The Early Word: Tigers lose, St. Jude wins and so does a Cordova teacher
Democracy is in the air today, Shelby County. It’s Wednesday, Oct. 16, and it’s the first day you can cast your vote for U.S. president and a slew of local offices and city referendums. You can find all the deets in our early voting guide.
Also today, Downtown’s Center City Development Corp. will vote on the transfer of the Sheraton hotel’s title as part of the City of Memphis’ plan to buy the aging hotel for $30 million. Tonight, former Memphis Grizzly Zach Randolph, late Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White and several other sports stars will be inducted into the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame.
The Memphis Tigers men’s and women’s basketball teams were no match for the North Carolina men’s Tar Heels and the South Carolina women’s Gamecocks in the first-ever Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic on Tuesday. The men’s team lost 84-76, but Coach Penny Hardaway (and our own Parth Upadhyaya) were taking notes. And a few things stood out about this new-look Tigers team. The Tiger women lost 106-63, but Coach Alex Simmons recognized that the Gamecocks, currently the No. 1 women’s team, play “at a level that literally nobody in the country plays at.” But no matter which teams won or lost, it was a big win for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which gets all the proceeds from ticket sales. And our own Geoff Calkins says the games were also a chance for fans to “surrender their hearts once again” to Tigers basketball.
Cordova High School automotive teacher Brian Sneed got a big surprise (literally and figuratively) on Tuesday when he was presented with a big check for $50,000 from Harbor Freight. Sneed, who has taught at Cordova High since 2011, was chosen for the tool shop’s teaching prize because the school auto shop fixes cars for community members at reduced rates. His wife, Cristy Sneed, knew about the prize weeks ago, and she went above and — well, outdoors — to make sure her husband didn’t find out.
Plus, the Memphis Area Transit Authority has a whole new board, the suspended Memphis Animal Services director is still on the city payroll and Wiseacre takes home the gold.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. She’s a diehard morning person who spends her free time running marathons and ultras. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South.”
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