Like many University of Memphis fans, I’ve been depressed for the last two days. The Tigers’ loss to Tennessee was pretty devastating, and I’ve been unable to read the newspaper or any other recap of the game or watch it again (recorded on our DVR). I can’t really even bring myself to think or talk about it. Right now I’m still in the denial phase, but I’ll hold onto the newspapers and save the game for when I finally reach the acceptance stage.
The one thing I have been able to read regarding the game is a post on The Sport Soup titled, “Is there such a thing as a good loss?”
With the streaks and the undefeated season now a thing of the past, hopefully the team and our fans can now focus on job No. 1—bringing hope a national championship.
Go Tigers Go!
Showing posts with label Memphis Tigers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memphis Tigers. Show all posts
Monday, February 25, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
It's finally GAME DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The hours are going by pretty slowly as the city and state eagerly await the 8 p.m. (CST) tip-off between the No. 1 Memphis Tigers and No. 2 Tennessee Vols. I'm just too psyched to write, and there's not really much left to say. Soon it will be time for the players to talk and the fans to listen.
So I am listening--to the Tiger Fight Song, over and over again. Sing it with me:
U of M FIGHT SONG
Go Tigers Go, Go On To Victory
Be A Winner Thru And Thru
Fight Tigers, Fight Cause We're Going All The Way
Fight, Fight For The Blue And Gray And Say
Let's Go Tigers Go, Go On To Victory
See Our Colors Bright And True
It's Fight Now Without A Fear
Fight Now Let's Shout A Cheer
Shout For Dear Memphis U
Go Tigers Go
Go Tigers Go
So I am listening--to the Tiger Fight Song, over and over again. Sing it with me:
U of M FIGHT SONG
Go Tigers Go, Go On To Victory
Be A Winner Thru And Thru
Fight Tigers, Fight Cause We're Going All The Way
Fight, Fight For The Blue And Gray And Say
Let's Go Tigers Go, Go On To Victory
See Our Colors Bright And True
It's Fight Now Without A Fear
Fight Now Let's Shout A Cheer
Shout For Dear Memphis U
Go Tigers Go
Go Tigers Go
Friday, February 22, 2008
Operation: Blue Suede Shoe
Thanks to DD for sending me this story.
Graceland will be bathed in blue this weekend in honor of the Tigers No. 1 ranking. The lighting ceremony takes place tonight at 7, with Priscilla Presley, R.C. Johnson and Pouncer on hand to flip the switch on 150 blue spotlights.
If you can't view it in person, check out the Graceland Cam at elvis.com.
Graceland will be bathed in blue this weekend in honor of the Tigers No. 1 ranking. The lighting ceremony takes place tonight at 7, with Priscilla Presley, R.C. Johnson and Pouncer on hand to flip the switch on 150 blue spotlights.
If you can't view it in person, check out the Graceland Cam at elvis.com.
Got Signs?
I found a great Tiger message board thread on poster/sign ideas for tomorrow’s game.
There are lots of good suggestions for the obligatory ESPN signs. My favorite:
MEMPHIS:
Every
School's
Postseason
Nightmare
Some other good ones:
pEarl
Sweats
Profusely
toNite
WE
Stay
Perfect
ToNight
(This one has probably been used already.)
These are funny but just might not make it onto TV (defeating the purpose).
nilEs
Slaps
Punks in
oraNge
Expect a
Slap from
Pierre
Niles
Other, non-ESPN signs:
U of M: Finishing What the Patriots Started
(I like this reference to an undefeated season, but there’s some debate as to whether this sign might jinx us.)
We Smoke Volunteers, Not Marijuana
(Again, no chance of making it on TV, but funny nonetheless)
Vol. It’s what’s for Dinner.
KICK 'EM IN THE VOLS
We'll Beat the #2 out of you
I’d rather lose ‘em all
Than be a Vol
A couple of other funny sayings I’ve seen elsewhere:
Vols drop from No. 2 in the nation to No. 3 in the state
Tigers: No. 1 in the country
Vols: No. 2 on campus
There are lots of good suggestions for the obligatory ESPN signs. My favorite:
MEMPHIS:
Every
School's
Postseason
Nightmare
Some other good ones:
pEarl
Sweats
Profusely
toNite
WE
Stay
Perfect
ToNight
(This one has probably been used already.)
These are funny but just might not make it onto TV (defeating the purpose).
nilEs
Slaps
Punks in
oraNge
Expect a
Slap from
Pierre
Niles
Other, non-ESPN signs:
U of M: Finishing What the Patriots Started
(I like this reference to an undefeated season, but there’s some debate as to whether this sign might jinx us.)
We Smoke Volunteers, Not Marijuana
(Again, no chance of making it on TV, but funny nonetheless)
Vol. It’s what’s for Dinner.
KICK 'EM IN THE VOLS
We'll Beat the #2 out of you
I’d rather lose ‘em all
Than be a Vol
A couple of other funny sayings I’ve seen elsewhere:
Vols drop from No. 2 in the nation to No. 3 in the state
Tigers: No. 1 in the country
Vols: No. 2 on campus
Vols<Lady Vols
Got any great ideas of your own? Post them on the thread or email them to me at allthingsmemphis@yahoo.com and I’ll post them for you.
GO TIGERS GO!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The latest news on Tigers-Vols
More reading on the UT-Memphis game from around the net.
At Sporting News, Spencer Hall discusses how Cal and Pearl are two very different coaches who’ve achieved similar results.
ESPN.com correctly notes: “…Never has the national spotlight in men's basketball shown on two teams from the state of Tennessee like it will this weekend in Elvis' hometown.
At Sporting News, Spencer Hall discusses how Cal and Pearl are two very different coaches who’ve achieved similar results.
ESPN.com correctly notes: “…Never has the national spotlight in men's basketball shown on two teams from the state of Tennessee like it will this weekend in Elvis' hometown.
At NBCSports.com, Ray Glier says both Memphis and Tennessee are flawed and that other teams in the NCAA tournament field should worry about but not fear facing the Tigers or Vols in the tourney.
Grant Wahl of SportsIllustrated.com says this is by far the biggest game in all of college basketball this season.
In his Dear Gary Mailbag, CBS Sportsline’s Gary Parrish answers three questions about the Tigers and discusses some of the players’ legal woes. Warning: this one won’t make everyone happy.
This story’s a little older, but collegehoops.net named Chris Douglas-Roberts national player of the week for last week.
Grant Wahl of SportsIllustrated.com says this is by far the biggest game in all of college basketball this season.
In his Dear Gary Mailbag, CBS Sportsline’s Gary Parrish answers three questions about the Tigers and discusses some of the players’ legal woes. Warning: this one won’t make everyone happy.
This story’s a little older, but collegehoops.net named Chris Douglas-Roberts national player of the week for last week.
Trash talking can be fun
My husband and I—both U of M grads and devoted Tiger fans—have two cousins who are HUGE Vol fans. Aside from that one significant character flaw, they’re pretty decent guys.
We don’t get to talk to or see our Vol cousins as often as we might like, as neither lives in Memphis and we all have very busy lives. Our fantasy football league helps us all keep in touch during the NFL season, but the rest of the year we typically have to call or email our hopelessly orange cousins a dozen times before getting a response. We know how hectic things are for both of them, so we don’t take it personally.
But this week, hardly a day goes by that we don’t hear from one or the other of them.
One lives in Knoxville (I’ll call him cousin D) and has called three times in the last six days. Cousin D is bubbling over with excitement and can’t resist the chance to do a little good-natured trash talking to his Memphis cousins. We mostly just listen, resisting the urge to boast too much on our undefeated, No. 1 Tigers or to throw the fear of Joey Dorsey into him.
The other one (cousin J) has been working out of state for months and is nearly impossible to get in touch with. Numerous emails I’ve sent him have gone unanswered, even the ones inquiring where I should send his fantasy football winnings. However, I sent out an email a few days ago with the subject line “What do you love about Memphis,” and Cousin J replied immediately.
“I love being big bad and ORANGE and picking on Tiger High.”
Ahhh, it’s so good to hear from those guys. In fact, I wish the Tigers and Vols played more often so we’d REALLY keep in touch.
My husband and I understand their giddiness. No. 2 is the Vols’ highest ranking ever, so Cousins D and J should enjoy it while it lasts. We don’t mind humoring them for three more days.
As for me and my husband, our trash talking can wait until Sunday, but I have no doubt we’ll have to deliver it via voice mail. It might be months before Cousins D and J answer another phone call or email from us.
I sure will miss those guys.
We don’t get to talk to or see our Vol cousins as often as we might like, as neither lives in Memphis and we all have very busy lives. Our fantasy football league helps us all keep in touch during the NFL season, but the rest of the year we typically have to call or email our hopelessly orange cousins a dozen times before getting a response. We know how hectic things are for both of them, so we don’t take it personally.
But this week, hardly a day goes by that we don’t hear from one or the other of them.
One lives in Knoxville (I’ll call him cousin D) and has called three times in the last six days. Cousin D is bubbling over with excitement and can’t resist the chance to do a little good-natured trash talking to his Memphis cousins. We mostly just listen, resisting the urge to boast too much on our undefeated, No. 1 Tigers or to throw the fear of Joey Dorsey into him.
The other one (cousin J) has been working out of state for months and is nearly impossible to get in touch with. Numerous emails I’ve sent him have gone unanswered, even the ones inquiring where I should send his fantasy football winnings. However, I sent out an email a few days ago with the subject line “What do you love about Memphis,” and Cousin J replied immediately.
“I love being big bad and ORANGE and picking on Tiger High.”
Ahhh, it’s so good to hear from those guys. In fact, I wish the Tigers and Vols played more often so we’d REALLY keep in touch.
My husband and I understand their giddiness. No. 2 is the Vols’ highest ranking ever, so Cousins D and J should enjoy it while it lasts. We don’t mind humoring them for three more days.
As for me and my husband, our trash talking can wait until Sunday, but I have no doubt we’ll have to deliver it via voice mail. It might be months before Cousins D and J answer another phone call or email from us.
I sure will miss those guys.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
If you just can't get enough of the Vols-Tigers showdown...
...here are a few stories about Saturday's game. I’m sure there will be MANY more tomorrow after both teams win tonight, putting ALL the focus on this weekend's match-up.
Peyton Manning will be at the game, with tickets provided by John Calipari and the U of M athletic department. If Peyton wears orange, I’ll be forced to root for the Patriots every time they play the Colts from now on.
The Commercial Appeal invites readers to submit jokes about the opposing team/school. Some who commented found the jokes in bad taste, but I kind of liked them. What does that say about me?
USA Today weighs in on the hype and notes that this will be the fifth-ever game between intrastate teams ranked first and second. Cincinnati and Ohio State have played twice while occupying the first two spots, as have (no surprise here) Duke and North Carolina. So Tennessee is only the third state in history to accomplish this feat.
Pat Forde of ESPN pokes a little fun at UAB and calls the Tennessee vs. Memphis “the largest game of the season and the largest game in the history of a football-first state.”
Rivals.com and Gary Parrish of cbssportsline.com name John Calipari and Bruce Pearl candidates for national coach of the year.
AOL Sports lists Chris Douglas Roberts No. 3 in the college hoops starting five. The site notes the CDR-Chris Lofton match-up and invites you to cast a vote on who is playing better lately, CDR or Lofton.
Peyton Manning will be at the game, with tickets provided by John Calipari and the U of M athletic department. If Peyton wears orange, I’ll be forced to root for the Patriots every time they play the Colts from now on.
The Commercial Appeal invites readers to submit jokes about the opposing team/school. Some who commented found the jokes in bad taste, but I kind of liked them. What does that say about me?
USA Today weighs in on the hype and notes that this will be the fifth-ever game between intrastate teams ranked first and second. Cincinnati and Ohio State have played twice while occupying the first two spots, as have (no surprise here) Duke and North Carolina. So Tennessee is only the third state in history to accomplish this feat.
Pat Forde of ESPN pokes a little fun at UAB and calls the Tennessee vs. Memphis “the largest game of the season and the largest game in the history of a football-first state.”
Rivals.com and Gary Parrish of cbssportsline.com name John Calipari and Bruce Pearl candidates for national coach of the year.
AOL Sports lists Chris Douglas Roberts No. 3 in the college hoops starting five. The site notes the CDR-Chris Lofton match-up and invites you to cast a vote on who is playing better lately, CDR or Lofton.
Is there a game tonight?
The No. 1 Memphis Tigers and No. 2 Tennessee Vols each have conference games tonight, but fans of both schools are finding it difficult if not impossible to look ahead to Saturday’s showdown. I venture to guess that today might be the one time True Blue Tiger fans pull for Tennessee (against Auburn) and Big Orange backers root for the Tigers (at Tulane). The Big Game will lose a little of its luster if either team sit atop the polls as a lame duck come Saturday.
Message boards in Memphis and Knoxville are filling up with thoughts, predictions and sheer excitement for the big game. While there is plenty of trash talking on both sides--including a few fans from each school crashing the other’s message boards--for the most part the debate is civil and the giddiness is contagious. There’s also no shortage of state pride.
A sampling from the message board on Go Vols Xtra:
“Regardless of who wins, both teams are going to be high seeds in the tournament and everybody should just sit back and enjoy this one because it's going to be a classic.”
“I can’t wait to see the big orange go into memphis and show everyone that we are for real. memphis is for real and it is time to see who is the best in the volunteer state.”
“Pure shooters don't win pure players do and Memphis may have a couple of more but its close. SInce both play the same style of game it should be a barnburner…. I would like to see this game again in the finals for the championship!! Lets bring the title to the state!!”
Comments posted on The Commercial Appeal.
“Truly, it's not only a great time to be a Tiger fan, but it's a fabulous time to be a TENNESSEEAN! No matter what happens, let's all make it our goal to show the rest of the country that fans in this great state are rabid, passionate, well-informed and MANNERABLE.”
“The college basketball universe revolves around the state of TENNESSEE!!!”
“This is exciting and awesome for both schools and our great state! Two great coaches with two teams loaded with talent!”
Regardless of which team comes out on top this weekend (GO TIGERS GO!), the state of Tennessee is already the big winner.
Message boards in Memphis and Knoxville are filling up with thoughts, predictions and sheer excitement for the big game. While there is plenty of trash talking on both sides--including a few fans from each school crashing the other’s message boards--for the most part the debate is civil and the giddiness is contagious. There’s also no shortage of state pride.
A sampling from the message board on Go Vols Xtra:
“Regardless of who wins, both teams are going to be high seeds in the tournament and everybody should just sit back and enjoy this one because it's going to be a classic.”
“I can’t wait to see the big orange go into memphis and show everyone that we are for real. memphis is for real and it is time to see who is the best in the volunteer state.”
“Pure shooters don't win pure players do and Memphis may have a couple of more but its close. SInce both play the same style of game it should be a barnburner…. I would like to see this game again in the finals for the championship!! Lets bring the title to the state!!”
Comments posted on The Commercial Appeal.
“Truly, it's not only a great time to be a Tiger fan, but it's a fabulous time to be a TENNESSEEAN! No matter what happens, let's all make it our goal to show the rest of the country that fans in this great state are rabid, passionate, well-informed and MANNERABLE.”
“The college basketball universe revolves around the state of TENNESSEE!!!”
“This is exciting and awesome for both schools and our great state! Two great coaches with two teams loaded with talent!”
Regardless of which team comes out on top this weekend (GO TIGERS GO!), the state of Tennessee is already the big winner.
The Brawl in Birmingham
While Memphis fans are outraged and UAB fans are deafeningly quiet on the subject of the “melee” that followed Saturday night’s game, many others found the whole thing humorous. Great photos from The Commercial Appeal’s Mark Weber have shown up all over the internet, providing great blogger fodder.
Here’s the photo that shows a Memphis player with a hand on the face of a UAB fan. The player has been identified by many as Pierre Niles.
Rumors and Rants deemed a photo “one of the greatest action shots of a postgame fracas I've ever seen” and turned it into a “seek and find” game. Rumors and Rants found 60 “angry white guys” in the photo but only two attractive females. This is the funniest blog entry I’ve see in a while.
Charles Rich of AOL Sports Fan Nation says: “The photo also shows that UAB students think that Memphis is spelled ‘Mempis,’ and that flipping off the Tigers players is the best response to losing. Stay classy, Birmingham.” Be sure to read the comments below this blog entry.
At Super, Scintillating and Sarcastic, Memphis was a finalist for the This Week In Chaos Award “Most Narrow Avoidance of Mediocrity That Should Not Be Forgotten But Will Be”- The Tigers did not win the award but made the short list for escaping "Baghdad/UAB….” Browse around this site for a very humorous take on college basketball.
Kentucky Sports Radio advises UAB students “if you are going to make a sign taunting the other team, at least use spell check.”
The Sporting News made it the Photo of the Day with the heading “Memphis’ Pimp Hand is Strong.” Several people have pulled out the Dave Chapelle/Charlie Murphy/Rick James joke “What did the five fingers say to the face? SLAP!”
I can almost always count on Chris Vernon to find the humor in anything, so I was surprised at his serious take on the “fight.” Verno was there in person and says Pierre Niles was “looking for trouble.”
Of course, this whole incident is the butt of so many jokes only because things didn’t escalate further and because no one got hurt.
All’s well that ends well? Hopefully, unless the bad element that also exists among Memphis fans continues the battle when UAB travels to Memphis for the Tigers' season finale March 8.
Here’s the photo that shows a Memphis player with a hand on the face of a UAB fan. The player has been identified by many as Pierre Niles.
Rumors and Rants deemed a photo “one of the greatest action shots of a postgame fracas I've ever seen” and turned it into a “seek and find” game. Rumors and Rants found 60 “angry white guys” in the photo but only two attractive females. This is the funniest blog entry I’ve see in a while.
Charles Rich of AOL Sports Fan Nation says: “The photo also shows that UAB students think that Memphis is spelled ‘Mempis,’ and that flipping off the Tigers players is the best response to losing. Stay classy, Birmingham.” Be sure to read the comments below this blog entry.
At Super, Scintillating and Sarcastic, Memphis was a finalist for the This Week In Chaos Award “Most Narrow Avoidance of Mediocrity That Should Not Be Forgotten But Will Be”- The Tigers did not win the award but made the short list for escaping "Baghdad/UAB….” Browse around this site for a very humorous take on college basketball.
Kentucky Sports Radio advises UAB students “if you are going to make a sign taunting the other team, at least use spell check.”
The Sporting News made it the Photo of the Day with the heading “Memphis’ Pimp Hand is Strong.” Several people have pulled out the Dave Chapelle/Charlie Murphy/Rick James joke “What did the five fingers say to the face? SLAP!”
I can almost always count on Chris Vernon to find the humor in anything, so I was surprised at his serious take on the “fight.” Verno was there in person and says Pierre Niles was “looking for trouble.”
Of course, this whole incident is the butt of so many jokes only because things didn’t escalate further and because no one got hurt.
All’s well that ends well? Hopefully, unless the bad element that also exists among Memphis fans continues the battle when UAB travels to Memphis for the Tigers' season finale March 8.
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