Month: January 2021

Categories
Sports Sports Feature

Memphis 901 FC Transfer Tracker – Triston Hodge Heads to Colorado

CREDIT: Eric Glemser/ Memphis 901 FC

Keep up with the latest player movements in and out of Memphis 901 FC during the offseason.

The 2020 USL season may be over, but the soccer world never stops moving. In the offseason, teams are always looking to make key reinforcements to the squad, as well as move on fringe players.

What will the 901 FC squad look like come next season? We’ve seen plenty of departures thus far, as well as a couple of returnees, but there’s plenty of time for the organization to carefully target the players it wants to pick up. Check back to this list for updates on player movement both in and out of the club over the next few months.

Eric Glemser/ Memphis 901 FC

Defender Triston Hodge helped see 901 FC through some defensive rough patches last season.

Tuesday, January 26th Update:

Outgoing Players

Triston Hodge, DEF

Technically, Triston Hodge’s time at 901 FC came to an end when his two-season loan deal expired back in November, whereupon he returned to his parent club in Trinidad & Tobago. Yesterday, however, it was officially announced that Hodge would not return to AutoZone Park, and would instead be joining Colorado Springs Switchback FC for the 2021 USL season. Hodge made 10 appearances each in 2019 and 2020, and while he didn’t manage to lock down a spot full-time, he was a member of some of the most settled Memphis defensive lines last year.

Previous News

Returning Players

Mark Segbers, DEF

Some great news to start 2021, as 901 FC announced that fullback Mark Segbers would return to the squad for the upcoming season. For most of 2020, Segbers stood out with commanding performances on the right flank. His history as a winger saw him bomb upfield time and time again, meshing well with attackers and always providing a penetrative threat, either by getting to the endline for cutbacks or providing a goal threat himself. While he was left out of several matchday squads at the end of last season for an unspecified team rules violation (along with several other players), Segbers (one goal and two assists in ten appearances), this is a good piece of business by 901 FC. And as an added bonus, he’s been gaining top-level experience the past few months while on loan with MLS side LAFC.

Dan Metzger, MID

Alongside Segbers, 901 FC announced that midfielder Dan Metzger would be returning to the fold as well. Metzger has been with 901 FC since its inaugural season, playing 26 games and scoring one goal in 2019. Last season, however, saw his play time limited, with the player making only four appearances (one as a starter) for a total of 134 minutes.

Outgoing Players


Keanu Marsh-Brown, FWD

This one stings a bit for me, personally. Keanu Marsh-Brown, who moved to Gloucester City A.F.C. in England on a free transfer, was a livewire during his season with 901 FC last year, always being a willing runner, providing an outlet to teammates, and never afraid to take a crack from distance. He carried the offense through parts of the season before Cal Jennings started scoring for fun. But the true tragedy here is that Marsh-Brown’s mother would like my live-tweeting of 901 FC matches. There goes my audience.


Pierre da Silva, FWD



On Thursday, January 14th, fellow Eastern Conference organization Miami FC announced that Memphis’ Pierre da Silva would be joining its roster. The former Orlando City SC forward joined 901 FC in August 2019, and was a regular member of the starting squad in his first season, making 11 appearances (all starts) as a winger and scoring one goal. Last season, however, Da Silva only made four appearances for 901 FC.

Rece Buckmaster, DEF

The versatile fullback and Auburn native returned home this week, having been unveiled as an Indy Eleven player. He joins former 901 FC teammate Cal Jennings in Indiana. Buckmaster was a consistent presence in the 901 FC backline last season, making 14 appearances (all starts) for a total of 1,260 minutes played. While his defensive potential still had some room to grow, he locked down the left back spot, filled in at right back when needed, and even chipped in with a goal and an assist. His departure, coupled with Marc Burch’s retirement, leaves Memphis a little thin on the left side of its defense.

Cal Jennings, FWD

This is a tough pill to swallow; one of fans’ biggest fears in the offseason was that red-hot striker Cal Jennings would sign with a different club. Sure enough, USL Eastern Conference rival Indy Eleven this morning announced the acquisition of the UCF graduate. Jennings was 901 FC’s top scorer in 2020, picking up 9 goals in 14 appearances (over a third of the team’s total goals scored). At the tail end of the season, the rookie was unplayable, consistently getting into excellent scoring positions and making opposing defenders look like traffic cones. And in a memorable season closer, he netted a hat trick against Birmingham Legion. No sugarcoating it; this is a big loss for Memphis.

Liam Doyle, DEF

This one happened a bit earlier in the season, but we’ll include it anyway. The Manx central defender, initially signed in August 2019, was dealt to San Antonio FC this September. In his first season, he emerged as a defensive rock next to captain Marc Burch in the center of defense, but this year, his performances dipped and he eventually lost his place in the starting lineup.

Marc Burch, DEF

901 FC’s first-ever captain called time on a long career that included MLS Supporter’s Shield and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles with D.C. United. Burch arrived in Bluff City in January 2019, and quickly stepped into a leadership role both on and off the pitch. His qualities were evident in his defensive role, but his sweet left foot also chipped in with a few goals during Memphis’ inaugural season. He missed a good chunk of the 2020 USL championship through injury, but his presence will be missed.

Tommy McCabe, MID

The midfielder arrived as a mid-season acquisition on loan from MLS club Cincinnati FC. He slotted in well to the Memphis midfield, providing a physical presence and some good passing in his seven appearances. We ultimately didn’t get to see too much from the defensive midfielder, with the player returning to his parent club at the end of the USL season.

Eric Glemser

Captain Marc Burch announced his retirement at the end of the 2020 USL season.

Categories
News News Blog

New System Brings Equity for Unused COVID-19 Doses

CREDIT: Daniel Schludi | Unsplash

Daniel Schludi | Unsplash

Unused doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will soon no longer go only to those well-connected in Shelby County.

Vaccine doses go unused when patients don’t show for their appointments. No-shows can happen, for example, in inclement weather, according to Shelby County Health Department officials. Now, those unused doses go to those who are connected in the healthcare system, for example, or in government and political systems.

“Right now, people just have to hope that they’re in the know, or they know someone who will contact them and let them know that there are additional vaccines that are available at the end of the day,” said Danielle Inez, chief of staff to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. “Now we’re trying to make that process more equitable, and so anybody that wants to be in the know is allowed to sign up to receive that information.”
Shelby County government

To get there, county and health department leaders unveiled a new system Monday, January 25th, called Vax Queue, that will allow a county-wide waiting list for those standby doses. The system will allow any county resident to sign up.

On the site, they give their name, contact information, and prioritizing information about their age, where they work, and more. Then, if an unused dose becomes available, the person gets a text or email telling them where to show up. But the unused shots are first-come, first-served and the alert does not guarantee the person will get the vaccine.

Shelby County government workers are testing a Vax Queue pilot currently. The system is expected to roll out county-wide later this week.

“We knew on Friday, going into Saturday, that we had over 1,000 doses left,” said health department director Alisa Haushalter. “We wanted to get those 1,000 doses out. We also knew that we had sufficient staffing, and that we had some no-shows. So, the message was sent out knowing that we could probably accommodate several hundred additional people.” Shelby County government

Shelby County leaders during Monday’s preview of Vax Queue.

But how many get the message depends on staffing, how many car lanes are open at a vaccination site, how much vaccine is available, and how many people can go through the system, Haushalter said. But with the math aside and the number of people to get the message determined, identifying those who would get the unused doses was less scientific.

The health department has used the system “we already have,” Haushalter said. That is the ability to “text to those who we either know or have connections to. That might be organizational leaders and so on.”

“But in doing that, it always creates an inequity because everyone may not have received the information in a timely manner,” Haushalter said.

Moving to the new Vax Queue system will allow more equity as every county resident can sign up. Haushalter said it will also be a more science-informed approach. The system will prioritize the resident with their age and other information to sort them into their vaccination phase. So, only those in the current vaccine phase will be called for these standby doses. Also, anyone without internet service can register on Vax Queue by calling (901) 222-SHOT.

Categories
News News Blog

Four Locals Look to Make Pawsitive Impact at Puppy Bowl XVII

CREDIT: Charlie's Crusaders Pet Rescue

On Sunday, February 7th, four local competitors will line up on one of the grandest stages to compete for one of the biggest prizes of them all.

Charlie’s Crusaders Pet Rescue

(l to r) Puppy Bowl competitors Pluto, Vinnie, Tank, and Jiffy

That’s right; Memphis will be represented by some talented and furry friends aiming to emerge victorious in this year’s Puppy Bowl XVII. Jiffy, Vinnie, Pluto, and Tank of Charlie’s Crusaders Pet Rescue will go paw-to-paw with other dogs from animal shelters around the nation for a chance to lift the CHEWY “Lombarky” trophy.

Charlie’s Crusaders Pet Rescue squad will see its representatives lining up for two separate Puppy Bowl teams. Jiffy will suit up for Team Fluff, while Vinnie, Pluto, and Tank will compete for Team Ruff. Tank will also be repping Memphis in the PUP-ularity contest, and is counting on some Bluff City support to do his hometown proud.

Every year, the Puppy Bowl brings together canine competitors to celebrate adoptable pups and showcase rescues, shelters, and the staffers who dedicate their lives to helping animals find homes. So far, the Bowl has a winning record in its previous 16 iterations, with 100 percent of featured puppies (and halftime show kittens) having been adopted.

This year’s three-hour event will air on the Discovery+ streaming service, and Animal Planet, at 1 p.m. Central. Puppy Bowl XVII will see some changes to the format with the inclusion of special “Adoptable Pup” segments (hosted by rufferee Dan Schachner, overseeing his 10th consecutive Bowl), spotlighting available pups from 11 shelters around the country.

More information about participating shelters, rescues, and organizations can be found on the Puppy Bowl website.

Charlie’s Crusaders Pet Rescue has been operating out of Germantown and North Mississippi for a little over four years, and so far has placed more than 1,000 dogs into forever homes.

Charlie’s Crusaders Pet Rescue

Tank

Charlie’s Crusaders Pet Rescue

Vinnie

Charlie’s Crusaders Pet Rescue

Jiffy

Charlie’s Crusaders Pet Rescue

Pluto

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Hampline Brewing Company Opens with a Celebration January 30th



Mooooore beer!

Hampline Brewing Company will open to the public with a mostly outdoor grand opening celebration beginning at 4 p.m., January 30th, at 584 South Tillman, between Broad and Summer in Binghampton.

The brewery will include its two signature brews, “Handlebar Haze,” a New England IPA, and “Memphis Natch,” a lager named for the first bear at the Memphis Zoo and the inspiration for Hampline’s logo,

Eats will be provided by El Mero Taco, which will serve its Oaxaca-Memphis fusion fare.

The brewing team, led by Wes Osier of Urban South and Abita Breweries in New Orleans, Terrapin Beer Co. in Athens, Georgia, and Sweet Water Brewery in Atlanta, is slated to put out 500 barrels in the first year.

Hampline is on the same property as Rec Room and Civil Axe. Martha Hample is one of the brewery’s key management people alongside Richard Rhodes, who owns the property, and Osier. 

The taproom will feature locally-crafted communal high-top tables, light snacks, and live sports on its 49-inch flat screen television. Additional seating will be available on the covered outdoor porch and the lower level grassy beer garden, which will feature custom picnic tables and a shade trellis.

Hampline Brewing Company, which is now open for keg and can sales, will be open from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 1 to 10 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 to 8 p.m. Sundays.

Hampline Brewing Company

Hampline Brewing Company

Categories
Politics Politics Beat Blog

County Commission: Do the Ayes Still Have It?

The formal vocabulary of Shelby County Commission meetings is slowly gravitating from the antique and ornamental to current and ordinary forms of speech.

Until recently, as an example, meetings used to be opened by invocations by the sergeant-at-arms of the venerable Anglo-Norman phrase “oyez, oyez,” (except that the uniformed county officer serving in that role would pronounce the phrase “Oh yes, oh yes.”) These days, the officer says instead, “Hear ye, hear ye,” which happens to be what the archaic phrase “oyez, oyez,” still used in the U.S. Supreme Court and by numerous other tribunals, actually means.

A parallel phenomenon has been the attrition undergone by the archaic term “aye” as the traditional signifier of an affirmative vote. At some point in the early days of the Commission that was elected and installed in 2018, new Commissioner David Bradford, who represents Collierville and other suburban areas in east Shelby County, began saying simply “yes” when, in a roll call of Commissioners’ vote, he gave his okay to this or that measure.

The other members voting on his side of the issue would continue saying “aye,” an Anglo-Scottich term dating from the 16th century which has got itself lodged in parliamentary idiom ever since. Slowly, though, Bradford’s usage began catching on with other commissioners — fellow Republicans Mark Billingsley and Mick Wright, especially — who are now apt to say “yes” as often as “aye” when they vote in favor.

Though the dominion of the traditional term is slipping on the Commission, the ayes still have it, for the most part, as the word continues its general prevalence in roll calls. Oddly, the symmetrical equivalent to it, “nay,” goes totally unspoken in normal circumstances, except in the occasional summing up of a negative vote outcome, as in “the nays have it.”

Categories
News News Blog

Council Wants Review of City Employees at Capitol Attack

CREDIT: Tyler Merbler | Wikimedia | Creative Commons

Tyler Merbler | Wikimedia | Creative Commons

United States Capitol, 2021


The Memphis City Council members want to know if any of the city’s public safety employees were present at the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.

A resolution on the council’s Tuesday agenda will request the Memphis Police Department (MPD) to “investigate whether any city of Memphis public safety employees participated in the U.S. Capitol riot in Washington, D.C.”

Council members then want Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s administration to “develop and present a plan to the council” revealing those employees and creating a “process to ensure former city of Memphis public safety employees re-hiring status reflects participation in [the] U.S. Capitol riots.”

City of Memphis

The resolution is sponsored by council members Michalyn Easter-Thomas, Martavius Jones, J B Smiley Jr., and Dr. Jeff Warren.

The resolution comes as “several sworn police officers from departments across the nation now face federal criminal charges as a result of their participation in the insurrection,” it reads. That becomes important, it says, to further “address concerns about the need for increased oversight and accountability within public-safety-based departments, especially in light of 2020’s international call for reform within the criminal justice system.”

While the council members say the council “supports the lawful expression of free speech, as well as the right to peacefully assemble, and is committed to upholding the tenets of democracy” that the “acts of violence and insurrection … do not align with the principles or
freedoms upon which our nation is based” and that the council condemns the actions of the rioters.

Categories
News News Blog

COVID-19: Hospital Capacity Rates Reduce from Red Zone

COVID-19 Memphis
Infogram

COVID-19: Hospital Capacity Rates Reduce from Red Zone

New virus case numbers rose by 417 over the last 24 hours. The new cases put the total of all positive cases in Shelby County since March at 80,770.

Total current active cases of the virus — the number of people known to have COVID-19 in the county — fell again to 4,991, the first time the figure has been below 5,000 in many weeks. The number reached a record high of more than 8,000 three weeks ago. The figure had been as low as 1,299 in September and rose above 2,000 only in October. The new active case count represents 6.2 percent of all cases of the virus reported here since March.

In Shelby County, 33,687 COVID-19 vaccines have been given, according to the latest data issued Wednesday. As of that day, 6,999 have been given two doses for full vaccination and 26,688 have been given a single dose.

The Shelby County Health Department reported that 929,363 tests have been given here since March. This figure includes multiple tests given to some people.

As of Sunday, acute care beds were 86 percent full in area hospitals with 323 beds available. Of the 2,027 patients in acute care beds now, 282 of them were COVID-19-positive. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds were 89 percent full with 46 beds available. Of the 365 patients in ICU beds now, 115 were COVID-19-positive.

The latest weekly positivity rate fell again for the second week in a row, down now more than five percentage points from the record-high 17.5 percent two weeks ago. The average positive of test results for the week of January 10th was 12 percent. That figure is down more than two percentage points from the 14.1 percent recorded for the week of January 3rd.

Seven new deaths were reported over the last 24 hours. Though, those deaths may not have all occurred within the last day. Reports come form many agencies and aren’t all reported on the day of the death. The total death toll now stands at 1,194.

The average age of those who have died in Shelby County is 74, according to the health department. The age of the youngest COVID-19 death was 13. The oldest person to die from the virus was 101.

Shelby County vaccine information:

COVID-19 vaccinations for 1a1 groups, health care workers and individuals age 75+ started last week at the Pipkin Building at the Mid-South Fairgrounds. All appointments are now filled for January.

The health department will continue to provide daily updates, announce when more appointments are available and provide another signup opportunity. For information on vaccines and more, visit the county’s COVID-19 website at shelby.community.

COVID-19 Testing Availability

Shelby County has “plenty of testing capacity available,” according to the health department, and “anyone who thinks they need a test should get one.”

Two of the community drive-through testing sites are now available to anyone, and no appointment is needed during their regular testing hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday.

Those sites are:

• 2355 Appling City Cove

• 1720 RKS Commercial Cove (off Lamar Avenue)

A new health directive that loosened some restrictions took effect Saturday. Check out the health department’s information right here:

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Music Video Monday: The Pop Ritual

Music Video Monday goes goth.

Despite their name, Memphis’ The Pop Ritual is not very pop. The Memphis band leans heavily into the classic industrial tones pioneered by the likes of Einstürzende Neubauten and Nine Inch Nails.

Pop Ritual guitarist Scott Nivens says that when they released their album It Sheds Again in December, 2019, the band “had no idea how vocalist Colin Wilson’s lyrics detailing solipsistic self-destruction — both socially and personally — would be so pertinent to the happenings of 2020.”

To highlight the words, which often get obscured behind effects and noise in industrial music, the band created a series of lyric videos for each of the album’s six songs.

“Throughout 2020, social constructs have been put to the test,” Nivens said. “But what about the natural world? Collaging the indiscriminate savagery of the animal kingdom with stories of existential struggles was a meditation on what these songs meant over a year ago and what they will mean in the future.”

Here’s the lyric video for the title track, “It Sheds Again,” featuring an octopus who is definitely not your teacher.

Music Video Monday: The Pop Ritual

If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com. 

Categories
News News Blog

Leaders Aim to Cut Food Waste by 2030

CREDIT: Kroger

Kroger

Justin Fox Burks

Food waste is in the crosshairs of city officials and local environmental leaders with a plan to reduce it by 50 percent by 2030.

The Memphis Food Waste Project is led by the nonprofit Clean Memphis and joined by a coalition of private and public partners, including the City of Memphis, the Memphis and Shelby County Office of Sustainability and Resilience, Memphis Transformed, Project Green Fork, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Compost Fairy, Epicenter, Kroger, the Mid-South Food Bank, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Together, the groups will push to reduce food waste to save money, improve the environment, and help ensure fewer Memphians go hungry.

Clean Memphis executive director Janet Boscarino said food waste and packaging now comprise 30 percent of landfill volume. It also produces the most methane gas (the most harmful gas), she said. These reductions will aid city leaders to meet goals detailed in the Memphis Area Climate Action Plan.

“The City of Memphis can service as a leader in developing a more sustainable food systems approach, reducing wasted food, and the resulting wasted labor, land, and money, as well as increased pollutants by supporting waste diversion and generating useful products such as finished compost with this diverted food waste,” reads a December proclamation from Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.

Justin Fox Burks

Dirty work: the BFI landfill near Millington

Food waste can be diverted from restaurants, hospitality providers, and other food producers in the city, according to the proclamation. Food from those sources has “great rescue potential” for food “that would otherwise go to waste.” The food could be retrieved and donated to those in need, Strickland said in the proclamation.

Boscarino said the United States spends $218 billion (or about 1.3 percent of the gross domestic product) growing, transporting, and disposing of food that is never eaten. She said the waste numbers are staggering given that one in eight Americans are food insecure — lack reliable access to food because of money and other concerns — and that one in five Memphians are food insecure.

Waste occurs along nearly every stop in the food supply chain here, Boscarino said. Some food spoils as farmers can’t move it to market quickly enough. Some food is tossed as it may not meet cosmetic standards, even though it has the same taste or nutritional value. Food continues to spoil as it moves through the supply chain to grocery stores, restaurants, and hospitality venues, she said. But the largest food-waste sector “by far,” she said, is in homes.

“We over-purchase, we don’t store things rights, we don’t eat leftovers, we don’t use all parts of the food, and we’re not composting at a level we need to,” Boscarino said.

To combat all of this, Project Green Fork will be working with restaurants, hospitality venues like hotels, and event spaces like FedExForum to donate their food and avoid waste. Memphis Food Waste Project members will educate residents on how to more sustainably shop for groceries, how to store food, how to freeze food, and how to “fall in love with leftovers,” Boscarino said.

Test your food waste knowledge with an online quiz at www.cleanmemphis.org.

Read Strickland’s proclamation here:
[pdf-1]

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Ja Morant Is Larger Than Life On and Off The Court

CREDIT: Panini America

Longtime Grizzlies fan Roni Matthews was hungry and skipped breakfast so she could eat at the new restaurant Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria in downtown Memphis. 

Matthews was caught off guard after seeing the 30-foot-mural of Ja Morant painted on the side of the establishment. She said, “I was pleasantly surprised to see how vivid and vibrant the colors were in the mural. It tugged on my heartstrings a little bit because it was like a symbolic confirmation for our city  —  our team — that our future is still bright despite the hurdles we have faced.”  

Roni Matthew

Grizzlies fan Roni Matthew took a picture while visiting Slim and Husky

Matthews added, “Ja (Morant) represents newness: a new culture, a new style (of play, determination & just whole new vibe  — the totality of the new Gen X squad. Hence, the VIBE-brant colors in the mural.”

“I would love to have actually seen how it started,” said Grizzlies season ticket holder, Carmen Patton after she visited the restaurant. “The artist kept looking at his phone so I’m assuming it’s modeled after a Panini poster maybe.”

Patton added, It blends in with the culture that Slim & Husky’s seeks to create. “You got hip hop blasting with a guy spray painting a mural of the Grizzlies’ star basketball player outside. Then you go inside and see more murals of Memphis artists. It’s just a good vibe.”

Panini America, the official trading card partner of the NBA and NBPA announced an extension of its partnership with Morant. Panini is the exclusive home for the Morant’s autographed trading cards and memorabilia. 

“We started our relationship with Ja (Morant) before the draft last year and we made him one of our athletes going into his rookie season,” said Jason Howarth, Vice President of Marketing at Panini America. “Coming out of his rookie season, he just continued to thrive, we knew that he was the guy that we wanted to put a foothold around, and we decided we wanted to make him a long term exclusive athlete of Panini for trading cards and memorabilia.”

“Once we got to that we wanted to celebrate him and, and really do something a little bit different in terms of how we approached and announced the relationship,” Howarth recalls. “We decided a mural in Memphis would be a great location to celebrate him and highlight him as he continues to progress in his career with the Grizzlies. We built that idea around one of our trading cards — our color blast trading card – and then, it was off to find a location and find an artist.”

Howarth said the color blast card was an iconic card for Morant’s rookie season. The company wanted to find an artist who could hone in on the specific colors to bring a small piece of cardboard to life in a 30-foot canvas on the side of a building in downtown Memphis. 

This is the first mural that Panini has commissioned for one of its athletes. 

Popular local Memphis artist Jamond Bullock, also known as Alive Paint, was commissioned to take on this enormous project for Panini. 

Panini America

Memphis artist Jamond Bullock

Bullock says he noticed a few of the people from Panini had started following him on Instagram. Then he said Howarth followed him and shot him a message. “I was just like, wow, okay  —  this is could be something, you know,” Bullock said. “And what was crazy was, he introduced the project, and he didn’t say what it was and he was looking to partner with an artist on a private project with his company.

It was an instant yes for Bullock even though he was unclear what the project was about. “I had a lot of projects going on. But he kind of hit me up at the time where I’m like, in this waiting period,” Bullock said.

Bullock has about 30 or 40 murals around Memphis and surrounding areas, and has been featured in Essence Magazine, on ESPN, Netflix’ Uncorked, The Trap Music Museum, and more. 

In 2019 Bullock was commissioned for a project in Frayser to build awareness against trash dumping titled “Stand Up For Our Streets”.

Jamond Bullock

Save Our Streets Frayser

That same year, the former Shelby County Schools art teacher completed a historic project sponsored by ServiceMaster that was unveiled on January 17, 2020. He transformed the cafeteria of Bruce Elementary to tell the story of the Bruce 3 who were apart of the Memphis 13 that help integrate Memphis City Schools.

Jamond Bullock

Dwania Kyles, one of three students who integrated Bruce Elementary in 1961, stands in front of Jamond Bullock’s mural.

Jamond Bullock

Harry Williams, one of three students who integrated Bruce Elementary in 1961, in front of his image in Bullock’s mural.

Jamond Bullock

Menelik Fombi, one of three students who integrated Bruce Elementary in 1961, in front of his image in Bullock’s mural.

Bullock was excited when he found out he would be working on a mural of Morant after a Zoom meeting with Howarth. The hard part was nailing down the right location. On his reconnaissance mission to find a location, Bullock says he was snapping photos of possibilities, and sending them to Howarth. 

“We landed on Slim and Husky’s through the grace of God,” Bullock explained. “So I met with the owners of Slim and Husky’s to discuss doing some interior artwork. And during that meeting, I brought up the Ja Morant project.”

“It was it was one of those situations where it was an instant, yes,” Bullock continued. “Those guys are fans of Morant and said it would be a perfect location for the mural  —  he’s the future of the league. You know, why not? It worked out perfectly once we got to Slim and Husky’s. It was an incredible feeling to know that that was honestly the only hard part of this entire process. You know trying to make sure we nailed a location that was visible and also was accessible to the public.”

Panini America

Panini America

Bullock spent seven days working on the project before it was unveiled on December 21.

“For me anytime I can create a mural, or install a mural, it’s an opportunity for someone to share a story,” Bullock says.  “ I think Ja Morant has an underdog story. In a city that’s an underdog, he’s showing that an underdog can win. And I think this mural is allowing people to tap into that type of belief for themselves.

“Some people may not know who Ja Morant is, but once they figure out who he is and find out his story, they’re gonna fall in love with him and the team. In the city we’re in, he’s a symbol of hope. And he has this explosive, aggressive basketball playing ability. When people see this mural, they’re gonna see that is larger than life, just like his abilities.”

“For a city like Memphis a majority-black city, a lot of times, you can go into a museum and not see someone that’s African American. To showcase such a player at the level of Ja Morant, who happens to be African American, to put him on the outside of a building larger than life — it makes a statement.”

On a media availability Zoom call, Morant was asked about the mural. He said, “It means a lot, especially for me being here only a year and things like that are already happening in the community. As far as me going to see it, it’s emotional. I’m thankful and grateful for it all. Really can’t say nothing besides that I’m blessed. As much as Memphis loves me, I love Memphis.”

Ja Morant Is Larger Than Life On and Off The Court (2)

Panini America

Ja Morant taking a selfie in front of his mural

Ja Morant Is Larger Than Life On and Off The Court

Bullock says it was an honor to see that Morant was happy with the finished product. “To paint someone that’s still living you get to see their reaction, especially dealing with a portrait of this magnitude, you want the person to be happy with their resemblance. He was just like, ‘Man, I can’t believe this — I got my own mural.’ I was super excited to just see him in person and see his response, because I was thinking if he says it doesn’t look like him, I might have to rearrange his face.”

He says Morant was impressed to see his tattoos on the mural and told him he did a great job and said he wished he could paint like that. Bullock said, “I told him we all are given gifts and yours is dunking over people.”

Slim & Husky’s is located at 634 Union Ave.