In about 36 hours, maybe a little less, we'll know (well, I'll know and then I'll probably share it here in about a month 'cause that seems to be what I do, at the moment) if I am a World Champion!
"For what championship is Michael competing?" you may wonder. "Is he competing against other regional Funniest Jew winners?" "Is there a world's laziest man competition?" "Worst housekeeper in the world?"
No, no, and no to those last three. But if you know of any of those competitions, please let me know. I've been practicing for all of them.
I am a member of Born in the Que-S-A, a team competing in the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, an incredibly smoky and fun festival on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis. It started a couple of days ago and judging is tomorrow.
I don't really know how they judge and rank 200 or so different ribs, but hopefully they'll rank us first! I'll keep you posted. If we win, I assume the Memphis community will be throwing us a ticker-tape parade. Maybe we'll be invited to the White House. Who knows?!?
Now, please enjoy the story, told through facebook status updates, of my drive home from the first night of the contest. It is a little reminiscent of unexpected, undesired, unenjoyable late night car adventures of the past:
Michael Danziger Is stuck in traffic. You'd think that'd be some kind of metaphor at 11:30 at night, but it's not.Wed 11:33pm · Comment · LikeUnlike
Michael Danziger May very well spend the night on I-240.Wed 11:54pm · Comment · LikeUnlike
Michael Danziger Is glad he used the port-o-potty before leaving bbq fest. Interstate wait: one hour and counting.Yesterday at 12:13am · Comment · LikeUnlike
Michael Danziger Has gone 1/10 of a mile in the last 80 minutes...in a car.Yesterday at 12:38am · Comment · LikeUnlike
Michael Danziger Will get home early next Wednesday morning, at this rate, but they'll probably clear the road sooner.Yesterday at 12:45am · Comment · LikeUnlike
Michael Danziger Sees a police car ahead moving! Does this mean I might also move soon?Yesterday at 1:06am · Comment · LikeUnlike
Michael Danziger Is about to move! .3 miles in 2 hours!Yesterday at 1:12am · Comment · LikeUnlike
Michael Danziger Is home. 2 1/2 hours after leaving downtown. It would have been faster to go the other direction to Little Rock!Yesterday at 1:39am · Comment · LikeUnlike
Showing posts with label Memphis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memphis. Show all posts
Friday, May 15, 2009
Monday, April 07, 2008
Ghosttown, Tennessee, USA
My breathing has grown shallow. My pulse is racing. It's almost game time!
The streets of Memphis are growing quiet already, just under an hour and a half until tip-off of the NCAA National Basketball Championship game. I imagine it will be rather quiet around the city this evening. I hope it remains that way.
Campuses (campi?) and cities that have had teams reach this level in the past have done some rioting - some in victory and some in defeat - and, unfortunately, I can't necessarily put dumb behavior beyond the people of my beloved hometown (see posts from Sept. 9th and Oct. 4th of 2007. Also, see this entire blog, written by a citizen of the community in question).
In all seriousness, this is really special. People all over the city have something great to be excited about and talk to one another about. This team that so many of us have followed and cheered and grown to love has had the chance to win the hearts of so many others. They have shown their talent and they have reaped the benefit of their incredibly hard work. Boise State and Hawaii and George Mason and Davidson and every other school that's not in one of the major college conferences has to be rooting for the Tigers to get over the hump tonight. If Memphis can win a major national championship, why not any other school, regardless of tradition or history. Win or lose, the fact that Memphis is in this game should be a beacon of hope for "non-BCS" schools everywhere.
I'm off to soak in the whole experience. I want to watch and listen to as much pre-game commentary as I can. I want to see it all and enjoy it all because I know how rare this is. Hopefully, I won't have to wait another 32* years, but if I do, I'll have memories of this incredible day.
GO TIGERS!!!
* It has been 32.5 years, but since we're at the date of the championship for this year already, the time until our next visit there will have to be counted in full years. It would either be 32 or 33. Unless there are big changes in the scheduling of the sport, it won't be 32.5. Hopefully, it'll be 1! Got all that? Am I babbling? Can you tell I'm nervous?
The streets of Memphis are growing quiet already, just under an hour and a half until tip-off of the NCAA National Basketball Championship game. I imagine it will be rather quiet around the city this evening. I hope it remains that way.
Campuses (campi?) and cities that have had teams reach this level in the past have done some rioting - some in victory and some in defeat - and, unfortunately, I can't necessarily put dumb behavior beyond the people of my beloved hometown (see posts from Sept. 9th and Oct. 4th of 2007. Also, see this entire blog, written by a citizen of the community in question).
In all seriousness, this is really special. People all over the city have something great to be excited about and talk to one another about. This team that so many of us have followed and cheered and grown to love has had the chance to win the hearts of so many others. They have shown their talent and they have reaped the benefit of their incredibly hard work. Boise State and Hawaii and George Mason and Davidson and every other school that's not in one of the major college conferences has to be rooting for the Tigers to get over the hump tonight. If Memphis can win a major national championship, why not any other school, regardless of tradition or history. Win or lose, the fact that Memphis is in this game should be a beacon of hope for "non-BCS" schools everywhere.
I'm off to soak in the whole experience. I want to watch and listen to as much pre-game commentary as I can. I want to see it all and enjoy it all because I know how rare this is. Hopefully, I won't have to wait another 32* years, but if I do, I'll have memories of this incredible day.
GO TIGERS!!!
* It has been 32.5 years, but since we're at the date of the championship for this year already, the time until our next visit there will have to be counted in full years. It would either be 32 or 33. Unless there are big changes in the scheduling of the sport, it won't be 32.5. Hopefully, it'll be 1! Got all that? Am I babbling? Can you tell I'm nervous?
Saturday, April 05, 2008
New Frontier
For this first time in college basketball history, a team has won more than 37 games in a single season. Today, the Memphis Tigers have set a record, surpassing a couple of Duke teams and a UNLV team that had finished their seasons at 37. Today was 38. Monday, the Tigers will be playing to extend that record with a 39th that will make them champions.*
For the first time in my lifetime one of the two teams of which I am a fan for life is in the NCAA basketball championship game.** Memphis got to the Final Four in 1985 and lost in the semi-finals and Texas did the same in 2003 (I was at that one), but we are over that hump. Hopefully there is one more hurdle left in the legs of these high-flying Tigers.
As far as I can remember, this is the first time that one of the CBS commentators served as the arena announcer for the starting line-up. Good job, Jim Nantz, but what's the deal with that?
*None of those previous 37-game-winners won the national championship so this guarantees nothing for Memphis other than the milestone, itself. Of course, if Memphis had stopped at 37 like those teams did, that would have guaranteed a non-championship. At 38, there's a chance!
** Michigan is not one of my "fan for life" teams, but in 1989 - before I went to Texas or was a Longhorn fan - they won a surprising national championship with both of my older brothers enrolled, so they were certainly one of two family squads. In short, this isn't completely new to me so hopefully I won't be overwhelmed by the pressure and excitement of the first Monday in April.
For the first time in my lifetime one of the two teams of which I am a fan for life is in the NCAA basketball championship game.** Memphis got to the Final Four in 1985 and lost in the semi-finals and Texas did the same in 2003 (I was at that one), but we are over that hump. Hopefully there is one more hurdle left in the legs of these high-flying Tigers.
As far as I can remember, this is the first time that one of the CBS commentators served as the arena announcer for the starting line-up. Good job, Jim Nantz, but what's the deal with that?
*None of those previous 37-game-winners won the national championship so this guarantees nothing for Memphis other than the milestone, itself. Of course, if Memphis had stopped at 37 like those teams did, that would have guaranteed a non-championship. At 38, there's a chance!
** Michigan is not one of my "fan for life" teams, but in 1989 - before I went to Texas or was a Longhorn fan - they won a surprising national championship with both of my older brothers enrolled, so they were certainly one of two family squads. In short, this isn't completely new to me so hopefully I won't be overwhelmed by the pressure and excitement of the first Monday in April.
Golden Ticket 5: Grandpa Joe or Grandma Josephine
30 minutes until tip-off. The Final Four.
I will write this post because I promised it before the Elite 8, though I'm rather certain that anyone who cares has known for days which of my teams will going to the Final Four (thus, using the "Golden Ticket" that I "found" when Memphis and Texas both made it to the Elite 8, assuring me a beloved squad in the Final Four). Texas will have to stay in bed with Grandpa George and Grandma Georgina for at least another year. There endeth the metaphor.
Memphis plays UCLA today - in a rematch of the 1973 NCAA Championship game - for the right to advance to this year's final game. It should be a great game and a great Final Four. I'm wearing blue, I'm cranking up the band*, and I'm already sweaty. This is going to be hard work!
Outside of the Men's Final Four, there is much to report from the past week. The Lady Rabs lost a heartbreaking defensive battle by a score of 9-8 this week. We're inching ever closer to victory. Stay tuned. Also from the world of women's basketball, I'm pretty sure I have a big crush** on Candace Parker, star of the Tennessee Lady Vols. Not only is she beautiful, talented, and seemingly intelligent and team-oriented, she is tough! During the Lady Vols' regional final game, she dislocated her left shoulder - TWICE - and returned to the game, helping her team reach the Final Four. Again. I don't follow women's basketball that closely, and I wouldn't necessarily normally feel any need to root for "goliath," which Tennessee clearly represents in the women's game, but you have to be a fan of extraordinary performers that make goliath goliath. Go Vols!
Non-basketball-wise, yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. here in Memphis***. I have some comments on that that I will focus on sometime after the upcoming game. Check back as the Ride and the dream continue soon! GO TIGERS!!!
* The Mighty Sound of the South, the University of Memphis Band
** The "crush" and the "beautiful" aren't really basketball-related, I realize. I guess that's one of the differences between watching men's and women's basketball!
*** It was the anniversary everywhere. The death happened in Memphis. Just wanted to be clear.
I will write this post because I promised it before the Elite 8, though I'm rather certain that anyone who cares has known for days which of my teams will going to the Final Four (thus, using the "Golden Ticket" that I "found" when Memphis and Texas both made it to the Elite 8, assuring me a beloved squad in the Final Four). Texas will have to stay in bed with Grandpa George and Grandma Georgina for at least another year. There endeth the metaphor.
Memphis plays UCLA today - in a rematch of the 1973 NCAA Championship game - for the right to advance to this year's final game. It should be a great game and a great Final Four. I'm wearing blue, I'm cranking up the band*, and I'm already sweaty. This is going to be hard work!
Outside of the Men's Final Four, there is much to report from the past week. The Lady Rabs lost a heartbreaking defensive battle by a score of 9-8 this week. We're inching ever closer to victory. Stay tuned. Also from the world of women's basketball, I'm pretty sure I have a big crush** on Candace Parker, star of the Tennessee Lady Vols. Not only is she beautiful, talented, and seemingly intelligent and team-oriented, she is tough! During the Lady Vols' regional final game, she dislocated her left shoulder - TWICE - and returned to the game, helping her team reach the Final Four. Again. I don't follow women's basketball that closely, and I wouldn't necessarily normally feel any need to root for "goliath," which Tennessee clearly represents in the women's game, but you have to be a fan of extraordinary performers that make goliath goliath. Go Vols!
Non-basketball-wise, yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. here in Memphis***. I have some comments on that that I will focus on sometime after the upcoming game. Check back as the Ride and the dream continue soon! GO TIGERS!!!
* The Mighty Sound of the South, the University of Memphis Band
** The "crush" and the "beautiful" aren't really basketball-related, I realize. I guess that's one of the differences between watching men's and women's basketball!
*** It was the anniversary everywhere. The death happened in Memphis. Just wanted to be clear.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Golden Ticket 4: What's A Ziggy To Do?
Saturday night. The eve of the Elite 8 showdown between my two favorite teams: The Longhorns of The University of Texas, my much beloved alma mater, and the Tigers of the University of Memphis, the team I have cheered for since I was a small child. The game begins in about thriteen and a half hours and I have yet to figure out a way to arrange it so that both teams can win. It appears that one will go to the Final Four and one will go home. Will I watch? Will I wear either team's color? Who will I cheer for?
What's a Ziggy to do?
I have considered thoroughly and been asked by many who I want to win this game. Will I root for the Longhorns - the team representing The University I love and of which I am a proud graduate (and to which my parents paid a fair amount of tuition)... the team that has a chance to get to its 2nd Final Four this decade and cement its place amongst the perennial powers of college basketball... the team that wears the color I figuratively bleed and literally eat on game days? Or will I root for the Tigers - the team I grew up idolizing and imitating on the family driveway/basketball court... the team that is and has long been the sports focal point of the city where I grew up and currently live... the team that has been overlooked by the major conferences, but who has nonetheless reached the Elite 8 for the third straight year and has the chance to get to the next level?
Here's the answer: I will be rooting for the Memphis Tigers (but will be hoping for both teams to play well and will be happy for whichever team wins and sad for the loser).
Here's the reasoning: Tiger basketball runs deep within me. I love playing, watching, and coaching basketball and that was all fed by my experience as a Tiger fan, during and since my childhood. I went to The University of Texas a huge college basketball fan and Texas basketball, at the time, did not consume me like it did in Memphis. Partly because basketball at Texas wasn't all that great, and partly because so many other things were. Basketball is THE chance Memphis has to achieve greatness in sports. Texas wins everything! UT has won a football national championship and a College World Series in the last few years, and was in the Final Four in 2003. As a matter of fact, the Texas Swimming and Diving team is in the middle of competing for its 10th National championship this weekend. In short, Texas will have other chances. Finally, and most selfishly, a Tiger trip to the Final Four would be a huge uplift for the City of Memphis and it would be fun to live amidst the excitement in the coming week.
Here's the prediction: I have no idea what will happen. Either team could win. I will be very excited.
I'm sorry that one will have to eliminate the other, but I'm thrilled that one of these teams will advance. Good luck to both and to ZiggyBackRiders (and their favorite teams) everywhere. Check back soon for "Golden Ticket 5: Grandpa Joe or Grandma Josephine?"
What's a Ziggy to do?
I have considered thoroughly and been asked by many who I want to win this game. Will I root for the Longhorns - the team representing The University I love and of which I am a proud graduate (and to which my parents paid a fair amount of tuition)... the team that has a chance to get to its 2nd Final Four this decade and cement its place amongst the perennial powers of college basketball... the team that wears the color I figuratively bleed and literally eat on game days? Or will I root for the Tigers - the team I grew up idolizing and imitating on the family driveway/basketball court... the team that is and has long been the sports focal point of the city where I grew up and currently live... the team that has been overlooked by the major conferences, but who has nonetheless reached the Elite 8 for the third straight year and has the chance to get to the next level?
Here's the answer: I will be rooting for the Memphis Tigers (but will be hoping for both teams to play well and will be happy for whichever team wins and sad for the loser).
Here's the reasoning: Tiger basketball runs deep within me. I love playing, watching, and coaching basketball and that was all fed by my experience as a Tiger fan, during and since my childhood. I went to The University of Texas a huge college basketball fan and Texas basketball, at the time, did not consume me like it did in Memphis. Partly because basketball at Texas wasn't all that great, and partly because so many other things were. Basketball is THE chance Memphis has to achieve greatness in sports. Texas wins everything! UT has won a football national championship and a College World Series in the last few years, and was in the Final Four in 2003. As a matter of fact, the Texas Swimming and Diving team is in the middle of competing for its 10th National championship this weekend. In short, Texas will have other chances. Finally, and most selfishly, a Tiger trip to the Final Four would be a huge uplift for the City of Memphis and it would be fun to live amidst the excitement in the coming week.
Here's the prediction: I have no idea what will happen. Either team could win. I will be very excited.
I'm sorry that one will have to eliminate the other, but I'm thrilled that one of these teams will advance. Good luck to both and to ZiggyBackRiders (and their favorite teams) everywhere. Check back soon for "Golden Ticket 5: Grandpa Joe or Grandma Josephine?"
Friday, March 28, 2008
Golden Ticket 3: On Down To San Antone*
They've done it. It's done.
Texas and Memphis will meet Sunday at 1:20 p.m. Central time (Eastern is for suckers) for a spot in the Final Four in San Antonio.
Memphis let it get a little more exciting than I would have liked in the 2nd half, though the lead never got below 14 or 15. It would have been nice to keep it close to 30 and be able to rest more players, though, as Memphis will enjoy the shortest rest of all the remaining teams between Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games - 7 or 8 hours shorter than one of last night's teams. That's a full night's sleep!
Check back tomorrow for Golden Ticket 4: What's a Ziggy To Do? in which the staff here will discuss plans for game watching, predictions, what we'll eat and wear and, ultimately, who ZiggyBackRide will be rooting for.
* Lyric from Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues"
Texas and Memphis will meet Sunday at 1:20 p.m. Central time (Eastern is for suckers) for a spot in the Final Four in San Antonio.
Memphis let it get a little more exciting than I would have liked in the 2nd half, though the lead never got below 14 or 15. It would have been nice to keep it close to 30 and be able to rest more players, though, as Memphis will enjoy the shortest rest of all the remaining teams between Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games - 7 or 8 hours shorter than one of last night's teams. That's a full night's sleep!
Check back tomorrow for Golden Ticket 4: What's a Ziggy To Do? in which the staff here will discuss plans for game watching, predictions, what we'll eat and wear and, ultimately, who ZiggyBackRide will be rooting for.
* Lyric from Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues"
Golden Ticket 2: For What It's Worth
It's halftime of the Memphis/Michigan State game and Memphis leads 50-20.
50-20!
I do not, in any way, believe that this game is over. If anything, all the pressure is now off Michigan St. and they can come out after the half, play loose and hope to do something amazing (and if they should do it, amazing would be a severe understatement).
Whatever happens, this was one of the most fun and exciting* halves of basketball I have ever witnessed. Go Tigers!
* Only if you like Memphis, I presume. It probably did not have casual viewers on the edges of their seats.
50-20!
I do not, in any way, believe that this game is over. If anything, all the pressure is now off Michigan St. and they can come out after the half, play loose and hope to do something amazing (and if they should do it, amazing would be a severe understatement).
Whatever happens, this was one of the most fun and exciting* halves of basketball I have ever witnessed. Go Tigers!
* Only if you like Memphis, I presume. It probably did not have casual viewers on the edges of their seats.
Golden Ticket 1: Texas Does Its Part
Today's the day that I can get a team in the Final Four. I wrote after the NCAA Tournament bracket was originally released about the horror of having both my championship-contender teams (Memphis and Texas) in the same region, meaning only one could advance to the Final Four. Since that time, I have computed and recomputed every possible eventuality and considered every possible scenario to find the one that best suited me and my teams.
In the end, the obvious choice of both teams winning as many games as possible and facing each other became the clearly desirable situation. That way, I would be assured of one of my teams making it to the tournament's final weekend with a chance to be a champion. That is the upside of both teams being assigned to the same region.
Texas has done its part. The Longhorns just finished off a twenty-point win over Stanford to advance to the Elite 8. Well done, 'Horns! Can Memphis uphold its end of the bargain and secure its third consecutive trip to the next round and, more importantly*, satisfy - a round early - my desire to see one of my teams back in the Final Four? We shall soon see. I'm off to change out of my burnt orange shirt into the royal blue of Memphis, and say goodbye for now to the Longhorn Band in iTunes and click over to the Mighty Sound of the South, the Memphis band, for some Tiger tunes.
* To me.
In the end, the obvious choice of both teams winning as many games as possible and facing each other became the clearly desirable situation. That way, I would be assured of one of my teams making it to the tournament's final weekend with a chance to be a champion. That is the upside of both teams being assigned to the same region.
Texas has done its part. The Longhorns just finished off a twenty-point win over Stanford to advance to the Elite 8. Well done, 'Horns! Can Memphis uphold its end of the bargain and secure its third consecutive trip to the next round and, more importantly*, satisfy - a round early - my desire to see one of my teams back in the Final Four? We shall soon see. I'm off to change out of my burnt orange shirt into the royal blue of Memphis, and say goodbye for now to the Longhorn Band in iTunes and click over to the Mighty Sound of the South, the Memphis band, for some Tiger tunes.
* To me.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Celebrate Good Times, Come On!
Memphis Mayor W.W. Herenton has announced that he is stepping down from the post as of July 31st of this year. Congratulations to Memphis!!! (see post from Oct. 4, 2007) Clearly, Mayor Herenton read that post and took it to heart. Well done, ZiggyBackRiders!
Soundtrack playing in my iTunes as I report this to you: "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang, followed by "Good Times" by Chic.
We'll see what happens, but I suspect the result will be improvement in some form or another.
Soundtrack playing in my iTunes as I report this to you: "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang, followed by "Good Times" by Chic.
We'll see what happens, but I suspect the result will be improvement in some form or another.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
