Portfolio

Clips from my time at Action News 5

During the 2013 NBA Playoffs, I got a chance to try my hand at sportswriting while working the night desk at Action News 5.

Grizzlies have a chance to make history

The Memphis Grizzlies just keep making history.

First came the franchise-high 56 regular-season wins.

Then, the team rallied from an 0-2 hole against the Clippers to win four straight games — in resounding fashion — to advance to its second Western Conference semifinal.

Then three of the team’s five starters were named to the NBA’s All-Defensive teams.

Now, in a matter of hours, the Grizzlies have a chance to unseat the top-seeded Thunder for their first trip to the conference finals.

Grizzlies hope to grind out a victory against Clippers
Randolph leads Grizzlies to 94-82 win over Clippers
Grizzlies to face Spurs in conference finals

Renaming three Memphis parks: my recommendations

Originally posted March 28, 2013 at jen-sized.net

The City of Memphis’ Parks Naming Committee is hosting a public forum to discuss potential names for three Memphis parks. Nathan Bedford Forrest Park, Confederate Park, and Jefferson Davis Park were given new, temporary  names in February because of their negative associations with slavery and the Civil War.

The forum, set for Monday April 1, will begin at 4:30 in City Council chambers. Citizens wishing to present a recommendation are asked to see the security guard at the front of the chamber for a card granting time on the floor. Presentations will be brief, and the committee asks that citizens present their suggestions without going “deep into conversation about individual, personal interpretations of history,” according to a release.

Additionally, a form has been set up online to submit name suggestions.

I plan to attend the meeting, first because I love a good ole’ City Council brawl, but also because I’ve come up with three great names that I feel embody the spirit of the city.

1. PARC GASOL 

Marc Gasol is a member of an elite group of Grizzlies who also went to high school in Memphis. He is a two-time Olympic silver medalist and an NBA All-Star. He’s one of the best centers in the NBA. He led the Grizzlies to their first playoff series victory. Not only is Marc the best Gasol, he’s a great Memphian. He deserves his own park.

2. JOSH PASTURE

Continuing the “Hoop City” theme, Josh Pastner is another good citizen whose recent commitment to Memphis deserves recognition. After going undefeated in Conference USA, taking the Memphis Tigers to the NCAA tournament for the third straight year and finally winning a game, Pastner had ample opportunities in front of him. He chose to remain here in Memphis. I’m sure money played no small part. But here in Memphis, we reward loyalty.

3. BBQ PULLED PARK SHOULDER 

I’m not gonna lie, this one’s my favorite. Everyone knows about Memphis’ love affair with smoked meats, and our pride in being not only the best (shut up Kansas City) BBQ town in the world, but the host of one of the biggest BBQ competitions. Naming one of the parks BBQ PULLED PARK SHOULDER simultaneously glorifies our fatness and our commitment to recreation!

Other names for consideration:

“Park Can Be Fun,” “Grit ‘n’ Ground,” “The Parkade,” “FedEx Park”

Memphis: so hipster even our water is underground

Originally posted March 13, 2013 at jen-sized.net

I got an email yesterday about Movoto.com’s ranking of the least and most hipster cities in the country. Usually, I roll my eyes and think “Oh great, another one of these.” But this morning during yoga class, when I was supposed to be getting deep within myself, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Sure, Memphis may never be tops at putting birds on things or labeling things “artisan” but we’ve got a few things going for us.

1. Mayor A C Wharton Jr.

Mayor Wharton is the middle-aged guy at the rock show. You know the guy: he’s in the back, wearing a leather jacket that was vintage when he bought it 20 years ago, not talking to anyone. You feel a sense of self-satisfaction knowing that if the band is cool enough for him, you’re cool just because you’re in the same room. He may not be young like other “hipster mayors,” but he’s tuned in to the generation that’s taking ownership of the city. And his name is just two letters with a space between them!

2. Goner

Movoto’s ranking includes number of vinyl stores per capita. Well, Memphis may not have the most (especially when you leave out some of the hush-hush spots where the real audiophiles shop), we have the best. You’ll find Shangri-La on most of the “Best Record Stores in the U.S.” listicles that pop up around Record Store Day. And it’s true. But Goner is more than a record store. It’s more than Ex-Cult and Harlan T. Bobo and Ty Segall and Quintron and The Barbaras. It’s even more than Gonerfest. Just… search Google Images for “goner tattoo”. Get it now?

3. Our Memphis Grizzlies

The NBA team that’s currently third place in the West? You probably haven’t heard of them. While fans and media were busy diagramming Dwight Howard’s sentences and drawing fluid from Carmelo Anthony’s knee Memphis’ grittin’ grindin’ Grizzlies quietly stacked up 13 wins in 14 games. The Grizz are so underrated we don’t even have a bandwagon. The team’s got so many owners you’d think it was funded by Kickstarter. When the Grizzlies do get recognized, it’s for theiramazing taste in music.

4. Artisan? More like artesian.

We get designer water straight from the tap. That’s 100% savings on packaging costs, so it’s totally eco-friendly.  It makes everything taste better, from our homebrews to our pizza crust. Sup foodies?