u/3798365

2019 was my favorite year in the time I've lived her. I know he's not everyone's favorite, but Strickland use the term "Memphis Momentum" because that's what was happening. We were starting to see traction in media (NBC show, Memphis in May featured in a Facebook commercial) and sports were doing well (FedEx St. Jude, Gameday, etc). I think someone from the Smith talked about the energy of downtown.

Then the pandemic happened. Crime got out of hand. We had that terrible week in 2022. Bill Anderson was releasing tons of people on ROR and people were talking about leaving. Sugarmon went silent. Mulroy admitted him having to rethink some of his policies.

Then crime started to fall, but the positivity has lagged considerable. I remember a longtime Memphian friend said that downtown was considered a "war zone" decades ago, so Memphis definitely has come back from a worse perception.

In 2019, everyone acknowledge the challenges, but people still embraced the city. Now that crime is at its lowest in decades, what do you think would help people starting to believe again?

All smoke seems to suggest that the Grizzlies are staying. Daily Memphian beat writers suggested that a move is unlikely. The Chamber of Commerce said they got assurance that the team is staying. The Smith family says they got assurances that Perra is going to stay. The NBA commissioner said that Perra "has no interest in moving"

But the longer it goes on, it just creates this fog over the city. Instead of saying "We are committed to Memphis", it just invites speculation, especially when relocation is an ongoing discussion for other teams. It invites people to ask Lebron, the governor, ESPN talking heads, other players about Memphis.

Given that all signs point to them staying, it just fuels this narrative about leaving, and we have to hear all the talking points over and over about how Memphis is losing population and maybe people are better off in Eastern TN. Rather than help turn the tide, every month there is a new opinion that just fuels the broader narrative across the country.

A lot of discussion is focused on basketball and the P2, P4, and G6 tiers.

What's interesting about college basketball is that many consider the Big East a P5. It seems like their perspective is often missed because so much is focused on football.

Some changes.

1. The cap jumps from 21 million to 45-48.8 million because of a new "retention pool" fund.

2. (To be determined by House) Cap on conferences at 19, which would likely limit a lot of realignment

3. Undergraduate allowed one free transfer without having to sit out a year,

4. Limit use of NIL to actual sponsorship opportunities.

5. NCAA has more teeth to enforce eligibility

6. Avoid a superleague breakaway

7. "Lane Kiffin" rule where a coach cannot leave prior to the season being over