Calkins: Why the future is dicey for Memphis basketball — and why Hardaway matters even more
University of Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway watches his team before an NCAA tournament first-round game against Colorado State University in Seattle, Wash. March 21, 2025. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daly 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.
Penny Hardaway had just watched his Memphis Tigers get bounced from the NCAA Tournament when a reporter asked him what’s the key to winning in college basketball these days?
Hardaway didn’t hesitate. He didn’t reach for the cliches.
He didn’t talk about implementing the right strategies or cultivating a positive culture.
He told the blunt truth.
“In the overall scheme of things, it’s about the money, to be very honest with you,” he said. “I still try to have some relationship with the guys. But in this era, it’s more about who can give you the most money.”
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Memphis basketball Penny Hardaway Memphis Tigers PJ Haggerty Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
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