something new.
Talking about that, this was the fi rst time you changed teams. How did the situation in Memphis strike you?
I just thought honestly that coming here I’d get a chance to be close to my coaches from Oklahoma State and I could work with the guy who drafted me, Chris Wallace.
I thought that was big and the blueprint that he showed me, and the things that he said to me in the recruiting I believed. I was sold on the pitch and I signed on the dotted line.
What kind of things did Chris Wallace tell you?
He just said that he liked the way I played in the playoffs, he liked the way I defended these prolifi c guys – those top-notch scorers and stuff like that. He said he liked the way the Celtics used me and he liked how I responded to all the challenges that came my way.
He said all that and then he told me ‘That’s kind of lacking on our team from the previous year.’ And he said I just need you to come and bring that same type of energy and toughness to this team. I said ‘I don’t mind.’
He didn’t promise me any minutes, he just told me to come here and do what I do. That’s what he told me and everything’s been fi ne and dandy so far. Well… maybe not starting off but everything’s coming around now.
You’re known as kind of a defensive specialist. Is that accurate? Was that the kind of thing Wallace was looking for?
It’s defi nitely key. Every team needs defense so I don’t mind marketing myself that way. But at the same time I can do a little bit of everything – whether it’s passing out Gatorade or giving a teammate some good advice. I’m just a good teammate I believe, and I think that’s good to have in the locker room..
Well lately you’ve been scoring a lot more. Can you pinpoint a reason for that?
Just confi dence and getting an opportunity to be out there. You look at the statistics in my career – whenever I’ve played a lot of minutes I’ve had ok or decent offensive games. But I compete
2 0 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
on both ends, and at the end of the day I just want people to know me as a competitor.
Do you have any best friends on the team?
I pretty much like everybody. Everybody’s equal. Don’t really have any favorites. Everybody’s cool. Everybody’s always accepting each other.
What about around the league?
I got Will Bynum, that’s like my brother. I mean really like my brother. We used to spend the night over at each other’s houses in high school. Even when he was over in Europe I used to go over to his house and spend the night at his house. So that’s one of the guys that I would say is really close.
Also Luther Head, we play ball and hang out together. Oh and I can’t forget Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins – those are my dudes. That and I always stay in tune with Paul Peirce.
You mentioned some guys you played with in Boston. Talking about that, what’s it like to play on a world championship team versus a team that can’t quite cut it?
Well I’ve been on teams that couldn’t quite cut it before we had Kevin Garnett. I was with a team that lost 18 games in a row. Well I got hurt when they lost the 18 in a row, but I know what that feels like.
But I also know what it feels like to win. I know what it feels like to go to each game knowing that we’re going to have to come out here and play because we are the team that everybody’s trying to bring their best against. From the Clippers to the Toronto Raptors – I mean every team was coming with it. But that was only because we were the World Champion Boston Celtics.
I think Zach Randolph is just as talented as Kevin Garnett. I think Darrell Arthur can shoot just
as good as PJ Brown did for us... Mike Conley is just as good as Rondo but with a better jump
shot.... not to mention Rudy Gay – who is just as talented as Paul Piece. — Tony Allen
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 2 1
It was a lot different from being on the Boston Celtics that lost 18 games in a row. Those guys probably come to the arena, take a couple quarters off and blow us out or be down 20 and come back and beat us.
So how does a team go from losing 18 in a row to winning a championship?
I think it’s about putting in the right pieces to the puzzle. You need your scorer. You need your shooter and post player. Then you need a good defensive post player and defensive wing. You need a great point guard who distributes the ball.
Mind you, all those pieces where probably at one point top scorers. So then you need a lot of them to sacrifi ce and do the defensive things that they need to do. You also need a bench that’s willing and ready to play at all times. And even after you get all that, everything has to fi nd a way to come together.
Does this team have the right pieces to the puzzle?
I think… well I’m going to say this. I think Zach Randolph is just as talented as Kevin Garnett. I think Darrell Arthur can shoot just as good as P.J. Brown did for us in the playoffs. I think O.J. Mayo has just as much, well maybe not just as much, but he can shoot well just like Ray Allen.
I would say Mike Conley is just as good as Rondo but with a better jump shot. I gotta say Marc Gasol is a highly talented offensive player, better than Perkins in that respect, and not to mention Rudy Gay – who is just as talented as Paul Piece.
At the end of the day all we have to do is focus – especially on defense. With all that talent on the offensive end, if we all make the sacrifi ce to focus on the defensive end, then it will be major.
You’ve mad a big impression on fans with how active you are during games, standing on the sidelines, waving towels, fi ring up the crowd. What inspires that kind of personality on the court?
I just think it’s the opportunity to get to play. I think it dawned on me the year after we won the championship and I didn’t play that much. I looked back and I saw that I wasn’t a good teammate. I wasn’t clapping and cheering because I was too stuck on myself. I didn’t enjoy the moment. So that next year I came back – worked hard, worked hard, worked hard.
Some things didn’t go my way at fi rst. They had a little interim period where they brought in Mike Finley, and I took that like it was kind of salt to a wound, but I still worked hard. I said to myself, “I’m still going to be the guy that’s a good teammate; I’m still going to be the guy that’s in the gym late nights. I’m still going to cheer for any incoming player.”
I was just thinking about my attitude before when I wasn’t playing, and I thought, “I love this game, and that wasn’t me.” So all the year I told myself that I was just going to thank God that I’m here, I’m going to be a good teammate, I’m going to cheer, and I’m going to do all that.
Eventually it all turned around for me. Look at this season. Good always comes to good. I just always stayed ready, so when I got an opportunity I was like, “YEAH! YEAH!” and I was prepared for it.
There ain’t no looking back now. I’m just going to keep that same energize-battery type of play… I mean you see it! Whatever you see that’s what it is! But it started from me just realizing that I love this game, and I need to love it whether I’m playing it or sitting on the sidelines.
You’ve talked several times about how, if you weren’t playing basketball you would be a teacher. Where does that come from?
Honestly, my granddad is a teacher. I wouldn’t say he was my top role model, but he was one of them. I used to look at him and think, “My granddaddy is the only one with a job! On my birthday he can always get me something… you know, my granddaddy – I like my granddaddy!”
So as I got older he said that if I went to college that I should take up education. So when I was in school and I was taking education, we had to do a lot of appearances with the kids and all that, I just fell in love with being around kids.
When you interact with them, you never know what they’ll say. They might say some of the craziest things, some of the funniest things. So I just loved being around kids. And I got my degree in education I was thinking, “You know what? Why not teach.” And ever since then I’ve always said that when I’m done with the NBA that I’m going to teach kids.
You just joined twitter. How’s that treating you so far?
Well I’m just on twitter. I don’t know. I’m just seeing what it’s about now. I’m just trying something new. I sit around a lot doing nothing, just chillin’, and then I run across the craziest things so I fi gure why not let the world know?
That word ‘crazy’ comes up a lot when you’re discussed. Pretty much any time a fan talks to me about you they say, “Tony Allen, man that guy’s crazy!” It happens more than you might think. What do you have to say to that? Are you crazy?
[Laughs] I don’t know man. I can’t say I’m crazy but I am a realist. Quote that. I am a realist and I do speak on things as they come and I do tell it how it is. I can’t sugarcoat anything and I can’t hide anything. That’s just what’s instilled in me.
I got to keep it real. [Laughs]
I mean, even in post-game interviews, it ain’t no secret about what happened, it wasn’t any magic. What happened in the game is what happened in the game.
So no, I’m not crazy – I’m just a realist.
M stands for Memphis. M stands for major league. M stands for magnanimous. M stands for marvelous, master, and most of all, MemphiSport.
Th e M Award stands for all that is great in Memphis area sports. And the best part is, it’s all up to you.
Remember, you–the readers–will be the only judges for this award. No referees, no coaches poll, and no panel of experts. You vote for the best of the past year in Memphis sports each year. Th is year’s nominees and winners are for the period between May 2009 and April 2010. You are in charge here, and what you say goes.
You make the picks, we tabulate the results. Th at’s all there is to it. Look for the winners in the next issue.
The Rules: Only one ballot may be fi lled out per person. Your ballot must include your name and email address and be entered by May 14. It’s not necessary to pick a winner in every category. But in order to be counted, a ballot must contain at least fi ve responses. No cheating. We know cheating when we see it. And we don’t like to see it. Th e online voting contains nominations for each category compliled by our staff at MemphiSport. As always, you are free to use our nominations or enter a nomination of your own. Vote online at memphisport.net or mail in this ballot.
The M Awards ‘11
VOTE NOW!VOTE NOW!DEADLINE TO ENTERDEADLINE TO ENTER
MAY 14 MAY 14
The voting begins on April 16. Tune into MemphiSport Live at 11am on
April 16 for the live nomination special — Only on Sports 56 WHBQ.
OFFICIAL BALLOT
AT THE GAMEFavorite Concessions_______________________________
Favorite Place To Tailgate____________________________
Favorite Sporting Venue___________________________
Favorite Race_____________________________________
Best Game______________________________________
Most Memorable Moment__________________________
Favorite Annual Event_____________________________
Moment We Would Most Like to Forget_______________
Best Oddball Moment_____________________________
Best Musical Performance___________________________
Favorite In-Game Entertainment_____________________
SPORTS AROUND TOWN Best Place to Stock Up for the Big Game________________
Favorite Local Sports Bar/Restaurant__________________
Favorite National Sports Bar/Restaurant_______________
Favorite Place to Eat Before/Aft er the Game_____________
Favorite Place to Take the Team Aft er a Victory__________
Favorite Place To Play Cards________________________
Favorite Private Golf Course________________________
Favorite Golf Store________________________________
Favorite Sporting Goods Store_______________________
Favorite Sports Apparel Store________________________
*Name____________________________________________________________________________Address___________________________________________________________________________City, State and Zip___________________________________________________________________*email address_______________________________________________________________________
GET FITFavorite Workout Facility____________________________
Favorite Healthy Store_______________________________
Favorite Place to Spend a Nice Aft ernoon_________________
Favorite Bike Shop_________________________________
SPORTS MEDIAFavorite Sports Radio Personality_______________________
Favorite Local Sports Radio Program____________________
Favorite Local TV Sports Personality____________________
Favorite Sports Website_______________________________
Favorite Local Sports Blogsite__________________________
Favorite Sports Radio Segment_________________________
IN UNIFORMFavorite Mascot____________________________________
Favorite Spirit Squad________________________________
Favorite Uniforms__________________________________
Best Hair_________________________________________
Favorite Fighter or Wrestler___________________________
Favorite Golfer_____________________________________
Favorite Baseball Player______________________________
Favorite Football Player______________________________
Favorite Basketball Player______________________________
Favorite Athlete_____________________________________
Favorite Coach______________________________________
Favorite Team_______________________________________
Most Hated Rival____________________________________
YOUR INFODEADLINE TO ENTER IS MAY 14DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MAY 14
Two Ways To Enter:1. ONLINE VOTING: www.memphissport.net2. MAIL YOUR BALLOT: (photocopies are accepted) MEMPHIS SPORT, 1138 N Germantown Pkwy, Suite 101- 176, Cordova, TN 38018
2 4 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
WITH AMENITIES LIKE THESE,
> BOREDOM IS NOT AN OPTION.
www.GermantownAthleticClub.org
From its inception in 1990, Germantown Athletic Club has served as the community’s focal point for health and fitness by providing individuals and families in the Mid-South an environment that fosters fitness and fellowship. The Club offers its members numerous fitness and aquatic facilities, specialized classes and expert staff under the leadership of the City of Germantown.
Amenities include:> Certified and professional personal trainers available to assist in fitness programming > Fitness area, measuring more than 8,500 square feet with top-of-the-line aerobic and weight-training machines > New locker rooms and sauna> More than 75 group fitness classes offered each week – included in membership
> 40-meter indoor pool and hot tub area > Outdoor pool and splash park > Three-court gymnasium and three racquetball courts > Pilates studio > Cycling room equipped with 25 bikes> Nutritional counseling> Massage therapy> Club Cafe with smoothies, wraps, salads and more Indoor, three-lane, 1/12-mile walking track
2 6 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
As consumers in this dot-com age we’re quick to integrate any i-WiFi-3G-app wielding device into our lives that product creators claim will make our days more effi cient. What often results from our preoccupation with maximum productivity is the added need to carve out more time (that we don’t have) in our schedules to manage the micromanagers. Fulfi lling all of our traditional and 3.0 obligations leaves even less time to provide our bodies with what they need to keep the madness going. Memphisport talked to Kelvin “York” Brown, vice president and director of training operations at Power Life Fitness to fi nd out how to get it all in.
I have an unpredictable schedule and few extra pounds of holiday weight that I let set up shop on my 5’3” frame, so I decided to put myself in the mix for this interview. I asked York to take me through one of the workouts the trainers at Power Life would prescribe for someone who doesn’t have a lot of time to spare during a typical day. His response, “Great! I love fresh blood!” Really.
The 30-minute workout didn’t kill me, but I defi nitely felt like I had been worked from head to toe. York says the workout was made up of compound movements, or full body exercises that “exhaust the most energy in the least amount of time.”
He stressed that exercising is not a one size fi ts all activity. The workout I did is just a sample of the many at-home programs available to Power Life clients. “Everybody’s got different needs. Everybody has different goals. That’s why personal training is personal. You don’t put everybody in this robotic system.”
After the workout I played devil’s advocate by feeding York some of the main questions and excuses I have heard/used to talk myself out of a workout and into eating or drinking something “I deserve” at the end of a long day or when I’m in a time crunch.
York’s main piece of advice for me was not to over think the lifestyle modifi cations. Enjoy treats in moderation, “but the majority of your life, practice eating healthy.” And I will – right after I fi nish my other articles and fi gure out how to work my new coffee maker.
To schedule a health and fi tness consultation at Power Life Fit-ness call 901.454.0003, or visit their web site at powerlifefi tness.net.
Written by Brandi Hunter
Getting it in when you don’t have time
P O W E R T R A I N Train harder. Train with power.
Healthy Living on the Go
I asked York to take me through one of the workouts the trainers
at Power Life would prescribe for someone
who doesn’t have a lot of time to spare
during a typical day. His response, “Great!
I love fresh blood!”
WE SAY: My busy schedule Keeps me from working out.
YORK SAYS: People have to change their mindsets. Instead of penciling exercise into your schedule, make it a mandatory part of your day.
WE SAY: I need to skip meals to lose weight.
YORK SAYS: The biggest rumor out there is if you want to lose weight, stop eating. You’re supposed to feed your body every three hours to get your metabolism going in the right direction.
WE SAY: I eat on the run at fast food restaurants and vending machines.
YORK SAYS: Choose chicken instead of beef. Order salads and don’t use the whole packet of dressing. Pack fruits, nuts, whole grain/whole wheat crackers and peanut butter or low sodium cold cuts as snacks.
WE SAY: I often need a pick-me-up because I get tired during the day.
YORK SAYS: Coffee is a natural stimulant, but too much of it is bad. Watch the servings with energy drinks. You only need half a can.
WE SAY: I eat late dinners most nights.
YORK SAYS: Eating late is not a bad thing, but you want to take in food that your body can process easily like fruits and vegetables and protein shakes.
WE SAY: My busy schedule Keeps me from working out.
YORK SAYS: People have to change their mindsets. Instead of penciling exercise into yourschedule, make it a mandatory part of your day.
WE SAY: I eat on the run at fast food restaurants and vending machines.
YORK SAYS: Choose chicken instead of beef. Order salads and don’t use the wholepacket of dressing. Pack fruits, nuts, whole grain/whole wheat crackers and peanutbutter or low sodium cold cuts as snacks.
WE SAY: I eat late dinners most nights.
YORK SAYS: Eating late is not a badthing, but you want to take in food that your body can process easily like fruits and vegetables and protein shakes.
For more details or to sign up now,
log on to www.pdsmemphis.org
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2 8 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
Christiana
Squad: Southwest Tennessee Community College Hometown: Bartlett, TNAge: 32Classifi cation: Sophomore
Plans after graduation: Pursue a Bachelor’s degree and a career in Human Resources and become a cheerleading coach
On being a “Cheer Mom”: The most common reaction I get when I tell people is, ‘Oh, you coach? Your daughter cheers?’
On Coach Sabrina: I respect her more than anybody. I owe a lot to her.
On teammates: We don’t judge each other. We put everything aside and just come here and try to take care of our business.
Written by Brandi Hunter, Photo by Chase Gustafson
VA R S I T Y S P I R I T Go. Fight. Win.
2 8 F E B R U A R Y/ M A R C H 2 0 1 1
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 2 9
Cheer Moms
Tabitha Harris, Starr Johnson, Christiana Smith, and Marci Laverdet spend their days doing what many college cheerleaders do – commuting to class, going to cheerleading practice for a few hours, and fi nding time to study. However, when these Southwest Tennessee Community College (STCC) cheerleaders get home, they might have to postpone their own study time to help their son or daughter with homework.
All four women were cheerleaders for several years before they became mothers in their teens. They agree the timing of the pregnancies was not ideal, but they prove to people everyday that pursuing their goals is still possible. “You have to push yourself more than anything, and because you have a child that is even more reason to go to school and prove everyone wrong,” Johnson says.
STCC competes annually at the Cheerleaders of America National Championship Cheer and Dance Competition, but their team responsibilities last throughout the year. In addition to three-hour long practices four to six days a week, the team cheers at women and men’s basketball games and represents STCC at charity events.
All of the women want to earn their Bachelor’s degrees, but fi nishing college is only one of many things they plan to cross off their to-do lists. Harris wants to be a professional
cheerleader in the NFL. They credit their coach and former Titans cheerleader Sabrina Tiller for giving them the motivation and support they need to excel academically and personally.
Tiller says part of her job is to prepare her team for life after college. “I want you to start thinking about your life. You are in college. You are an adult and you are going to have to make your own decisions.” She says expects a strong commitment from every team member and appreciates the
dedication from her cheer moms. “They’re not getting paid for this. They don’t get scholarships. They get a small stipend, but they do it because they love it.”
For more information about the cheerleading program at STCC, e-mail Sabrina at [email protected], or visit the web site chi.southwest.tn.edu/cheer.
“They’re not getting paid for this. They don’t get scholarships. They get a small stipend, but they do it because they love it.”
Written by Brandi Hunter, Photo by Chase Gustafson
Not your average cheerleaders
3 0 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
Written by Rudi Schiffer
A L L I N You can’t win if you don’t play.
Rudi Schiffer, the “Voice of Tunica” has been a fi xture in Mississippi since the Splash Casino fi rst opened in 1992. He is also the producer and co-host of the Goodtimes Radio show, the casino gambling show heard weekly on 730 Fox Sports and Gambling.
The Future of Slot Technology
Slot machine technology is moving so fast that the average player cannot keep up with the pace, and perhaps that player could care less as long as frequent hits show up and different and more exciting games continue to appear on the casino fl oor.
While the faithful masses of slot players continue to huddle over their favorite games without any insight into the future, there are very defi nitely changes on the horizon that will have dramatic impact on how they play, what they play and maybe even, how they get paid.
“Downloadable games are coming and while the fi rst implementation will mainly benefi t a casino, players will be happy to know they can demand more games and get satisfaction since the this technology allows new games to be deployed more easily,” said John Robison, slot expert and gaming author.
Robison, peered into his own crystal ball and predicted that in the future players will be able to create their own list of preferred games, like having their own personal “Game Maker.” He said that players will be able to pick any machine and play any game on it.
“Several casinos are testing this technology now but it might take a few years for it to become used widely,” he said. He also predicted there would be some player resistance to such changes, just as some resisted bill acceptors and ticket systems, technologies that are now standard.
“At some point, all machines in a casino will be download capable, but it might not be for several years or so,” he said. ”Player entertainment options will not be limited simply to games; future options can appear as varied as preferred music, movies, live television/sporting events and so on. There will defi nitely be a future convergence between gaming and traditional entertainment. Casino operators will also have technology to further recognize and reward their best players but also surprise and delight new ones such as celebrating their birthday or recognizing if they are new to the casino.”
The industry is looking at gaming as more of an overall experience with the fl oor and property layout design., There is also a focus on retail philosophies concerning customer shopping habits that can also related to their gaming habits.
And if you think slot manufacturers were bottom fi shing when they made games with nickel and penny denominations, hold on. “I think the future of slot gaming includes fractional penny credits, half penny, tenth of a penny,” Robison. “It’s being done now in Australia and headed this way.”
While much of what we know on the slot fl oor will become obsolescent in the near future, one thing remains clear…games will be easier to play and you can play what you want on one machine and with denoms you would not think would interest players. You have heard that before now look at many penny and fi ve cent machines are on casino fl oors.
Future options can appear as varied as preferred music, movies, live television/
sporting events and so on. There will defi nitely be a future convergence between
gaming and traditional entertainment.
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M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 3 1
3 2 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
GOODTIMES
GOOODDTIMES AALLLL TTHHE TIME!
Casino gambblinng tips and info, great giiveaways,
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M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 3 3
Do these two photos of Snoop Dogg courtside at the Grizzlies-Lakers game look the same to you? Look again. We made seven changes to the photo on the right. Time yourself to see how long it takes you to fi nd all seven.
Photo by Chase Gustafson
Play. Play. Play. P I C T U R E P U Z Z L E
Dogg-gone Changes
3 4 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
Fan Appreciation NightMarch 19, 2011, Desoto Civic CenterPhotos by Justin Ford
TA I L G AT I N G Sports was happening and you were there.
Mississippi RiverKings
2121
1. Bo Ripey and Renee Eldsworth
2. Rebekah Baumann and Devonne Shepherd
3. Jermey Elkins and Perri Elkins
4. Mike and Nikki Britton
5. Donna and Johns Means
6. Jina Mohundro and Michael Casoli
7. Grace Dettelbach and Jermey Davis
8. Marty Taranski, Scott Brode, Larry Caulford, Sheila Caulford and Will Hobbs
1
2
8
76
54
3
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 3 5
9
14
1312
1110
March 8, 2011, FedExForumPhotos by Justin Ford
Harlem Globetrotters
9. Anne, James and William Locke
10. Burton and Rosie Casanova
11. Caroline and James West
12. David and Payton Offerly
13. Isra, Asif and Aryan Ahmed
14. Daxton Davis, Davis York, Benton York and Corey Davis
15. Gabbie Ezell, Ashley Cobb, Alex Kelly and Anna Horner
9 Anne James and William Locke
15
3 6 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 1
Written by Jack Eaton, Illustrated by Andrew Chandler
As some of you may know I was recently inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Now, to be perfectly honest, I knew very little about the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame other than it was in Nashville.
Several weeks ago, Harold Graeter asked me if I would become a member if I was voted in. Of course I said, “yes” and forgot all about it. Next thing I know, I had been voted in and was set to be inducted this past February.
This was way back in November of last year. I have been had trouble with my hips for some time—fi ve hip replacements in the past few years, the last two especially painful. I wondered how my mobility would be by February. But I fi gured I could handle it. After all, it was a couple months away.
The Hall of Fame came to Memphis to interview me before the event.
They explained that they liked to have taped footage to show to hold down the time the inductees spent “live” on stage. The interview lasted about ten minutes and they seemed pleased with the outcome. I told them all about that when I fi rst started my play-by-play career, I did Ole Miss in the fall and Memphis State in the winter. I don’t think they fully understood the fi ne line I had to walk. No matter.
As the day drew closer I began to worry about my bad hip. Would it hold out? Should I cancel? Nah, guys from Washington and Jefferson College are tough. Yeah. But still, the darn thing really began to hurt and riding in a car only made it worse.
So my son, Todd, borrowed an SUV from a friend. It had enough legroom for a big, lanky guy like me. I was fairly comfortable... fairly.
My pastor from Christ the King Lutheran Church, Chuck Neugebauer, wanted to come with us. So the fi ve of us—set out for Nashville.
No problems on the way to Nashville.We got there in plenty of time for the luncheon and had a chance to meet the other inductees. I didn’t know any of them. I had heard of ex-UT Coach Bill Battle, but that was it. Former Tiger great Bill Hudson’s son was inducted. Bill played in the early 60’s. I hadn’t seen “Big Bill” in years and I was glad to see him looking well.
So the night of the banquet arrived and I was hurting. I had taken my walker along just in case and I was glad I did. I needed it.
My presentation was brief, told a couple of quick stories and was gone. Battle talked for upwards of half an hour. He lost me half way through.
All in all it was a good experience, but it would have been a whole lot better if my hip hadn’t hurt so bad.
Next year, they say they are going to have a better representation from West Tennessee (at least, thats the plan).
The Hall of Fame itself is in downtown Nashville and has lots of memorabilia and stuff. It is worth a visit, so if your heading that way, just say, “Jack Eaton sent me.”
J A C K ’ S B A C K A Memphis legend takes a look back.
I told a couple of quick stories and was
gone. Battle talked for upwards of half an hour. He lost me
half way through.
“Big “ Jack Eaton can be heard every Friday at 8am on KWAM 990 alongside former County Commissioner John Willingham. In February, Jack will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
this past February.
Hall of Famer
M E M P H I S P O R T. N E T 3 7
Why do we play sports?
Why do we exhaust ourselves endlessly chasing
one another within fence enclosed grassy meadows or
frustrate ourselves by attempting to thwart the laws
of physics that dictate an object at rest will remain at rest
or punish ourselves with the unnatural pursuit of
conquering environments we have no business
wading into?
Why? Because it is there. Because the human
spirit won’t take no for an answer. Because adrenaline is
a drug that feeds the soul. And because for those lucky
few able to run faster, jump higher, throw farther and
dive deeper, glory awaits.
So we play.
But not all of us are built for speed. Fewer still are built
to absorb the punishment sports inflict. And
none of us are eternally sixteen years old.
So we get hurt.
But we don’t mind. Even the biggest,
strongest, and fastest of us get hurt. We
accept that as part of sport. What we
don’t like, what we detest, is not being
able to play.
That’s where Campbell Clinic
comes in.
Our sports medicine staff specializes in
getting athletes off the training table and
back on the field as quickly as possible. But
we’re not just experts in sports medicine,
we’re also the leader in general orthopaedics.
So is it any wonder that the most serious of
athletes, those from the professional and
college ranks, choose Campbell Clinic?
And if people whose careers are dependent
upon healthy bodies think we’re the best, then
odds are we’re a pretty good choice for weekend
warriors, long-time couch potatoes, or anyone
who turns an ankle, wrenches a back or twists a wrist.
Because even if you’re tough enough to play with pain,
there’s no reason you should have to.
CAMPBELL CLINICOrthopaedics
www.campbellcl in ic .com
campbell clinic is proud to be the official sports medicine providers for the memphis grizzlies,
the memphis redbirds, university of memphis athletics, rhodes college athletics, christian
brothers university athletics, the memphis riverkings, the kroger st. jude tennis tournament,
and ballet memphis. #43
#43
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