The Early Word: Pub owner is bullish on Memphis, and Ja’s ankle is OK-ish
Here we go, Memphis. It’s Thursday, Oct. 10, and the Memphis Grizzlies play their first preseason home game tonight against the Charlotte Hornets. If you’re going, you might get to see Zach Edey play on his home court for the first time, but you won’t see Ja Morant in action (sorry). You will, however, find lots of new stuff to eat.
“I’m a big believer that if you want to whine … about crime here, then leave. ... I hate to say that, but the negativity is dragging us all down,” said Rick Spell, owner of Brookhaven Pub & Grill.
It took Memphis Police more than three hours to respond to a recent incident at Brookhaven, so Spell naturally had some questions for the cops. Spell arranged a sit-down with Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis, during which he learned that crime is actually trending down. Spell was surprised, and now he’s “bullish” on Memphis turning around its crime rate even more.
We’ve all got a little PTSD from the Memphis Grizzlies’ terrible, horrible, no good, very bad 2023-24 season. So, if you said some bad words when Jaren Jackson Jr. sprained his hamstring and Ja Morant sprained his ankle within a week’s time, you’re excused. But there’s good news on the Morant front: The sprain he sustained during Monday’s preseason opener against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday is “mild,” and he’s expected to recover in time for the season opener. But that means you won’t see Morant play in tonight’s preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Plus, Memphis-Shelby County Schools takes a hard look at its buildings, another Young Dolph trial may be coming and you’ll want to order the ganoush at La Roche.
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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. 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.
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