The Early Word: Future is uncertain for Tigers basketball, Redbirds baseball
Good day, friends! It’s Tuesday, March 25, and the Memphis City Council will take a final vote today on an ordinance that would require permits for on-street parking in certain areas.
The proposed state takeover of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board will be a hot topic at the MSCS board meeting tonight. Not surprisingly, the board is opposing state intervention, and they’ll consider an official resolution to say so.
Also, if you’re a renter with a landlord issue, you might consider attending tonight’s renters’ rights clinic at New Growth in Christ Christian Center. It’s sponsored by Shelby County Commissioner Erika Sugarmon, and lawyers will be on hand with advice.
Later, the Memphis Grizzlies will play the Utah Jazz in a road game. In what feels like deja vu, Brandon Clarke has again suffered a serious March injury just ahead of playoff season (in 2023, it was his Achilles; now, it’s a high-grade sprain). With that news, our own Chris Herrington says things are looking rocky for the Grizzlies.
After the Memphis Tigers’ weekend loss in the first-round of the NCAA Tournament, Coach Penny Hardaway is looking ahead to off-season recruiting. But college basketball is getting more expensive than ever. Only teams in the big conferences — which have lots more money than Memphis — are left in the Sweet 16. Recruiting players to a college with less money could be dicey, says Geoff Calkins, but if anyone can do it, he says its Coach Penny Hardaway.
Baseball season in Memphis kicked off Monday with the Battle of the Birds exhibition game between the St. Louis Cardinals and their Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds. It was the 25th anniversary of the annual game, and AutoZone Park was packed with fans. But if you’ve been to AutoZone Park in the past few years, you know the 25-year-old ballpark needs some work. Craig Unger, president of the Redbirds, is trying to get the city to pony up millions for a makeover, and our own Geoff Calkins reminds us why that work is needed to prevent AutoZone Park from becoming another Mud Island River Park.
Plus, a Memphis judge is confirmed to a higher court, the Showboats coach takes leave before the season starts and free pickleball is coming to Poplar Plaza.
Topics
The Early Word Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
Subscribers to The Daily Memphian help fund our not-for-profit newsroom of nearly 40 local journalists plus more than 20 freelancers, all of whom work around the clock to cover the issues impacting our community. Subscriptions - and donations - also help fund our community access programs which provide free access to K-12 schools, community organizations, and more. Thank you for making our work possible.
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. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.