Ordering the shirt

IF YOU WANT THE GRIT/ GRIND SHIRT, THEY WILL NOW BE DELIVERED VIA FEDEX AND YOU CAN ORDER THEM HERE AT OUR STORE...
WE WILL HOPE TO HAVE THEM BEFORE GAMES OUTSIDE IF YOU LIVE IN MEMPHIS

THE CHRIS VERNON SHOW STORE

Michael Heisley in studio (The Audio)

The owner of the Memphis Grizzlies, Michael Heisley, joined us in the studio for the 3rd hour of the show today.  Rather than argue about things we may disagree on, I wanted to use today to learn more about him as a person, and I think we did.  I got a lot of great response from people that said they think a little differently about him now.  I think you will enjoy this if you missed it.  It took up the entire hour.

Grizzlies Owner Michael Heisley on the show (The Audio)

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Looks like I'm in the T-Shirt business

My intent was not to be in the T-Shirt business, but I have no choice.  I will deliver what the people demand!  Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the response.  Having Bill Simmons tweet out the shirt to over 1.3 million followers was the breaking point.   You want Tony Allen T-Shirts, you will get Tony Allen T-Shirts! 

I have some available to ship.  Don't return them or complain (haha).  If you live in Memphis you can still buy them from me - we will hope to be outside before games.  The price is obviously higher here if you want it shipped.
SHIRTS WILL BE SHIPPED BY SATURDAY

UPDATE:  THERE WILL BE A NEW STORE UP TODAY WITH THE SHIRTS AVAILABLE TO BUY - JUST HOLD OFF UNTIL TONIGHT AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BUY ONE.

ALL ORDERS ALREADY SUBMITTED WILL BE FILLED AS STATED

The Tony Allen T-Shirt (wooooooooooooo)

I will deliver what the people demand.  The people demand a Tony Allen T-Shirt.  You may have heard him mention it on twitter, or you may have seen one of the few that are already on the streets.   Lots of people are already asking me about them, so I might as well acknowledge it.  I am trying to find the best way to get these to the people that want them.  I am really not interested in shipping and returns and all of the junk that comes along with selling online.  So... I will attempt to find the best way to sell these without having to mess with potential problems.  I may put them in some stores and businesses, I may just carry a bag around with them, I may have you come up to the office if you want one, or I may stand out by the Forum before games.  I really don't know how I am going to get them to you.  I just wanted to make them, and for people to wear them. The shirt has the image above on the front and a small show logo on the back collar.   The greatest $15 you ever spent.  I obviously thought this through before I spent a bunch of money on them (haha).  If you want one, I will get you one,

Jimmy Hart live in studio (The Audio)

"The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart joined us in our studio on Thursday for over an hour.  I could attempt to explain what we talked about, but it would take forever and I have better things to do.  Just listen to it.  If you don't enjoy this interview you love communism.

Jimmy Hart live on The Chris Vernon Show (The Audio) ---->

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Bruce Pearl Rally

Feris Bueller's Day Off as Indie Film

The trip to Tulsa

Early this morning I picked up Roser and we headed to Tulsa for the Tigers game in the NCAA Tournament.  We left at about 6:15 a.m. and arrived in Tulsa right before the Memphis open practice at 12:40 p.m..  If I recall correctly we got on 40 west, drove forever, got off at some exit, drove a little more, and then we were in Tulsa.  It was a really easy trip.

We only stopped twice and one of the stops was in the great town of Sallisaw, Oklahoma.  We stopped there because we needed to stop for gas and because I saw a billboard that said "INDIAN STORE - NEXT RIGHT".  First we stopped at the gas station to fill up and grab a drink.  We went inside and encountered one of the most hilarious convenient stores ever.  The old lady working at the counter had a near death coughing spell that sounded like it could only come from a person that had smoked 300 cigarettes a day for the last 45 years.  She didn't die, but she did bring me to the edge of vomiting.  I can honestly say I have never seen a gas station with a sign that says "Jean Shorts on SALE", but I have now.  Here they are...

We left the gas station and headed across the street to The Indian Store...

This was kind of a letdown.  It just didn't feel very authentic to me.  I wanted real Indian swag and it was drums, teddy bears with head dresses, some bead stuff, and some t-shirts with wolves on them.  I wanted to buy a spear or something like that.  No dice.

We got to Tulsa in time for the Memphis open practice where we saw several Memphis media members, along with Pat Forde, Craig Sager, and some others.  Memphis looked really loose and confident to me.  Who knows if it will mean anything but they seemed like they were having fun and hardly overwhelmed.  Joe Jackson was hitting everything when I was watching him shoot.   I thought the arena, The BOK Center, was awesome.  Very impressive considering there is not an NBA team that plays there.  The practice...

A huge thank you to Lexus of Memphis for hooking us up with a new RX 450 Hybrid to drive down to Tulsa.  It is insanely comfortable, it has every bell and whistle imaginable, and rides as smoothly as any car I have ever been in.  I fully endorse this vehicle.  I learned the hard way that with a car so nice it is extremely easy to lose track of how fast you are going (the blue lights in Arkansas reminded me though).  83 in a 70.  The trooper was nice to us, but still gave me the ticket.  This is the car, go buy one...



Memphis vs. Arizona

The killer crossover of Josh Pastner vs. his former school.

Memphis is dancing

I didn't believe that Memphis could go down to El Paso and win the CUSA tournament.  To beat UTEP, in El Paso, at 9:30 in the morning just seemed too much to ask of this team.  I was wrong.  The expectations were extremely high for Memphis going into the season, and then when we saw them play. Everyone had to adjust what they thought the team was capable of.  Most believed that the team was still capable of being the class of CUSA, and after a 4th place finish were disappointed in how the season had played out.

Most projections did not have Memphis making the NCAA tournament field unless they won the CUSA tournament.  With a tournament bid on the line, and down big to UTEP, Memphis fought back and capped off a huge run with two Joe Jackson free throws to seal their fate.  Dancing.

Time will pass and we will remember the clutch Joe Jackson free throws forever, but it was how the game really ended that interested me most.  The game really ended with UTEP having a chance to win when Christian Polk (who had been fantastic all day) took a shot that came up short.  Several years ago I read an article in Sports Illustrated where Jeff Van Gundy said (and I am paraphrasing) "You are down by 1 and you have the ball.  You draw up the play.  Your guy gets the ball and he is open. He takes the shot.  The ball is in the air.... good coach, bad coach, good coach, bad coach, good coach, bad coach,"

I have always remembered that quote when thinking about how we talk about coaches.  I could not help but think of that quote after the game in regards to the Polk shot to win it.  If the shot drops in... Josh Pastner is bad coach?  His team becomes a disappointment and we are probably watching an NIT game hosted at FedEx Forum.  If the shot misses...Josh Pastner is a good coach?  His team is part of the Big Dance and they won the 3 games they absolutely had to.

It does all seem sort of silly.  Pastner is no better or worse of a coach if that Polk shot drops in and UTEP is dancing instead of Memphis.  Who knows if Josh is going to be one of the great college basketball coaches?  I would love to think that he will be because, like any normal human, I root for good things to happen to good people.  Here is what we do know - when it mattered most Josh Pastner had his team playing the best basketball we have seen them play all season.  He has taken the criticism and now he gets the praise.

The Memphis season was filled with the feeling that the team was not going to live up to expectations.  There is no question that not being involved in the NCAA tournament would have been a disappointing.  But nobody (not the fans, not the players, not Josh) has to worry about that.  A big congrats to Josh Pastner and the team.


Memphis is dancing after all.

Tony Allen guarding Kevin Durant

The New York Times wrote a great piece called "Allen and the Plight of the Undervalued Defender."  You can read the article HERE.  The video above was part of the article.

We need an intern

The Chris Vernon Show needs an intern.  I was an intern.  Roser was an intern.  Nearly every person I know in radio was an intern at one point.  You won't get paid but you will get good experience and if you are good you may get a job out of it.  Almost all of our interns that really wanted to be in the media have ended up in the media.  Intern Kevin is gone and took a job in Chicago.  He was tremendous and we miss him already.  If you think you may want to intern for the show, send me an email explaining why we should consider you.  We preferably need somebody that is good on the web, has a good sense of humor, and knows the show.  Email me at chris@cvernon.com if you are interested.

Priceless (Memphis Pom)

Z-BO!

Josh Pastner on the show (The Audio)

Memphis basketball coach Josh Pastner joined us on the show on Friday to talk about literally everything.  Over 35 minutes on him and the Tiger basketball team.  Here it is if you missed it...

Josh Pastner on The Chris Vernon Show (3-4-11)

Podcast Powered By Podbean

The Grizzlies + Playoff Beards

The Grizzlies are growing out playoff beards.  The deal was struck amongst the team prior to the San Antonio game.  As I understand it, you were allowed to shave before the Spurs game if you chose to and will not be allowed to shave your beard until the Grizzlies have officially clinched a playoff spot.  Given that the race is so tight in the Western Conference we are talking about these beards growing for easily over a month.  Every player on the roster is in on this.  All of the coaches are in on this.  Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace is in on this.  All told, over 30 members of the Grizzlies team and staff are growing beards.   You better believe the rest of the league and fans are gonna be talking about the way this team looks, and make no mistake, in a few weeks they will look hilarious.  I love it.

Trash talk lessons

Take a second and learn from the master... Jumpin Jeff Farmer. 

109-93

OK, I don't think of "Cadence" anymore

Last week I put up a post about how when I think of Charlie Sheen I think of the movie "Cadence". Oh, how quickly things change in a week. Too much?