Calkins: Why have the Showboats returned to Memphis? Answer: Fred Smith.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland (left) FedEx founder Fred Smith (middle) and Memphis Showboats head coach Todd Haley (right) attend a press conference announcing the teams return to the USFL Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Geoff Calkins
Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. He is host of "The Geoff Calkins Show" from 9-11 a.m. M-F on 92.9 FM. Calkins has been named the best sports columnist in the country five times by the Associated Press sports editors, but still figures his best columns are about the people who make Memphis what it is.
Why are the Showboats returning to Memphis? The answer involves Fred Smith. And even if the team doesn’t flourish, its existence can only help the city. Here’s why.
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