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Calkins: Penny Hardaway is back. It will take real change — from him — to bring back Memphis basketball.

By , Daily Memphian Updated: March 16, 2026 1:41 PM CT | Published: March 16, 2026 1:04 PM CT
Geoff Calkins
Daily Memphian

Geoff Calkins

Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. 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.

After the last home loss of the season — the seventh straight loss overall — Memphis coach Penny Hardaway was asked how “he processes” all those consecutive losses.

He said he takes responsibility. He said he has to do better.

But then he said something particularly telling.

“It’s a one-off,” he said.

No, it wasn’t.

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Memphis basketball Penny Hardaway Ed Scott Geoff Calkins Subscriber Only

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