The evidence continues to mount...

For all of you that have been on the grizzly bear side of the argument (including my own father, and I have gotten "you are so stupid" emails about), thanks to Listener Tim, we have this...
watch this "ferocious" Grizzly Bear get completely punked out. I am the smartest man.



Is that a big enough bear for you? And that isn't even a real lion punking him out. Submit to my incredible brain. I expect to be flooded with apologies. Put your snide comments up now.
Cougar Shows Bear - video powered by Metacafe

Still waiting on emailed apologies to read on show... More Feelings Through Art for now

We need to be clear on something...

We went back and checked the tape and the argument was generic bear vs. generic lion. That is exactly what we achieved in the video and the lion wins. Stop emailing and commenting otherwise. I am sorry that I am so intellectually superior to most of you and it is hard to accept, but it is clear that I have become the foremost authority on animal hand-to-hand combat in Memphis. Stop being stupid and submit to my incredible brain. All of you that do not agree with have been put in a mental casket and shall remain there until further notice.

If you care about who gets the Alabama job...

Loyal listener Gary has a blog that is tracking it ... http://memphistider.blogspot.com/

Lion vs. Bear

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Got a "Dashie Award"

It might as well be a damn Grammy to me...

The "DASHIE" Awards Pat Forde from ESPN.com writes:

Song Of The Year: The Memphis radio guy's "Coach O Song" (33), a tribute to the highbrow oratory of Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron. If you haven't heard it, find it. Anyone familiar with Orgeron's lingual skillz will die laughing.

Grizzlies news while I was gone, etc...

I read the article about the Brian Davis group and how they are going to (gasp) cut payroll and try to maintain a good product while not hemorrhaging money. It seems as Grizzlies fans are really scared about what this ownership group will do with the team. Count me as one that is not scared. The Grizzlies have had a stupid payroll for their last few years. The great teams in the NBA have reasonable payrolls, but they also have the ability to get FA's to sign at a reasonable price, which Memphis may never be able to do. There is no debating that it will be really hard to build a championship contender in Memphis. You have to either have a player that people think they can win a championship with, or play a style that will help them make more money in the future (think Toronto) to even have a chance.

It seems to me that everyone is disenchanted by the Davis group because of the articles written in the CA, yet we never hear from Davis. If I was him, I would talk. I know this... when guys don't talk to the media, they become targets to be portrayed however anyone that wants to talk about them wants them to be portrayed. That is what is happening with the Davis Group. I am withholding judgement until I hear from them. This idea that the local ownership should come in and save the day is a nice thought, but also worthy of questioning. What basketball acumen do any of them have? What makes anyone think that they would pay Jerry West and he would stay? The local owners come in on a white horse and save the city from the evil outsider trying to ruin and move the team, ahahhahahahahaha. I like the idea of an outsider, so I am rooting for the Davis group to work. Memphis has a problem with a small town mentality, and many always want to keep it that way. I could list 1000 examples, but I do not have time. Suffice to say that 7 years ago you could find anyone to tell you that the NBA would come to Memphis. Ever. I will update these thoughts as I hear more about the Davis group, and (novel idea) hear from them.

Peter Vescey said yesterday in his article that the Celtics were interested in acquiring Pau Gasol. Immediately everyone discredited Vescey by saying "he never gets anything right." Which is totally ridiculous. He puts out a ton of information and some is not right, but Peter Vescey is not Peter Vescey by consistently getting everything wrong. So anyway, the messenger was killed instead of dealing with the message. Here is the point... is Boston interested in Gasol... I absolutely believe that.

For the record, if I could get a great return on a trade for Pau, I would do it. The team is not going anywhere with him.

I would trade Miller for Maggette. Could Maggette score in May? We don't know about Maggette but we know Miller cannot.

Alabama better come up with a great hire this time.

I have long been in favor of adding one game to the end of the bowl season and have said it would provide a fantastic ending to the best regular season in sports. Now we would have Ohio St. vs. Florida, Michigan vs. USC and then one more game. Sounds perfect.

Mark McGwire is on the baseball HOF ballot but will never get in. It only takes 25% of the voters to keep a guy out. He never gets in.

Carlos Lee is comparable in stats to Chris Duncan. Carlos Lee just signed with the Astros for 100 Million. Lord help us all.

Listen to the show and your life will change.

Bert Sugar Picks

75 % THIS SEASON SO FAR ON THE SHOW

Boston College -4 over Miami (thurs)

Air Force -10.5 over UNLV (fri)

Ohio -3 over Miami Ohio (fri)

Ole Miss -3 over Miss St

N Carolina -7 over Duke

Philanthropy (The Picks)

Verno's Indian Involved Thanksgiving Parlay

Central Mich -15 over Buffalo
Ohio -3 over Miami Ohio
New Mexico -10 over SDSU

Mama Said don't mess with a good thing... HAWAIAN MASSACRE PART 4 (3-0 SO FAR)

HAWAII -17 OVER PURDUE (INFINITY STARS + A BILLION STARS + 1) aka. Tropical team in last game vs. team from Indiana GAME OF THE YEAR!

Gary's Gobble Parlay
G-- G Tech -1.5 over Georgia
O-- Ohio -3 over Miami Ohio
B-- Ball State -3 over Kent St
L-- Louisville -11 over Pitt

Gary's Happy Thanksgiving Utep Gold Miners Game of the Year!
Utep -11 over Memphis

BERT SUGAR PICKS TO COME...

RECE DAVIS= HERO

We have said it before, we will say it again, Rece Davis is our favorite ESPN personality. On College Football Final he gives us a huge subliminal shout-out just like he said he would on the show. Here are the Ole Miss/ LSU highlights where he references the song as many times as you can in one highlight. Rece Davis = Hero. Thanks to listener Hank for the recording.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/rece-davis-mp3.html

Philanthropy (The Picks)

Verno's Frank Thomas gettin paid Parlay

H-- Houston -16.5 over Memphis
U-- UL Lafayette -3.5 over Fl. Int (easiest pick on the board, incredibly simple pick)
R-- Rutgers -6.5 over Cincy
T-- TCU -17 over UNLV

Mama said don't mess up a good thing, with that in mind... The Tropical Team at home playing against a Team from Cali GAME OF THE YEAR (infinity to the third power stars)

Hawaii -25 over San Jose St

Gary Parrish One Year Plan Shawne Williams Parlay

O-- Oklahoma -20.5 over Baylor
Y-- Y-oming -9.5 over UNLV
P-- Purdue -12.5 over Indiana

Gary's Pay future Memphis Recruits Game of the year
Houston -16.5 over Memphis

Bert Sugar Picks

Yesterday, Bert joined us for the Weekly Cigar with Bert Sugar. These are his picks. (He is 73 % on the show this year) Rest of the picks will be up later today.

Mich +7 over Ohio St

USC -3.5 over Cal

Auburn -3 over Bama

Tenn -8.5 over Vandy

C Mich -3.5 over N. Illinois *Friday Night

Who said the Grizzlies can't play up-tempo?

Jerry West said the vets don't like to run. Mike Fratello said the team is too injured to run. I swear I saw a team run last night and had a real chance at winning, while being 5 times as entertaining as they had been all year. Truly amazing, I hope we have a trend on our hands.

Column in Baton Rogue about Colonel Reb is Crying

This week Ole Miss plays against LSU. The columnist for the Baton Rogue Advocate is Scott Rabalais, and he wrote his column about the song this morning.

Baton Rogue Advocate

New Arkansas Fight Song

Here is the song we played on the show today. Thanks to emailer Jason for the link.
http://allythigpen.com/woo2.swf

Here is a name for you...

So obviously getting ready for the show today I have put a lot of thought into what to do about the Head Coach position of the Memphis Grizzlies. Thus, all of the posts today.

In talking to people around the league, I have come to the conclusion that the guy that most everyone feels will be the first coach to be hired as a head coach, replacing a fired coach, will be Marc Iavaroni. I hope it is here. Funny that his bio sites him coaching with Fratello, but be not dismayed, Fratello coached with Hubie so that means very little.

Iavaroni is the lead assistant in Phoenix, and an excellent choice for any team attempting to create excitement.

This is what I hopes happens. Get rid of Fratello, let someone coach the team until the Dec. 1st deadline and you know what would happen with the impending sale... and then hire this guy. I would bet whoever owns the team, if they had any sense about them, would hire the guy that everyone else would too. He is the logical first hire. An up-and-coming coach for an up-and-coming team.

Contrary to what many would say, Memphis could and should run. It is what needs to happen. It hides a ton of weaknesses and they have the youth and depth to do it. You tell me what is better... having Lawrence Roberts running the lane finishing (which I am told he is excellent at), or having him post up and take a hook shot on Yao Ming?

Warrick, Gay, and Stro running down the court filling the lane. Lowry pushing the ball. Vets coming off the bench playing their 10-15 minutes. A rejuvenated Mike Miller.

I mentioned hiding weaknesses. Who saw Marion and Diaw play in the WBC? I will tell you that they did not look like Marion and Diaw in a half-court set.

Play like Phoenix.... Hire Marc Iavaroni before someone else snags him.

You heard it here.

In a perfect world... it's Jerry West coaching the Grizzlies

In my previous post I mentioned this, and here are some reasons why...

These are all his players. Outside of Pau, he has drafted ,or brought in, each of them.

Clean up the mess he made by not rolling the guy in the off-season.

Fans are immediately energized. People want to hear the interviews and pressers and it creates excitement.

Grizzlies become more relevant simply because the Logo is the coach.

There are no respect issues from the vets, or the young ones, or anyone for that matter.

He does have head coaching experience.

He has no worries of being fired.

Excitement, excitement, excitement. Even the fringe fan knows Jerry West.

I see only one problem, and that is that he hates losing. Unfortunately with this team, that is inevitable.

Jerry West for Grizz Coach.... One last hurrah. What would be a bigger bolt of energy for this team and franchise?

Someone will steal this and use it as their own idea I am sure. I figured I would mention that before you hear it as to humiliate the un-original. Hasseltine on from 3-4, should be fun.

Mike Fratello

Fans don't like him. The media does not like him. Players do not like playing for him. He is driving fans away from the arena. His style is to play slow. His style is to play vets.
I don't blame him. If management did not want him next year and they knew it, they should have rolled him.
Who would want to really help an organization, and put that ahead of their own interests this year, and put their stock in a future that they will not experience?
Mike Fratello is a good basketball coach, but right now if you were going to draw up the worst fit for this particular team, it would probably be Mike Fratello.

This sounds strange, but the Grizzlies need to put someone in the position that doesn't have to worry about how many games they win. Think about what Bernie Birkerstaff has been charged with doing in Charlotte. He is not worried about his job, because he is investing in a future that he will be a part of. So he is fine with getting guys experience. Its not normal, but it is what this team needs. I guy that doesn't worry about his record, because he is secure.

I would love to see Jerry West take over. Imagine the excitement. It would be perfect.

THE WORLDS GREATEST HANDICAPPER

JIMMY DENUNZIO HAD A VIRTUOSO PERFORMANCE ON FRIDAY. MANY OF YOU HAVE REQUESTED THESE TO BE POSTED. ENJOY.

HERE IT IS.

Philanthropy (the picks)

We give back to the community by giving our picks for free. Enjoy becoming a billionaire. Give back to others like we do.

Verno's BCS Parlay
B-- Boston College -29 over Duke
C-- Cal -13.5 over Arizona, or C Florida over Memphis
S-- South Carolina +13 over Florida

Verno's Tropical Team playing against Worst Defense Ever Game of the Year
Hawaii -36 over La Tech (aka the Hawaiian Massacre) Infinity * Infinity Stars

Gary's KFED Parlay
K--Kentucky -2 over Vandy
F--Florida St -8 over Wake
E--East Carolina -7 over Marshall
D--Denver -9.5 over Oakland

Gary's Lock of the Year
Central Florida -2 over Memphis

Bert Sugar Picks (over 70 % on the show this year)
Louisville pick was a loss
USC -7.5 over Oregon
Navy -11 over E Mich
N Dame -13.5 over Air Force
Southern Miss -7 over Tulane

I promise the Denunzio picks will be up soon.

Verno

Picks will be up today... until then... enjoy

No explanation needed.


It is impossible to be in a bad mood after watching this. I have found the cure for bad moods.

Every couple of weeks...

I feel the need to watch this over and over again. It is the greatest American sports moment of all-time.

How about this for a recruit... Memphis commit Derrick Rose

This is serious...

If you are here because you read the Knoxville News Sentinel Article today...

You can click on www.thechrisvernonshow.blogspot.com to get the songs and videos.

Philanthropy (the picks)

Verno's BORAT Parlay (first 5 gamer ever released to public)
B-- BYU -15 over Colorado St
O-- Ohio St -24 over Illini
R-- Rice +9 over Utep
A-- Arkansas -2.5 over S. Carolina
T-- Tulsa -3.5 over Houston

Verno's Tropical Team in Utah GAME OF YEAR (guguplex stars)
Hawaii -26.5 over Utah St.


Gary's T-Head Moy parlay
M-- Marshall -4.5 over Tulane
O-- Oklahoma -2.5 over Tex A&M
Y-- Y-Oming (whoever they play and whatever spread is)

Gary's Great Success High Five Lock of the Century
S Miss -7.5 over Memphis

Bert Sugar Picks
Air Force -6.5 over Army
S. Miss -7 over Memphis
Wisconsin -6.5 over Penn St
Ball State +34 over Mich
Pitt -5 over S. Florida

I will do my best to get the Denunzio audio up by Sat afternoon

Verno

CA Article runs on the song today

HERE IS THE ARTICLE

Big thanks to Scott Cacciola for writing the piece. Thank you to all of you that listen to the show, you made this happen. Holla.

Verno