Unless they uproot the whole damn thing and move it to Eads, it's just lipstick on a pig. But the most substantive thing they're discussing is putting a "halo" on it for updated luxury options and an updated press box. That place is in dire need of significant upgrades and modernizations underneath the stands, and it would benefit greatly from chairbacks. I've always liked watching games in that stadium - the sightlines are great. But it's in a bad location and stuck in a time warp.
How Memphis football stadium renovation money 'raised some eyebrows' for conference realignment
University of Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch admitted there were a few high-fives flying around outside his office last month.www.commercialappeal.com
If you were coming from the south, I would agree, but the neighborhoods north, west, and east are not bad. Cooper-Young is one of the more popular areas in Midtown.
We used to park on the street in the Cooper-Young neighborhood all the time with no problems aside from a long-ish walk. Cops were always stationed on East Parkway to help you get across.
The only major upgrades I am aware of were the tailgating area and fountain plaza built about 10 years ago. That work also required the relocation of one of the historic Fairgrounds gates. For the stadium itself I think they did some seismic assessments and reinforcements, along with some ADA compliance upgrades shortly after that. Non-cosmetic stuff that was otherwise required to be done.
Your key phrase if "used to". I used to be a proponent of Memphis isn't as bad as everyone says it is and for the most part I was right. In the past 3 or 4 months the petty crime (primarily car break ins and thefts) has gotten bad enough that I limit my my time spent inside the 240 loop and don't even think about going to the wolfchase area or downtown. It's seems like ever since the Tyre Nichols debacle crime is getting out of hand and spreading over into Germantown and Collerville at a rapid pace.
I hear ya, man. I spent 18 years growing up in Memphis, and then my wife and I spent another 7 years in Olive Branch after moving around a bit. My wife's a UofM grad, we love the Grizz, and the city will always have a place in my heart, but there's only so much you can say or do to defend it. Full disclosure, one of the main reasons we left about 6 years ago was because our two kids were just getting to be school age, and there wasn't a chance that we were going to put our kids in that school system. One of these days, I hope that my wife and I can get a small condo downtown so that we can enjoy an occasional weekend or basketball game there, but right now, it just it is what it is
Just did that last season. No problems. I don't go to the games, but I have friends I tailgate with on Tiger Lane. As usual for a big city, you have to pay attention and be aware of your surroundings. I don't disagree that things have taken a turn for the worse, but it ain't as bad as some make it out to be.
"Used to" because I moved to Jacksonville, FL due to losing my job in Memphis because of Covid. We lived inside I-240 for 13 years before that and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I saw a crime scene in Memphis yesterday. About 8 cop cars, crime scene tape and a white sheet over the passenger. Pretty normal day in Memphis.
Memphis in the 70 and 80’s was a happening vibrant city. They could have got in then but now.
Talked to a Memphis big booster. Said they aren't concerned with conference realignment any more. Said now that playoff expansion goes to 12 teams that the AAC Champion will have an automatic bid in the playoffs. I didn't know that, but he said for sure that they did. Thus, they don't need to look for a conference to get into. Just stay right where they are. The Tigers usually finish near the top of their conference in a lot of years, and now have a better chance to make the playoffs than say Ole Miss or Miss. State does in the SEC.
Yeah.. tell him he doesn't know what he's talking about.
I could see maybe one G5 team getting an auto-bid, similar to the BCS/Big 6. But it won't be based on conference.
AAC getting an auto bid? Somebody alert the big 5 conferences.
I think he means the auto-bids that the 6th highest ranked conference champions get. You would assume the SEC, Big Ten, Pac, ACC, and Big 12 eat up 5 of those, then it's going to be probably be the top G5 team.
