Chris Herrington reviews three new releases from Goner Records.
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Month: December 2011
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The Fat’s in the Fire
Steak and wine. Bacon and coffee. Food writer Ari LeVaux writes about the magical pairing of fat and acid, and why we pig out in the winter.
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Access to Arts for Low-Income Memphians
Louis Goggans writes about an ArtsMemphis program that provides access to the arts for low-income Memphians.
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More Cowher!
Frank Murtaugh says the U of Memphis needs to think BIG first when considering a coach, and settle later, if necessary.
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Call Bill Cowher!
I want to get excited about the search for a new Memphis Tiger football coach. Whether or not I get juiced over the final decision made by the administration, upon the recommendation of the search firm, after an endorsement by the search committee (do I have this right?), I want to at least get excited about the process itself. And to this point, it’s not happening.
You know the names being tossed about: Pittsburgh Steelers assistant Randy Fichtner. Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Dykes. You can cross New Orleans Saints assistant Curtis Johnson off the list (he’s taking the job at Tulane). And it appears Arkansas State coach Hugh Freeze will take the challenge of winning games at Ole Miss. (And if he doesn’t leave Jonesboro for Oxford, he’s not leaving for Memphis.) Fichtner would be a safe hire, a former member of the family. Not unlike bringing Larry Porter back in some respects. You’d like to think Fichtner’s success with a model NFL franchise would translate to a Conference USA cellar dweller.
But does Randy Fichtner excite you? Does his name have you wondering when and how you’ll get to the Liberty Bowl for the opening game of the 2012 season? Will he have lines snaking outside the Hardaway Hall of Fame, football fans buying Tiger season tickets as stocking-stuffers this holiday season?
I’ve got some free advice for Eastman & Beaudine, the search firm leading this chase (and I’m charging from this point on): Call Bill Cowher. Yeah, the guy with the Hollywood jaw and a Super Bowl ring seen these days in the CBS studio, picking apart Sunday highlights. Lunacy, you say? Bill Cowher to the University of Memphis? Kinda like asking Jerry West to leave Los Angeles and rescue the Memphis Grizzlies. Cowher has long been a college coach in NFL clothing. Who knows?
Let’s say Cowher answers the call from E & B and says nothing more than “no.” National headlines would have to report: “Cowher Contacted About Vacant Memphis Job.” And just like that, the conversation about Memphis football changes. Then you call Jeff Fisher.
Is this over-reaching? Maybe (probably). But why has this latest coaching transition at the U of M been reduced to finding the best available NFL assistant or second-tier head coach? Why can’t the Tiger program start by aiming high … at least to establish a new baseline? Why does Memphis have to play the bookworm scanning only the girls with no chance at a prom date? That cheerleader at the top of the pyramid, with the freckles and knee-weakening dimples? Ask her!
• I hope Alabama beats LSU by a field goal in the BCS Championship Game and Oklahoma State puts up 50 and beats Stanford by halftime in the Fiesta Bowl. College football’s silly season is upon us, and the NCAA powers-that-be — those in charge of the BCS “series” and the 30 other bowl games — have exactly what they deserve. I firmly believe the two best teams will be playing each other for the crystal football, but the belief stands on a hypothetical: that Alabama would whip Oklahoma State. Which means, after all is said and done, college football’s national champion will be crowned on a hypothetical.
• I’m not sure LSU would beat the Indianapolis Colts. (In an informal survey among media types at Saturday’s U of M basketball game, opinions were 50-50.) But I am sure that the LSU secondary — led by Tyrann Mathieu and Maurice Claiborne — is better than many in the NFL. I watched the Dallas-Arizona game Sunday, and would be comfortable replacing the Cowboys’ cornerbacks (Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman) with the LSU pair … right now. The only way any team beats this LSU force is by running the ball, which is precisely why Trent Richardson and Alabama (and not Oklahoma State) should get one final chance.
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The Grizzlies and the Salary Cap
Chris Herrington outlines everything — and we mean everything — you wanted to know about the Memphis Grizzlies roster and salary cap implications for the 2011-2012 season.
With free-agency negotiations with players starting Monday (teams have been talking with agents for a few days) — and signings likely to commence Friday — the Grizzlies can resume putting together next season’s roster. Barring trades — which could emerge, but have not been even hinted at at this point — let’s walk through how the roster for this season could be built, starting with the current players under guaranteed contracts (using best estimates on salaries based on media sources and other info):
Current Roster:
Zach Randolph $15,200,000
Rudy Gay $15,032,144
Mike Conley $6,611,571
O.J. Mayo $5,632,637
Tony Allen $3,150,000
Xavier Henry $2,171,640
Darrell Arthur $2,027,119
Sam Young $1,184,750
Greivis Vasquez $1,113,600
Total: $52,123,461 for 9 players
This is the foundation of the Grizzlies roster. As a matter of bookkeeping, note that while that salary figure is below the expected salary cap of $58 million, qualifying offers for Marc Gasol ($4.5 million) and Hamed Haddadi ($2 million) push the team over the cap even without factoring in cap holds on other players. The only way the Grizzlies would get under the cap is to renounce — or lose — Gasol. The former is out of the question and the latter is highly unlikely, so, effectively, the Grizzlies will be operating as a team over the cap but under the luxury tax line (expected to be around $70 million), giving them a full mid-level exception to potentially use for outside free agents (a maximum four-year deal starting at a maximum $5 million). The team will be adding 4-6 players to the list above while likely trying to stay below the tax line. (I’m of the opinion that the team should be open to going above the tax line this season and will make that case in a coming post, but I don’t believe Michael Heisley is willing to do that, so for now I’m operating under the notion of a $70 million ceiling.)
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Butch Cassidy Returns
What if Butch Cassidy survived that “fatal” shoot-out and decided to return to the U.S.? The film, Blackthorn, offers some answers.
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My Picks: Hugh Freeze and Tony Dungy
Anyone can speculate about the next football coaches at Memphis and Ole Miss so why shouldn’t I?
Based on hunches, scuttlebutt, knowing looks, wild surmises, personal preference, overheard conversations, pregnant pauses, and pure guesswork, here are my two predictions.
Hugh Freeze for the Memphis job. Great record at Arkansas State — 10-2 this year including a 47-3 win over Memphis. Seen as a possible Urban Meyer up-and-comer by some local influential fans and boosters. Former football and girls basketball coach at Briarcrest. Former assistant coach at Ole Miss. Makes $210,000, so a raise to $750,000 would be huge, in fact so huge he might quietly defer some of it for hiring top assistants. Could probably win six or more games next year, given the weak schedule Memphis plays.
Tony Dungy, 56, for Ole Miss. Knows Archie Manning, who’s doing the search. Coached Peyton with the Colts. Overqualified to be an NFL analyst, and to me looks awkward interviewing players far younger than he is. Has had tragedy in his life, so he’s thoughtful and reflective and, well, different. Wow factor. Quarterback specialist, and that’s where it starts.
Bonus pick: Lee Fowler for Memphis athletic director, although even faculty members and deans told me last week that the process of picking a coach and then an A.D. is bewildering to them. Fowler knows Memphis. And I liked him as a Vanderbilt basketball player in the Seventies. Has anyone seen Jeff Fosnes?
If I am correct on this I win $2 from by buddy and colleague Greg Akers, which will make it priceless.
The graduating class of the Memphis College of Art will have the opening reception for their BFA exhibition tonight in the main gallery at Rust Hall from 5-7 p.m., including works by: Jessica Rae Ajoc, Jason Doggett, Jill Exley, Adam Farmer, Hayley Haddad, Marie Lauver, Evan Leggoe, Amy Beth Rice, Jesse Richardson, Vincent Tabor, Devin Taylor, Megan Snider, Deanna Szwarc. The exhibit will be on display through December 14.
Then, go check out the University of Memphis senior thesis exhibition at the Marshall Arts Gallery from
6-9 p.m., with works by Holly Cole, Cody Dalrymple, Renée Embry, Christina Frey, Andrew Guerieri, Toy Houseman, Stacee R. Knouse, Rachel Lin, Clark Matthews, Amanda Stoughton, Rachel Underhill, and Nikki Wade. The show will be open on Saturday by appointment only.
Stop by the Beauty Shop in Cooper Young afterwards for some post-show celebratory drinks, food, and music. The Sheiks and The Warble will be playing from 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.