Month: October 2024

Categories
Letter From The Editor Opinion

Seeing Ghosts

Photo: Evgeniya Mokeeva | Dreamstime.com

The Memphis Flyer folks love Halloween — and all things spooky. Our very own Toby Sells has even written a book — Haint Blues: Strange Tales from the American South — for which he used his sharp reporter’s skills to get to the heart of some of the South’s best paranormal stories. With just a mention of ghosts, our managing editor Abigail’s eyes light up. So when we discussed what we wanted to do for this issue, all sorts of ghoulish ideas flew. Did we want to recount regional ghost tales (of which there are many)? Could we schedule a ghost tour (several operate in the area)? Was there a haunted house nearby where we could spend a night (and have our timbers shivered)? 

Although these conversations spanned over a few weeks before our favorite holiday, we weren’t quite able to get our butts in gear for a full-fledged ghost outing on the streets of Memphis or in a spooky B&B. The next best thing, of course, was a professionally guided hunt for ghosts in the famously haunted Earnestine & Hazel’s. Sadly I missed the excursion for a concert I’d already bought tickets to, but thankfully a few eager Flyer staffers were available for the experience. You can read all about it in this week’s cover story, “Ghost Fishing.” 

While this week we relish in the ghastly fun, some not-so-fun horrors may be impending. Of course, I’m referring to the election as we count the days until the country’s new leader is revealed. Next week as results slowly pour in, our staff will be up past our bedtimes Tuesday night awaiting that answer. And as our regular readers well know, the Flyer always hits newsstands on Wednesday mornings. That will not be the case for the coming edition. Our printer has given us an extension on our deadline so that we can wait until the absolute last minute to call it. Whether that will be a clear winner or “too close to call,” we’re hanging on as long as they’ll let us before hitting “send” on the cover image and cover story. With a late ship, the papers will be printed later — which means our delivery will also be later. In this case, copies of the November 7th issue won’t make their way to newsstands until Thursday morning, November 7th. So heads up: If you don’t see us in your regular pick-up spot on Wednesday, please check back Thursday for a hard copy (the individual features will be published on our website as usual early Wednesday morning). 

We’ll be on the edge of our seats with the rest of the nation (world?) next week, trying to keep the nail biting to a minimum as our fate unfolds. The ghosts of a previous term under Trump floating in the back of our minds are as haunting as anything we’ve seen — and those ghosts are very real. I urge you all to get out and cast your votes, so that this particular horror story might have a happier ending. 

Categories
Politics Politics Feature

Sharing the Spotlight

Democrats Johnson, Huseth at High Point (Photos: Jackson Baker)

As was surely to be expected, the next-to-last weekend of the climactic 2024 election campaign was filled with feverish activity of various kinds — with early voting into its second week and candidates trying to get as many of their partisans as possible to the polls.

A case in point was a pair of events involving Gloria Johnson, the Knoxville Democrat who is trying to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn. 

Johnson, the state representative who gained national attention last year as a member of the “Tennessee Three” proponents of gun-safety legislation, has raised some $7 million for her bid — almost all of it from in-state sources, she contended proudly.

While that is no match for the incumbent’s $17 million or so, it has been enough to buy Johnson a series of concise and well-produced TV spots pinpointing Blackburn’s alleged shortcomings. And it even gives her some of the kind of influence that politicians call coattails.

Opponents Nordstrom and White at Belly Acres

Johnson was in Shelby County on Saturday, sharing time with two other Democrats, District 83 state House candidate Noah Nordstrom (like Johnson a public schoolteacher) and District 97 House candidate Jesse Huseth. 

The first event was a joint rally with Nordstrom and state Democratic chair Hendrell Remus just outside the perimeter of the New Bethel Missionary Baptist early-voting station. Next, Johnson met up with Huseth at High Point Grocery for some joint canvassing efforts, after which Huseth, who opposes GOP incumbent John Gillespie, set out on some door-to-door calls on residents in that western part of his district.

The most unusual pre-election event on Saturday didn’t involve Johnson, nor was it, in the strictest sense, a partisan event at all. It was a meet-and-greet at the Belly Acres restaurant in East Memphis involving both Nordstrom and his GOP adversary, incumbent Republican state Representative Mark White.

Not a debate between the two, mind you. A joint meet-and-greet, at which both candidates circulated among the members of a sizeable crowd, spending conversational time with the attendees and with each other.

The event was the brainchild of one Philip D. Hicks, impresario of something called the Independent Foundation for Political Effectiveness. Hicks says he hopes the Nordstrom-White encounter, his organization’s maiden effort, can serve as a precedent for other such joint candidate efforts to come — presumably in future election seasons.

Inasmuch as political competition is, by its nature, an adversarial process, it’s somewhat difficult to imagine such events becoming commonplace, but, all things considered, this first one went amazingly well.

It wasn’t the same kind of thing at all, but there were elements of such collegiality between potential election opponents at an earlier event, a meeting of the Germantown Democratic Club at Coletta’s on Appling Road during the previous week.

That event included Memphis City Council Chair JB Smiley as its featured speaker, and Smiley, who is reliably reported to be thinking of a race for Shelby County mayor in 2026, spent a fair amount of time comparing notes on public matters (e.g., MLGW, the future of the erstwhile Sheraton Hotel) with attendee J.W. Gibson, a businessman who has basically already declared for that office.

Take heed, Mr/Hicks.

Categories
News News Feature

Getting Covered for Retirement

Photo: Julius Yls | Unsplash

Whether retirement is on the horizon or it’s quite a few years away, planning what your retirement will be like can be very exciting! This stage in life comes with a mix of emotions, but with planning, you can turn your savings into a source of income to cover your living expenses. Here are four important tips to help you plan for income in retirement.

1. Make a plan. 

The first step in preparing for retirement income is to have a comprehensive plan. A custom financial plan serves as a blueprint to inform your financial decision-making and helps ensure all aspects of your financial life are working together to achieve your goals.

2. Properly structure your portfolio. 

One of the best ways to generate income in retirement is to strike a balance between short- and long-term investment accounts. 

It’s recommended to maintain three to five years of living expenses in a short-term, semi-liquid investment account. A mix of bond funds works well, as it provides capital for opportunistic rebalancing as well as a monthly income. Having a short-term allocation to bonds can prevent you from being forced to sell out to equities at a loss when markets are low. 

It’s also important to continue growing your assets in order to help offset inflation and ensure you have enough income to last throughout retirement. You should consider investing any assets not necessary to fund your short-term needs in a diversified portfolio that focuses on growth and inflation protection. While this portfolio should be in line with your overall risk tolerance and investment objectives, it can be invested in riskier assets than your short-term account. 

3. Implement a tax-efficient withdrawal strategy. 

Ideally, you’ve been saving in multiple accounts with different tax treatments, such as traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, and taxable accounts. If so, you may have an opportunity to maximize your income by strategically withdrawing from different accounts in different circumstances. This is called tax diversification. 

• Taxable (non-retirement) accounts – These offer the benefits of tax-loss harvesting and have fewer restrictions on contribution amounts and fewer distribution penalties. 

• Tax-deferred retirement accounts, such as pre-tax IRAs and 401(k)s – Withdrawals from these trigger ordinary income taxes, as they’ve enjoyed tax-deferred growth.

• Tax-exempt accounts, such as Roth IRAs – These allow tax-exempt investments to grow for as long as possible, and qualified withdrawals are tax-free. 

There are two main withdrawal strategies to consider based on your specific goals, tax situation, and income needs. 

• Traditional approach – Using this, you would withdraw from one account at a time. Typically, the order of withdrawals is from taxable accounts first, followed by tax-deferred accounts and, finally, tax-exempt accounts. This allows the tax-advantaged accounts to continue growing tax-deferred and tax-free for a longer period of time. However, it may result in uneven taxable income.

• Proportional approach – This strategy establishes a target percentage that will be withdrawn from each account each year. The amount is typically based on the proportion of retirement savings in each account type. This can help ensure a more stable tax bill from year to year and can also help you save on taxes over the course of your retirement. 

The benefit of following a disciplined approach is that you won’t be tempted to spend more than you can afford in any given year (or less than you’re able to!). This practice can help you maintain adequate assets to last a lifetime, regardless of market volatility. An advisor can assist you with creating a distribution strategy aligned with your financial needs and tax bracket on a year-by-year basis.

4. Regularly revisit and readjust. 

Given the potential longevity of retirement, periodic reviews of your financial plan and income strategy are essential. Work with a qualified wealth manager who can help you understand how regulatory and market changes may impact you and adapt your plan as needed to align with your evolving goals and needs. 

Gene Gard, CFA, CFP, CFT-I, is a Partner and Private Wealth Manager with Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisory firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

FOOD NEWS BITES: Put More Rendezvous In Your Pantry

More Rendezvous sauces for your kitchen (Credit: Courtesy of Rendezvous)

I love everything I’ve ever eaten at the Rendezvous. Whether it’s the ribs, the beans, or that unique slaw, you know it when you taste something from the Rendezvous. Their food has that distinctive Rendezvous taste. 

And, when you leave Rendezvous, people around you know where you’ve just eaten because your clothes smell like the Rendezvous.

You can now buy more Rendezvous products, in addition to the restaurant’s signature sauce and rub. According to a news release, Rendezvous Marinade is “the original recipe to baste and flavor our world-famous ribs,” and Greek Seasoning is “Our medley of spices from our Greek heritage.” In addition, Nick’s Salt & Pepper Blend, “a perfect portioned salt-and-pepper mix,” is in production and is slated to be available in stores or online in the coming months.

Items already available include: Famous Rendezvous Seasoning; Original Rendezvous Sauce; Hot Rendezvous Sauce; Charlie’s Select Sauce; and Tigertail Rendezvous Sweet Glazed Mustard.

The new items are “not anything we hadn’t had for years and years,” says John Vergos, one of the restaurant’s owners. “But we just decided to produce it for public consumption. Put our baste in a bottle, and our Greek seasoning and our different seasonings and our Nick’s salt and pepper in a jar, ‘cause it’s really good stuff.”

Vergos describes the salt-and-pepper concoction, which is from the recipe of his brother, the late Nick Vergos, as “really good salt and really good pepper.” And Nick “did some things to it.” But John isn’t going to divulge any more information.

“We’ve never decided to franchise, but we’re still capitalists over here,” Vergos says. “And we like to grow. And we realize we’ve got these wonderful products that people have enjoyed. We let people take some home, call us back and say they’re wonderful.”

Veergos says they’re working on putting out their mother’s Greek salad dressing to the public. Asked to describe the dressing made by their mother, the late Tasia Vergos, John says, “Well, it’s like your good olive oil and vinegar. And, of course, some oregano in it. Salt, pepper, garlic, a few other items. I won’t disclose the whole thing.”

The restaurant began bottling the seasoning in the late ‘80s and then the sauce. “That’s pretty much been it,” says Vergos. “But we’ve always let people take home some of our basics. Nick used to give people his salt and pepper for Christmas presents. We ship this stuff all over the country.”

I asked John to describe that unique Rendezvous barbecue sauce. “It’s not heavy and gooey. And you can taste the mustard and the vinegar in it. It’s good but not overpowering to the meat.” As for the seasoning, he says, “People put it on everything from deviled eggs to a dash in a Bloody Mary.”

The Rendezvous rub is “what started people making dry rubs,” John says. And that’s thanks to his dad, the late Charlie Vergos, who founded the Rendezvous. “My dad was the first.” People put salt and pepper on meat they were going to barbecue, Vergos says, but not dry rubs like his dad made. “I don’t think you have a well-stocked cupboard unless you have some Louisiana hot sauce and some Rendezvous seasoning in it.”

Rendezvous products are available at several locations, including Kroger and Novel. bookstore, and online at hogsfly.com.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

More Second-Half Woes As Grizzlies Fall to the Bulls

Desmond Bane drives to the basket against the Chicago Bulls. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE for Getty Images,)

In their fourth game of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies suffered a disappointing 126-123 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

The game started similarly to their other loss this season, with the Grizzlies taking a double-digit lead in the first half only to squander it in the second. The third quarter continues to be kryptonite for this team. There is little to say about defensive intensity in the second half because it all but disappeared.

The Bulls shot the lights out from three-point range, going a scorching 25-of-53 from beyond the arc. Chicago’s 23 three-pointers were the most ever recorded against the Grizzlies.

Chicago forward Zach LaVine and guard Coby White combined to go 7-of-14 from long range in the second half. Eleven players took the court for the Bulls, and nine of them finished the game with at least one three-point make.  

Memphi led by as many as 20 points and held Chicago to 54 points in the first half, and then were outscored 72-55 in the final two periods. Turnovers were again a thorn in their side, as the Grizzlies gave up 16 points off seven turnovers after halftime.

Desmond Bane scored a team-high 30 points, with 23 of those coming in the first two quarters, tying his career high for points in a half. Bane shot 11 of 19 overall and six of 10 from beyond the arc, and also had seven rebounds.

Ja Morant was sidelined for the game with thigh soreness, and the starting point guard’s playmaking was, well, sorely missed. There is no word yet on whether he will be available against the Nets on Wednesday.

Jaren Jackson Jr. played less than 25 minutes, presumably still on a minutes restriction after being sidelined in the preseason and the first two games with hamstring issues. Jackson finished the night with 19 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.

Marcus Smart only played 25 minutes and struggled with his worst offensive game since joining the Grizzlies, ending the night with just one point from a made free throw, and shooting 0-of-11 overall and 0-of-8 from three-point range from the field. Smart did contribute seven assists, two steals, and two blocks.

Santi Aldama closed out the night with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, with 10 of those rebounds coming in the first quarter. Yes, you read that right, Santi Aldama grabbed 10 rebounds in the first quarter, making him just one of six in Grizzlies franchise history to do so.

The second unit continues to shine for this Memphis team, with four of five bench players scoring double digits.

Jake LaRavia led the bench in scoring, adding 17 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. LaRavia shot 7-of-11 overall and 2-of-5 from the free-throw line.

Scotty Pippen Jr. added 14 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists, his second points-assists double-double of the season.

Jay Huff finished the night with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Shortly before the game, it was announced that the Grizzlies were converting Huff’s two-way contract into a regular-season deal, with the first two years guaranteed.

Rookie Jaylen Wells had 11 points on 5-of-12 overall shooting, and six rebounds.

Who Got Next?

Memphis is opening the season with a brutal six games in nine days, with another set of back-to-back games coming up: They take on the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. Both games tip off at 7 PM CDT.

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

Report: Tennessee Ranks High in Projected Electric Vehicle Jobs, Lags In Charging Ports

A Ford 150 Lightning photographed at Town and Country Ford in Madison, Tenn. (Photo: John Partipilo)

As the Southeast continues to draw in electric vehicle and battery manufacturers, Tennessee ranks near the top of the list for anticipated jobs and investment, according to a new report examining electric transportation in the region.

But despite seeing the highest rate of growth in publicly accessible electric vehicle chargers — rapid charging ports increased 60 percent over last year in Tennessee — the state still lags well behind national and regional figures for chargers per person.

The report was the fifth annual study prepared by Washington, D.C.-based data analysis firm Atlas Public Policy for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, a renewable energy advocacy nonprofit. It explores the momentum of the electric transportation industry in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Those six states have more than 100 facilities dedicated to electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturing, making up 31 percent of the 238,000 EV jobs announced in the U.S. as of June. Of $205 billion in announced investments in the EV industry in the United States, 38 percent will land in the Southeast region, according to the report.

What to know: The new Ford BlueOval City plant poised to reshape West Tennessee

Georgia ranks highest in the region with 27,394 total anticipated EV manufacturing jobs, with Tennessee’s 16,164 expected jobs coming in second.

Tennessee’s high ranking is in large part due to a Ford electric vehicle plant and battery manufacturing plant under construction in rural West Tennessee. BlueOval City and BlueOval SK, a joint venture of Ford and SK On, represents a $5.6 billion investment and accounts for 5,800 anticipated jobs once the site is up and running.

While growth in EV manufacturing continues, the report notes that Southeastern states have struggled with engaging utilities and expanding charging infrastructure. 

“Addressing these areas will be crucial for the region to fully capitalize on its potential in the evolving EV landscape,” the report states.

Market share

Tennessee’s 4.5 percent EV sales market share for light-duty vehicles in the Southeast falls near the middle of the pack, above Alabama and South Carolina but significantly below North Carolina, Georgia and Florida, which ranks first with an 8.9 percent market share.

Tennessee logged 43,319 cumulative EV sales between July 2023 and June 2024, the report states. That’s an annual growth of 42 percent, exceeding the national average of 37 percent.

New light-duty EV sales dipped in the first quarter of 2024, nationally and in the Southeast, but sales have begun to trend back up in most southeastern states, according to the report.

Charging ports

Tennessee saw the highest rate of growth in publicly accessible rapid EV chargers, increasing by 60 percent compared with last year. But the state’s 0.31 chargers per 1,000 people still falls well under the national average of 0.53, and 0.40 in the Southeast.

Tennessee has 583 fast-charging ports and 1,558 other charging ports, according to the report.

Tennessee and Georgia are the only two states in the study area to award federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding to build chargers where they are lacking along busy thoroughfares.

Tennessee awarded $21.9 million from the first round of NEVI funds for 31 fast-charging sites along the state’s major highways in January 2024. The money was matched by $10.7 million in private-sector investments.

Construction and production delays

The report notes that a Rivian plant in Georgia and a VinFast facility in North Carolina have delayed construction “due to unforeseen challenges or barriers to starting up production,” while Hyundai’s Metaplant in Georgia is moving ahead of schedule.

Ford announced in August that it would delay production at BlueOval City until 2027 as the company shifts its strategy toward prioritizing hybrid vehicles and lowering battery production costs. Ford initially planned to launch production of its next-generation pickup truck in 2025.

BlueOval SK at BlueOval City will begin producing battery cells in late 2025 to power electric commercial vans produced at the company’s Ohio assembly plant. BlueOval SK will begin manufacturing batteries for Ford’s E-Transit and F-150 Lightning at its Kentucky battery plant in mid-2025.

Public funding

Only Alabama increased state funding for electric transportation in the last year, the report states. 

Tennessee ranks second in the region for public funding per capita with a total $277 million approved, $266.5 million which comes from federal government programs.

The report doesn’t include loans or tax credits in states’ public funding totals.

Tennessee lawmakers approved a $900 million incentive package for Ford in October 2021, including a $500 million reimbursement for construction work on the megasite. The funding is contingent on job creation.

The federal government also offers tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act for production of batteries and battery materials and advanced energy products, the report notes. Thus far, two projects in Alabama and one project each in Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina will take advantage of those credits, according to the report.

Union activity

The last 12 months have seen aggressive campaigning from the United Auto Workers union in auto manufacturing plants throughout the country. Following UAW’s strike against Detroit’s “Big Three” (Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis) in 2023, the UAW announced that it would commit $40 million toward organizing through 2026, focusing on the South, the report states.

Republican lawmakers make vocal push against Chattanooga VW plant union effort

The unionization campaign drew opposition from Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in addition to the governors of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas.

“Unionization would certainly put our states’ jobs in jeopardy,” the governors wrote in a joint statement issued in April. 

Tennessee had two major union developments at automotive plants in 2024. In April, 4,300 Volkswagen Chattanooga employees became the first Southern auto workers outside of the Big Three to unionize. In September, Spring Hill’s Ultium plant, a joint venture from General Motors and LG Energy Solution, notched another union victory. The plant shipped its first battery cells to General Motors in March, two and a half years after breaking ground at the new facility.

Outside of Tennessee, United Steelworkers ratified their first contract at the Blue Bird facility in Georgia in 2024. But a union vote at an Alabama Mercedes-Benz plant failed in May.

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com. Follow Tennessee Lookout on Facebook and X.

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

Three Thoughts on Memphis Tiger Football: 10/28/24

Seth Henigan (photo by Wes Hale)

I wonder if Seth Henigan’s game-winning touchdown pass to Roc Carter last Saturday will be The Moment we remember from his stellar career at Memphis. It was, quite literally, a season-saving six points for the Tigers. A loss to Charlotte would have dropped the Tigers out of contention for the American Athletic Conference championship, to say nothing of that precious “Group of Five” slot in the newly expanded 12-team national playoff. When the 49ers took a 28-24 lead on a 75-yard, two-play drive with just 1:20 left in the game, a small, soggy crowd of Tiger fans had an especially gloomy feeling. But to their rescue came the senior quarterback and his band of veteran teammates, “an even-keeled group” as described by Tiger coach Ryan Silverfield the week before, following another late-comeback victory (over North Texas). The 24-yard game-winner to Taylor just so happened to also break Brady White’s career record for touchdown passes (Henigan has 91 and counting).

Henigan, of course, hopes to be remembered for a Moment yet to come. Ideally one during those playoffs, against a team these Tigers aren’t supposed to beat. As the young man from Denton, Texas, continues to rewrite the Memphis record book, the number to track is his career win total in blue and gray. He’s the first Tiger quarterback to count 30 of them. On the other hand, Henigan’s conference championships remain — for now — zero.

• After rain chased many fans home in the second half, fewer than 20,000 people saw Henigan’s game-winner last weekend. It’s the latest underwhelming crowd in what may become the best Tiger football season seen by the smallest number of human beings. We knew attendance figures would deflate this season, with capacity at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium reduced to 33,691 as the facility undergoes dramatic renovations (minus the west side of the stadium). I was actually concerned how fans would be able to squeeze into their seats for game days, memories of more than 50,000 people (watching that epic win over SMU in 2019) dancing in my head.

Alas, the top attendance figure this season is 25,849, the announced number for the opener against North Alabama on August 31st. The lowest attendance has been 23,246, for the second game against Troy. Perhaps we’ll see 30,000 when UAB comes to town for the Battle for the Bones on November 16th. If Memphis takes care of UTSA this Saturday, we’ll have an 8-1 football team hosting Rice on Friday, November 8th. Does the opponent — or day of the week — matter when the home team is 8-1? We’ll find out soon enough.

• How good has linebacker Chandler Martin been this season? His 11 tackles and two sacks against Charlotte were good enough to earn the junior his third Defensive Player of the Week award from the American Athletic Conference. Martin leads the AAC in both sacks (6) and tackles for loss (12), his most recent clinching the win over the 49ers with a safety. Martin will all but certainly become the first Memphis defensive player to earn first-team all-conference honors in consecutive seasons since Genard Avery (2016-17). The question is whether or not he’ll attract enough national attention for All-America consideration. If the Tigers can climb into the AP Top 25, Martin’s chances will grow. For now, appreciate every snap he’s on the field.

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Music Video Monday: “The Monday Night Card” by Ted Horrell

You might remember singer/songwriter Ted Horrell from his former band, The Central Standards, who won the Rock 103 Best Unsigned Band contest a few years back. Now, Horrell’s latest band, featuring David Twombly on drums, Eric Gentry on guitar, Casey Smith on bass, Dallas Pope on drums, and vocals from Natalie Duncan and Amy Gunnell, will celebrate the release of their album Mid-South Fare this Saturday, November 2 at Growlers. They call the band The Monday Night Card — which, not coincidentally, is the name of their first single.

Wrestling is a Memphis institution, and for decades, matches were broadcast from the Mid-South Coliseum. Big names and future superstars, from Jerry Lawler to Andy Kaufman to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, entered the squared circle on Memphis TV. The video for “The Monday Night Card” gives you a glimpse of the action in a montage directed by Ted’s brother Wilson Horrell.

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

Categories
Uncategorized

Jaren Jackson Jr. Returns in Home Opener As Grizzlies Rout Magic

Memphis Grizzlies center Jay Huff (30) dunks the ball during the second half against the Orlando Magic on Oct 26, 2024, at FedExForum. (Wes Hale Photo)

After a disappointing loss in Houston on Friday, the Memphis Grizzlies came home Saturday night to open their season by handily defeating the Orlando Magic, 124-111.

With a sell-out crowd at FedEx Forum, the energy in the Grindhouse was electric. Only two seasons ago, Memphis held the best home record in the league, and if Saturday night was any indication, the squad appears ready to get back to that standard.

The game was also the season debut of Jaren Jackson Jr., after being sidelined briefly with hamstring soreness during the preseason.

The game was the Grizzlies’ first wire-to-wire win of the season. They led by as many as 29 points, but had to stave off a 21-0 run by the Magic in the third quarter that cut the lead down to 8. Orlando guard Jalen Suggs took over the period, scoring 16 of his 21 points on 4 of 5 shooting from beyond the arc. Memphis responded with a 14-4 run of its own during the last 4:38 in the period.

Memphis had struggled in the third quarter of the season’s first two games, scoring just 18 in the third against Houston and only 21 against Orlando. It would be the only sub-30-point quarter for the Grizzlies on Saturday night, with Memphis scoring 34, 35, and 34 in the first, second, and fourth quarters respectively.

The offensive strategy has looked a little different this season, with head coach Taylor Jenkins using a 12-man roster in the past two games. This has allowed some of the bench players to shine, while lightening the minutes’ load for the starting five. No one on the roster played more than 28 minutes.

When asked postgame if they were setting an offensive standard for the season, Coach Jenkins responded, “Well, I hope we did. … We’ve got to prioritize” our pace, principles, control, and possessions.

Memphis struggled again with turning the ball over, giving up 17 points off 18 turnovers, while converting Orlando’s 19 turnovers into 30 points.

The bench unit accounted for 66 of the Grizzlies’ 124 points, with Spanish forward Santi Aldama leading the second unit and scoring a team-high 22 points, with seven rebounds, and five assists.

Aldama has been the Grizzlies’ leading scorer in two of the first three regular-season games.

Two-way center Jay Huff had a career-high scoring night, scoring 18 points on 7 of 9 overall and 3 of 5 three-pointers. Huff has been a tremendous asset thus far for the Grizzlies, adding a spark off the bench.

He moves down the court with speed and helps with spacing the floor, and “he’s fitting into what we’re trying to do as a team,” according to Jenkins. Don’t be surprised if Huff plays himself into the 15th roster spot later in the season. And how can you not love his signature reverse dunk?

Guard Scotty Pippen Jr. finished the night with 11 points, a career-high 12 assists, and his first career double-double.

Among the starters, Ja Morant led with 16 points and 10 assists. Morant is now tied with Mike Conley for the franchise’s most point-assist double-doubles.

Desmond Bane added 13 points and seven rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 13 points and four rebounds in his season debut.

Please enjoy this clip of Jaren bullying Franz Wagner all the way to the bucket:

And not included on the scoreboard but definitely in the hearts of Grizzlies’ fans is two-way guard Yuki Kawamura, who inspired a “We want Yuki” chant throughout FedExForum in the game’s final minutes.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies kicked off a four-game homestand and will return to the court on Monday to face off against the Chicago Bulls. Tip-off will be at 7 PM CDT.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports Uncategorized

Rockets Explode for Big Win Over Grizzlies

Ja Morant goes to the basket against the Houston Rockets on October 25, 2024. (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Houston Rockets bounced back from a 12-point deficit to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies, 128-108, at Toyota Center on Friday night. After trailing in the first half, the Rockets rallied in the second, sparked by a decisive 17-0 run midway through the third quarter. The surge propelled them to a dominating 39-18 third-quarter performance, turning the game around.

The Rockets outscored the Grizzlies 69-43 in the second half, capitalizing on significant rebounding and defensive advantages. Houston outrebounded Memphis 64-43, including 23-14 on the offensive glass. The Rockets also converted turnovers into points more effectively, scoring 29-13 in points off turnovers and 27-17 in second-chance points.

Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins pinpointed defense and rebounding as key areas of struggle for his team. “We couldn’t get a stop… they were shooting under 40% and we still couldn’t grab a rebound,” Jenkins said. The team’s inability to defend and rebound allowed Houston to apply relentless pressure, disrupting the Grizzlies’ offense.

Despite generating decent shot opportunities, Jenkins noted that his team relied too heavily on floaters and committed too many turnovers. He also credited the Rockets’ physicality, which exposed the Grizzlies’ rebounding vulnerability and prevented them from sustaining their strong first-half performance.

Ja Morant continues to do Ja Morant things this season, leading Memphis with 24 points, shooting 8-for-17 from the field. Desmond Bane added 17 points, while rookie Zach Edey and new signee Scotty Pippen Jr. each chipped in 13 points.

It’s worth noting that Edey had a bit of a rough start to his NBA career, fouling out in just 15 minutes in the season opener against the Utah Jazz, but still managed to snag five points and five rebounds.

After the game, Morant highlighted the importance of setting the tone early in games and at the start of the second half as the point guard. He acknowledged that his team’s offense became stagnant after he coasted up the court, leading to ineffective ball movement and allowing the defense to settle into position. Specifically, the two-time All-Star pointed out that relying on ball screens, although effective, wasn’t enough when the ball wasn’t moving and teammates were stationary.

To improve, Morant emphasized his need to dictate the pace and style of play from the outset, recognizing that his role as point guard allows him to control the tempo. By doing so, he aims to create a more fluid and dynamic offense that challenges defenses and leads to better scoring opportunities.

Simply put,  Morant appears to be taking ownership of his team’s performance, acknowledging areas for personal growth and striving to elevate his game to drive success.

The Grizzlies’ next game is Saturday night against the Orlando Magic at 7:00 p.m. at FedExForum for the home opener. Jaren Jackson Jr. is likely to make his season debut, after being sidelined with a hamstring strain.