The Early Word: Maine comes to Memphis, and Mega Kroger does, too
Happy Friday, Memphis. It’s Oct. 25, and a section of Hollywood Street near Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium will be renamed today after Glenn Rogers Sr., the first Black athlete to join the Memphis Tigers football team. And you can pick up a pair of the new Ja 2s as the Nike pop-up truck rolls into town.
Tonight, the Memphis Grizzlies should face off with their old friend-turned-foe Dillon Brooks as they play the Houston Rockets in Texas. Brooks has been dealing with some knee pain but is expected to play. Sadly, the Grizz won’t get their first chance against old mate Steven Adams; he’s still dealing with that pesky knee issue following last season’s surgery.
Saturday is a homecoming in more than one way. The Grizzlies come back to play the Orlando Magic in their first regular-season home game, and the Memphis Tigers football team has their homecoming game against Charlotte. In non-sports events, the Orange Mound Music Festival comes back for a second year at the Harriett Performing Arts Center, and there’s “dirty mackin’ R&B” (you know it when you hear it) with Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank at the Landers Center. Check out The To-Do List for way more ideas.
There’s a different kind of “mane” being talked about in the Memphis Grizzlies world. It’s the state of Maine, home to the St. Joseph’s College of Maine Monks men’s basketball team. That’s where new Grizzlies assistant coach and the head of player development Noah LaRoche came from, and a number of other new staff and coaches have ties to the small college, too. They’re bringing with them a new style of playing that our own Chris Herrington calls “The New Offense ™,” and Grizz writer Drew Hill goes deep into how it made its way down south.
Move over, Super Kroger, and make room for Mega Kroger. That’s right. There’s a new Mid-South Kroger, and it’s really big. After years of delays, the new store opened in Arlington this week with a Starbucks, The Little Clinic and super-sized produce, meat, beauty and wellness departments. If you plan to check it out soon, you might opt for next Tuesday, but you’ll want to come in costume.
Plus, a jury rules against an inmate beaten at 201, crime is still trending down and City Silo’s new spot will come with a new menu.
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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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