5)
Memphis 1, Sacramento 0 (July 26) — A one-hitter and a game-winning hit with two
outs in the bottom of the ninth. In terms of fan engagement — you know, the
crowd at AutoZone Park actually paying attention to the action on the field, as
opposed to nurturing cellphone relationships — this was the highlight of the
2007 Redbirds season. Starting pitcher Chris Narveson pitched five and
two-thirds hitless innings against the first-place Sacramento River Cats, and
was relieved more than capably by Matt Ginter and Troy Cate. With two outs in
the ninth, Memphis drew three consecutive walks before Nick Stavinoha ripped a
hit into the rightfield corner for a walk-off victory. For a night, at least,
the standings didn’t matter.
4) Jazz
104, Grizzlies 88 (February 28) — In the closest parallel to Jack and Joe Buck
my family is likely to realize, 7-year-old Sofia Murtaugh was part of a media
contingent during a pregame press conference on Kids’ Night at FedExForum. Her
question for Grizzlies coach Tony Barone: “Which NBA player is the toughest to
defend?” (Barone’s answer: Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki.) Suited up in a mini-Grizz
outfit for the pregame introductions and a dunk contest following the third
quarter, young Murtaugh saw the home team jump out to a 20-4 lead, only to
witness the Northwest Division-leading Jazz chip away and end the Grizzlies’
two-game home winning streak. Pau Gasol’s 28 points and 13 rebounds weren’t
enough to offset Utah’s Carlos Boozer (24 points and 16 boards) and Deron
Williams (14 points, 10 assists). The loss kept Memphis tied with Boston in the
Greg Oden Sweepstakes, with an NBA-worst 15 victories on the season. Ms.
Murtaugh was tucked snuggly in bed by the time Barone opened his postgame
session.
3)
Memphis 25, UAB 9 (November 17) — In terms of probability — or lack thereof —
this was the Game of the Year. The Tiger football team had been handled by the
likes of Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee, UCF, and East Carolina (giving up 56
points to each of the latter two). They had lost a member of the team — reserve
defensive lineman Taylor Bradford — in an on-campus murder not even two months
earlier. They had not beaten the Blazers since 1999, and that was with DeAngelo
Williams carrying the ball four of those years. Yet there in the end zone at
game’s end, hoisting the bronzed rack of ribs that has come to symbolize the
“Battle for the Bones,” was Tiger backup quarterback Will Hudgens. With Joseph
Doss rushing for 168 yards, Duke Calhoun catching four passes for another 159,
and Martin Hankins passing for 298 yards, the U of M earned bowl eligibility for
the fourth time in five seasons. With a win over SMU the following week, Memphis
finished with a conference record of 6-2, its best in 12 years of C-USA play.
2)
Memphis 71, Houston 59 (March 10) — For the second straight year, John
Calipari’s Tigers finished off a sweep of Conference USA’s regular season and
tournament championships with a win at FedExForum. (And for the second straight
year, the victory gave the Tigers 30 wins for the season, on their way to a 33-4
finish.) The Tigers essentially had the Cougars beaten by halftime, up by 11
with a capacity crowd roaring for the national-television audience. Chris
Douglas-Roberts scored 17 points on his way to earning tourney MVP honors.
Fellow sophomore Antonio Anderson matched CDR’s point total and dished out five
assists. This marked the fifth time in Tiger basketball history that Memphis won
both conference titles in the same year.
1)
Dallas 35, St. Louis 7 (September 30) — In the fine tradition of Dean Moriarty
and Sal Paradise, a friend and I packed up the horseless carriage and headed
west, our destination Texas Stadium. Lifelong Cowboy fans, Johnny G and I
counted the RV dealerships and cotton fields over our 450-mile journey, all for
a chance to cast our shadows under that famous hole in the roof where Someone
Else is rumored to keep watch over His favorite football team. We saw the
Cowboys rack up 502 yards (their most in a non-overtime game since 1998) and
improve to 4-0 for the first time in more than a decade. Tom Landry statue
aside, the highlight was seeing Dallas quarterback Tony Romo retrieve a
shotgun-snap over his head, turn upfield, and dodge at least three Ram tacklers
to gain a first down. How ’bout them Cowboys, indeed.
