Grizzlies Roundtable Discussion

On Friday October 24th two of the writers at 3 Shades of Blue met with local media personalities Chris Herrington (the Memphis Flyer and writer of Beyond the Arc), Eli Savoie (radio personality at WHBQ Sports Talk radio), Chris Vernon (730am Fox Sports radio personality) and Geoff Calkins (Memphis Commercial Appeal Sports Columnist). The discussion covered current topics about the Grizzlies, expectations for this season and the future. It was a fascinating hour long conversation and I hope everyone enjoys listening to it.


Memphis Grizzlies Media Roundtable

As this is 3 Shades of Blue's first attempt at Podcasting is has not been without some difficulty to get this to work. Usually we just transpose the conversations into print but the length of this makes that impractical at this time. I apologize to our foreign readers for any difficulty you have in understanding what was said.

Be Careful What You Wish For

By MemphisX

It seems that New York Knicks President Donnie Walsh has thrown some cold water on the hot trade rumor sending Zach Randolph to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the Serbian duo Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric. There have been some strong opinions on this deal within the Grizzlies fanbase and on the Internet in general. The general consensus has been that Zach Randolph is an unstoppable force of basketball horribleness, doomed to infect any team he goes to with some sort of plague. So many among the Grizzlies were happy to read that Walsh considered this deal "dormant". They have been wishing for this deal to hit a snag every since Ron Tillery first mentioned it a month ago. Be careful what you wish for...

I know that acquiring Randolph is not the last or only possible deal out there. That does not change the fact that camp opens in about three weeks. One of the biggest things for a young team is continuity. So making a big trade during camp or midseason that disrupts roles puts a lot of added pressure on a coaching staff that is already on the hot seat. You definitely should not bring in someone like Randolph during the season until roles are clearly established among our core players. So that means that more or less, the Grizz roster now will likely be what we will see on opening night. Be careful what you wish for...

Yes, the Grizzlies should have enough playing time available for all of our young players to develop. However, that is part of our problem. Conley and Lowry both think they should be starting and both of them can make a case for it. Mayo and J Critt at shooting guard but both of them really want to play point guard. Warrick and Arthur at power forward but neither of them like the post or rebounding. Darko, Gasol, and Hadadi at center and all three are either limited, inexperienced, or both. So other than Rudy Gay, there isn't another proven NBA talent on the entire roster. Be careful what you wish for...

So I was up for the trade. I wanted the Grizzlies to acquire a veteran capable of taking some of the scoring pressure off of Gay and Mayo. As is this team is going to be real easy to defend. Most of our scoring will be coming from the perimeter via our guards and Gay. None of the Grizzlies truly require a double team and our point guards and bigs are not experienced enough to utilize the pick and roll. So if you think defense is going to be our biggest problem, I simply can't agree. You can manufacture a decent team defense by scheme or effort but scoring in the NBA takes talent and mismatch advantages. The Grizzlies have very little of either. Be careful what you wish for...

Yes, acquiring Randolph was a risk. However, with a team devoid of low post scoring and really with only one other proven scorer on the entire roster, I think it was a risk worth taking. Randolph has his negatives. He is not a great or willing passer, he is a below average defender, he loves the strip club scene, and he has an entourage that is somewhat menacing. However, his two assets (interior scoring and rebounding) are the two things the Grizzlies need most. So it would seem that he would have to help the Grizzlies right?

...be careful what you wish for...

Local Radio News

We're hearing some interesting things from our sources about what to expect on the local radio scene over the next 6-8 months.

First, we are being told that even though they left 730 ESPN this week, that the Geoff & Gary Show will likely end up staying in the local confines of Memphis. No word on whether or not they are favoring Sports 56 or FoxSports 680, but I'm sure that both stations will be making a pitch for their services as their 6-month no-compete clause comes near an end in December. I, for one, am definitely looking forward to hearing them back on the radio again.

Next, it sounds like G&G leaving will have no effect on Chris Vernon remaining with the station, which is good, because nobody wants to cede all of the local coverage to one station, and Verno is one of the most entertaining sports talk hosts in the entire country, in my humble opinion.

However, we have received word that there are some rumblings about 680 AM purchasing the rights to the ESPN affiliation away from 730 in the future, which could lead to a swap over to FOX Sports or a change in format for 730 altogether. If that were to occur, Verno could obviously land back on a Memphis station (best case for us sports fans) or could go to another affiliate in the region under the Simmons Media Group, LLC umbrella. That would be unfortunate for Grizzlies fans, given that Chris has several regular guests with a lot of insight into the NBA landscape and the Grizzlies organization specifically on his program.

For the record, I'm in favor of us having 3 sports stations in Memphis, because competition leads to higher quality programming for all of us sports fans.

We don't have any truly concrete information on this, but you all know that we don't really deal in rumor spreading, so take it as solid information with a grain of salt. We'll all have to wait and see how it shakes out over the next few months.

Links: Quick Thoughts Edition

Chris Herrington (Beyond the Arc) did a lot of hard work to round up the biggest and best rumors revolving around the Grizzlies as the draft approaches. As always, it is a must read -- especially since it talks about the possible return of Whit E. Boy.

Via TrueHoop: Brian Windhorst, the great columnist for the Akron Beacon-Journal, is in the hospital right now, so I'm asking all of you to send your thoughts and prayers his way.

Mediaverse has some information on the recent decision by Gary Parrish and Geoff Calkins to leave 730 ESPN.

Hardwood Paroxysm continues to drop knowledge and insight.

Mike Miller didn't make the Team USA roster that is headed to China in a couple of months, but that's okay. Upside and Motor have you covered on everything you need to know about the guys who did make the cut.

Seven Dirty Grizzly Words from The Nation of Grizzlam

Grizzlies Insider Returns with Behind-the-Scenes Look at 2008 Draft

To Beasley or Not To Beasley -- That is the Question

While reading Geoff Calkins' column in the Commercial Appeal this morning, something kept rattling around in my head. No, it wasn't the loose screw that many people have warned me about. It was an idea -- nay, a vision. A vision of what the future could be. It is a future that includes lots of winning seasons, followed by playoff success and even some title aspirations down the road.

Calkins' piece focuses on the acquisition of Kansas State's Michael Beasley, who was an absolute monster in college and projects to be a tremendous player at the next level as a tweener forward with good rebounding ability and above average range on the offensive end. Calkins thinks that there is one thing the Grizzlies need and one thing only.

But here's the thing: The Grizzlies need more than a perfectly good, defensible pick at No. 5. They need a star, a perennial All-Star and, gee, Chris Wallace, are any of those available in this draft?

So, the Grizzlies need not just a star, but a perennial All-Star to boot, out of this draft, do they? A guy that is a winner, a leader, a marketable star that will bring fans to the FedEx Forum and bring attention from around the league, and get loads of pundits on ESPN to talk about him and show Sportscenter highlights of him. That is what is needed, right? They need the next LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Kobe Bryant.

Calkins does a very good job of illustrating all the reasons why the Memphis Grizzlies should not "settle" for the "0% chance he's a bust" Kevin Love at the #5 spot in the draft and should instead focus on doing whatever is necessary to trade up to the Miami Heat's #2 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft in order to grab Michael Beasley. In fact, there is but one hitch in his proposal. That hitch is that the Heat are reportedly after O.J. Mayo and would like to trade down to acquire him, rather than watch Pat Riley's head explode dealing with Beasley's questionable maturity. So, if O.J. Mayo is still there at #5, then the Grizzlies could trade him, along with Mike Miller and Kyle Lowry to Miami for the #2 pick (Beasley) and the services of Mark Blount and Marcus Banks to make the salaries match up.

Is that a smart deal though? I mean, both Miller and Lowry are fan favorites, as well as solid contributors at the NBA level. O.J. Mayo has been projected to be an amazing player in his own right at the next level. So that's Mayo/Miller/Lowry for Beasley/Blount/Banks for those of you keeping score at home. That's 3 solid contributors for 1 potential All-Star, 1 bad contract and 1 point guard who logs a lot of playing time for losers, but not for winning clubs. Why not just keep Mayo, if that is the case? Hasn't he been "The Next Big Thing" since he was in the 7th grade? Was the move from PG to SG that detrimental to his overall ability?


Some of you may remember that I was pretty hard on Mayo in a previous post. After talking to a few people who know far more about scouting talent than myself, I have softened my stance on him somewhat. They feel that Mayo, not Beasley, is more likely to be a perennial All-Star in the NBA. There are numerous things that Beasley was able to do in college that he won't be able to duplicate at the next level unless he is the second coming of Charles Barkley. Supposedly, that won't be the case for Mayo, who (like Kevin Love) already had a game predicated on playing at the highest level in the world. If the Grizzlies are so fortunate as to have him fall in their laps at #5, then why wouldn't they just take him and use Miller/Lowry in a trade for yet another quality player? Wouldn't that make more sense? Just checking.

For me, this basically boils down to whether or not Michael Beasley > O.J. Mayo. If Beasley truly is the next Kobe Bryant level talent, then I am 100% behind moving up to take him. Why is Miami so eager to get rid of him then? Shouldn't the real question be, why doesn't Miami just take Mayo at #2? Because they want to gain more assets by getting someone to trade up for somebody that they aren't going to draft anyways. You don't think that Pat Riley got all those shiny baubles on his fingers by showing his entire hand this early in the game, do you? If they want O.J., then they can bloody well draft him at #2. If they want Beasley, then there he is. I can't understand why the Grizzlies should bolster the overall talent level of the Heat (again) so that they can draft the next Antawn Jamison (my prediction for Beasley's career).


If O.J. Mayo is there at #5, then I'd like to think that Chris Wallace will take him, given that he has the chance to be that All-Star player that Memphis is so desperately wanting, needing, begging for. If Mayo is gone (as I expect him to be), then why not take Kevin Love (who I know worked out for the Heat, but don't believe that they intend to trade down to get), who has been described as everything from "a bigger and better Shane Battier" to a unique hybrid of Elton Brand and Bill Laimbeer? Geoff Calkins' co-host on their 730 ESPN morning radio show, Gary Parrish, has repeatedly said that Love might not ever been an All-Star, but he will be a solid starter for his entire career and that there is virtually no chance that he'll be anything remotely resembling a "bust".


If those are the choices that are laid before me, then I say "No" to Beasley at that price and "Yes" to either Mayo or Love. Then the question becomes, what if the draft goes Rose, Mayo, Beasley, Love....then what? That's a post for another day, but I'll leave a poll up to gauge your thoughts.

Update: Chris Herrington has his own thoughts about trading for Beasley on Beyond the Arc.

The Dorsey Dilemma

Check out those pictures. The absolute embodiment of intensity, intimidation and toughness, isn't it? That's exactly what the Memphis Grizzlies have been missing, haven't they? So Joey Dorsey should be the obvious pick when the Grizzlies selection comes up at #28, right? Well, no....not exactly.

Yesterday, I linked to Geoff Calkins' column where he countered the claims of the local fanbase that the Grizzlies should draft Dorsey based upon his local connection:

So now comes another former Memphis Tiger, Joey Dorsey, available in another NBA Draft. Should the Grizzlies take him with the second of their first-round picks?

Of course they should, if -- and only if -- they think he is the best player available at the time.
----------------------------------------------
If Dorsey is the best player available at No. 28 -- and he might well be -- then, by all means, take the guy. He's always been a pleasure to cover. He's charming the press again at the Orlando pre-draft camp.
But don't make the pick because he's a Memphis kid.

I agree 100% with that line of reasoning. If he is the best talent available at #28, then the Grizzlies should definitely consider him at that point. He has all the makings of a more dynamic Reggie Evans-like player and a recent post on the Wages of Wins Journal predicts that Dorsey will be a very productive player. I truly believe that if Dorsey lands with the "right team", then he could be a tremendous source of energy and intensity.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that the Grizzlies are that "right team". While discussing the breakthrough season that Kendrick Perkins has had for the Boston Celtics, I made the case that Perkins made the leap this year due to the presence of Kevin Garnett in the same locker room. Many Grizz fans were bemoaning the fact that yet another "quality player" had slipped through our grasp, but having seen what a difference KG has made in Perk's level of play, I'm convinced that he wouldn't have experienced the same success if he had remained in Memphis, who originally drafted him. Garnett has provided Perkins with a veteran to look up to as a role model, but also acts like a big brother in a fraternity, meaning he'll dress him down in a heartbeat if he feels that it is necessary. That's the real "veteran leadership" that you hear coaches, players and experts talk about in reverent tones when discussing teams who have that special something that is needed to win titles.

Bringing this back to the Grizzlies, the question is: Do the Memphis Grizzlies have that type of veteran leadership? My honest assessment is that they do not. What does this have to do with Joey Dorsey? Well, he has been described by more than one writer/coach/fan as being a "knucklehead". Even though he is a fun-loving, gregarious guy that is beloved in this city, I have to agree with that label. He had trouble staying motivated in college and got into a few scrapes that should have been easily avoided. Taking him with a first round pick means that not only will he stay in the city that was the host to some of his well-publicized transgressions, but that he'll have a guaranteed contract paying him millions of dollars, too. Without having someone to be his "big brother", it is very easy to imagine the trouble that Joey could get himself into. Of course, the idea that a 24-year old needs someone to keep him out of trouble is a little disconcerting to begin with.

Therein lies the issue that the Memphis Grizzlies will have to contemplate if Dorsey is still there when pick #28 comes up. I have heard from plenty of fans that if they hear excuses about not picking "Player X" because of "character issues" then they will hit the roof. I don't know which way the front office is leaning, but it will not be an easy decision. Guess we'll have to wait until June 26th to see how it all plays out.

Links: Draft News

First up is the Commercial Appeal, where Ron Tillery reports live from Orlando:

What some critics view as nominal compensation in receiving the Los Angeles Lakers' 28th pick in the first round of the June 26 draft, Griz general manager Chris Wallace sees as a calculated risk that can pay high dividends.

He also lists some players that the Grizzlies might be targeting:

Among the players the Griz will consider at 28 are: Wayne Ellington (North Carolina), Shan Foster (Vanderbilt), Darnell Jackson (Kansas), Jeremy Pargo (Gonzaga), Richard Hendrix (Alabama), Joey Dorsey (Memphis), Davon Jefferson (Southern California), Trent Plaisted (Brigham Young) and JR Giddens (New Mexico).

Of course, the name that stands out to most Memphis fans is that of Joey Dorsey, as evidenced by our poll to the right. However, Geoff Calkins says "Now, don't get all sentimental on us, Grizzlies" when it comes time to make the tough choices in the draft. In fact, he outlines a few flawed ideas that many fans have about the draft this year. It is a great read that I highly recommend.

After Chris Herrington posted this blog entry last week, the Grizzlies Messageboards lit up with the idea that new assistant coach Kevin O'Neill was being brought in as a replacement for head coach Marc Iavaroni. I said then that it was nothing more than conjecture (which Chris himself admitted from the beginning) and maintain the same stance now. Fortunately, Pete Pranica rode in just in time to back up what I said upon hearing of the news:

Back now, I’ve been encouraged by the reports of hiring Kevin O’Neill as an assistant coach for Marc Iavaroni’s staff. O’Neill has a track record of putting good defensive teams on the floor. Give credit to the Grizzlies’ front office and coaching staff for considering the move as it underscores their commitment to addressing the Grizz’s most glaring weakness.

This is a great move to shore up an obvious weakness and everyone should leave the conspiracy theories alone for a little while.

There have also been a number of trade rumors floating around, which is not unusual leading up to the draft. Some of the more entertaining ones:

Hoopsworld: PG's for Sale? - "We've heard rumors that the Heat would deal their #2 overall pick to the Grizzlies for #5 and either Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry, Juan Carlos Navarro, or Javaris Crittenton. In fact, basically any team that needs a point guard is rumored to have a trade scenario on the table or at least in discussion with Memphis GM Chris Wallace. The simple truth, however, is that the Grizzlies are not nearly as infatuated with making a deal as the rumor folks would have you believe."

DraftExpress - "There is already some talk that Minnesota will look to make a trade with Memphis GM Chris Wallace, who would then have the option of fortifying his front-court by drafting Brook Lopez at #3, or swinging for the fences and taking O.J. Mayo. Memphis could offer Minnesota the young prospect of their choice in Kyle Lowry, Hakim Warrick or Javaris Crittenton to help facilitate the deal. Wallace only has two more years left on his contract and needs to make as big a splash as possible in this draft to jump-start Memphis’ rebuilding process, meaning he could be leaning more towards taking Mayo, especially if his team is drafting 5th."

Blazers Blog (OregonLive.com) - "It appears the Memphis Grizzlies have interest, offering Mike Miller to Portland for Travis Outlaw and the No. 13. Excuse me? As expected, Kevin Pritchard and the Blazers respectfully declined the offer." Chris Wallace strongly denied this offer ever took place while talking to Chris Vernon on 730 ESPN yesterday afternoon.

Speaking of Mike Miller, he and his wife made the local news recently by donating $200,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. That is the single largest donation to the hospital by an individual Grizzlies player. Good job Mike and Jennifer!

Websites to read while waiting for the draft:
Ridiculous Upside
Wages of Wins Draft Preview
DraftExpress
Yahoo! Sports: Pre-draft camp Day 2
2008 NBA Mock Draft Database (DC Pro Sports)

Links: Lifeboat Edition (Makin' It Rain!)

My Google Alerts have been on the fritz, so I got flooded with a ton of things today -- some old, some new. Hope you enjoy.

Graham Kendrick is reporting that Mike Miller returned to practice today and is hoping to play on Wednesday against the Nets. The question for many fans now is "Should he start or return to his former role as 6th man?" -- or at least it should be.

Last week, Mike Conley sat down with Sam Amico (ProBasketballNews.com) for a great interview. Amico came away impressed, which is saying something. Here's one question and answer that I particularly liked:

PBN: Do you have faith the current situation -- your own and that of the Grizzlies -- will eventually turn around?

Conley: “I do. You can’t stop believing in that, because once you do, you become that player who just starts thinking you’re going to lose all the time. You have to look into the future with a team as young as this one. We have a lot of talent, we really do. And this (summer) we’ll possibly get a high draft pick, so we’ll have another young, talented player next season. We’re about as low as you can get right now. It’s only going to get better.”

Speaking of interviews, Hakim Warrick had an impromptu one with Dave McMenamin (NBA.com) via IM about his exclusion from the "All-Big East in the NBA" group back in December. Dave decided that an apology was in order. We concur.

USA Today is allowing NBA fans to vote for the "All-Time Five" on each team, so head on over and vote for your favorite Grizzlies.

Now for the fun portion of the program, where I pit the idiots against the people who know what they are talking about. Today's subject: Relocation of the Grizzlies.

Idiots: Bill Simmons & Ron Sims, both looking at the Grizzlies moving to Seattle to replace the departing Sonics.

Smart Guy: Geoff Calkins, explaining the details of the Grizzlies' lease with the city of Memphis. Actually, "Smart Guy" doesn't even begin to describe it. I should replace that with Supremely Intelligent Being. (Hat tip to Latty and Chip for talking about this subject endlessly on the message boards.) According to Calkins:

There's a separate non-relocation agreement, for starters, stating that "during the first 10" seasons in FedExForum, the team "shall not relocate from the City of Memphis."

So that should settle it....for a little while anyways. So go find something else to worry about.

Here's a couple of great articles about Marc Iavaroni: Grizz Coach Stays Sharp (Ross Siler, Salt Lake Tribune) & Sloan hopes Grizz stick with Iavaroni (Tim Buckley, Deseret Morning News).

NY Sun: Knicks fans worry that other "losers" (like the Grizzlies) will cost their team draft position.

Here's an interesting comparison: The Grizzlies' current season vs. the 1976 horror film Grizzly.

Finally, Basketbawful has decided to skewer the Grizz once again. I'd object, but I can't stop laughing long enough to do so.

Blog/Website of the Day: The Blowtorch

Geoff Calkins Spreads His Wings

Geoff Calkins has been a strong voice for the city of Memphis and the sports community in general for many years. His honest and well written columns have been known to both infuriate and inform people depending on their pre-conceived views fo the subject but one thing is uncertain. Calkins gets people to think about the subject. The guys at 3 Shades of Blue were fortunate enough to ask Geoff a few questions and here is what he had to say.

3SoB: My first question has to do with your new radio show and your old one. First, what niche do you feel you and Gary can fill in your show that isn't being filled now and how did you get involved with radio in the first place?
GC: Gary Parrish -- the rare guy who is very funny and actually knows stuff, too -- would want me to say that we're going to fill the awesome niche. Because we're going to be awesome. Go ahead, ask Gary. He'll tell you this.

I am less confident that we'll be awesome, but I do think we'll have fun. And I hope the show will be smart. Smart and fun. That's the essential mission statement, right there. I'll probably laugh more than I did on the other show but I don't want to preside over two hours of silliness. We'll have great guests including Sam Smith (Chicago Tribune) and Gordon Edes (Boston Globe), who are coming over with me. Dan Wetzel, the national columnist for Yahoo Sports, will also be a regular guest. We're still figuring some other things out.

As for how I got involved in radio in the first place, that was all George. Three years ago, he asked me to be his co-host. It's been a lot of fun. But George is cutting back to an hour and I wanted to do my own thing. So rather than stay and do the hour with George and then another two hours on my own -- that's what 560 was offering -- I decided to jump and do the show with Gary, who happens to be a very good friend.

3SoB: You and Ron Tillery seemed to have an almost antagonistic relationship on the radio. How much of that was done to promote listeners and how much was real?
GC: Some people don't believe this, but I don't ever say or write things just to bring in an audience. I mean, I hope people like my column and my radio show. But I don't ever think to myself, gee, let's make this outrageous argument, or let's pick this fight, because it might perk up circulation or ratings. I don't think that's how the world works, for one thing. I think people respond to authenticity.

As for me and Tillery, we disagree about some fundamental things. He thinks Heisley is a fabulous owner. I think Heisley was a fabulous owner who has made some serious mistakes the last few years. He thinks the split between Heisley and the local owners is a non-issue; I think it's a huge, continuing issue. Stuff like that.

3SoB: Gearing things back toward the Grizzlies, you made a prediction during the pre-season that attendance would a major issue with the Grizzlies this year. So far that has been very accurate. What do you think, if anything, the Grizzlies need to do to win back fans?
GC: I don't think it's going to be as easy as lowering the price of bottled water. Once fans stop caring about a franchise, what gets them to start caring again? Usually, it takes a signature event. In Cleveland, that meant getting LeBron James. In Miami, it meant getting Shaq. In Boston, it meant getting Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. And so on and so forth.

The Grizzlies need something fabulous to happen for the franchise. Simply being five or ten games better than last year isn't going to do it. They have to win a playoff series, develop a star. Something along those lines. The other two happenings that could create some momentum for the franchise would be:

* Trading Pau Gasol. I just wonder if Memphis fans are ever going to rally around a team that's led by Pau. How can you love a team if you don't love the team's best player? And while I think Pau is one of the true good guys in the game, it's pretty clear to me he's not ever going to be loved in Memphis.
* Selling the team to the local owners. Don't get me wrong, I don't think a sale would result in 2,000 more fans a game. But a lot of wealthier Memphians have bailed on this team because they've bailed on Heisley. Some of them might come back. And I think the locals would have a better shot of persuading Memphians this to be engaged in the franchise.

3SoB: You have brought up Michael Heisley twice already in our conversation. It appears that you believe a large part of Memphis' problems stem from the absentee landlord syndrome but Heisley has been aggressive in getting quality people to run the team (Jerry West and Chris Wallace), has appealed to local support by hiring Gene Bartow and hired the most sought after coach this summer. He allowed the team to acquire the players they wanted with a few exceptions as well. This is the same method he has used with his successful turnarounds in the past (hire smart people and give them the resources they need to succeed). What exactly do you feel he has done wrong?

GC: I should be clear on Heisley. I like the guy. He's remarkably engaging and down-to-earth. He answers his own phone. I don't know that I've met many billionaires, but there can't be many who are more friendly and accessible than Heisley has always been.

I also think Heisley - and his right-hand man, Stan Meadows - don't get nearly enough credit for the job they did developing FedExForum. Just look around this city at all the corruption and the wasted money and the projects coming in way over the expected price. FedExForum was built for $250 million, exactly as promised. Ownership has to get much of the credit for that. They didn't waver, didn't give in to those who wanted to enrich themselves over the project, and produced a building that might be better than the city deserves.

Having said all that, the same stubborn, bull-in-a-china-shop philosophy that worked with FedExForum doesn't necessarily work in running a basketball team. Heisley finds good people and pays them well. But he also blows up at people, manages through fear, and doesn't care who he offends. Take FedEx, for example. Why would Heisley and Meadows risk alienating FedEx? The company could practically fill the building with employees. FedEx may be the team's most important resource. But by the time Meadows was done negotiating the naming rights deal, certain FedEx executives never wanted to speak to the guy again. The same goes for the local owners. If you're Heisley, wouldn't you want to have them on your side? Wouldn't that be good for business, in fact? Wouldn't that help you get the price you want for your team?

Heisley deserves a world of credit for bringing the team to Memphis. He deserves a world of credit for making the FedExForum project work. But the recent stuff? Not so much.

3SoB:To follow up on the Gasol comment about fans not supporting a team led by him Rudy Gay has seemed to take over for Pau as the primary scorer and face of the team. Do you believe that the animosity to Gasol will retard fans acceptance of Rudy? Do you think fans can accept Gasol as the #2 man in Memphis with his contract?
GC: I think fans would love to have Pau as the No. 2 man. Could you bring in Kobe as No. 1? I don't think anyone is reluctant to "accept" Pau. I just don't think people love him. They loved Shane. They don't love Pau. But none of that has anything to do with what they think of Rudy or anyone else.

3SoB: If Michael Conley is as good as we have been led to believe then next year the Grizzlies will have 28 yr old Pau, 29 yr old Mike Miller, 23 yr old Rudy, a 24 yr old Darko and 21 yr old Michael as the starting 5. Is this a team the fans could build around or are we still going to need another new face?
GC: That lineup just isn't good enough. There's not a legitimate, annual all-star in the group. The Celtics have three of those guys. The Grizzlies don't have any. I have moments -- an increasing number of them -- when I think Chris Wallace and Iavaroni made a mistake thinking they could build a winning team around Pau and Miller. It's not because Pau is impeding the progress of Rudy, it's because you need stars -- big, compelling stars -- to win and draw fans. Rudy might turn into one, but I'm certainly not sure of that. Mike Conley has promise but hasn't proven anything yet. So, absolutely, the Grizzlies have to add a new face and maybe more than one.

3SoB: Finally what is the starting date for your show and when do I need to get in line to be the first caller?
GC: Jan 2. From 7-9 in the morning on 730 AM. Heck, you may be the only caller, for all I know.

News and Notes

Over on Grizzlies.com they have a write-up about Media Day, which was held yesterday. There are also plenty of photos and player portraits to peruse, including the one shown here. Rudy Gay caught a fish "this big".

(Copyright 2007 NBAE. Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Grizzlies announced that they signed two free agents to the training camp roster yesterday -- Kasib Powell and Dontell Jefferson.

Dontell Jefferson is a 23-year old 6'4", 195-pound guard who played two seasons with Atlanta Metropolitan College, then transferred to the University of Arkansas for his final two seasons. He then played professionally last season with the NBADL champion Dakota Wizards, where he averaged 9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 3.7 apg and 1.37 spg. He was coached there by David Joerger, who was recently hired as a Grizzlies assistant.

Kasib Powell is a 26-year old 6'7', 215-pound forward who attended Texas Tech for 4 years. Powell played professionally overseas in Bosnia, Greece, Russia and Greece. Last year, Powell averaged 9.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.0 apg and 1.4 spg for Spartak (St. Petersburg, Russia) in the Russian Superleague. He attended the training camps of three different teams the past three years: Orlando Magic (2006), Chicago Bulls (2005) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2004).

In other news, it looks like the rest of the sports world has caught on to the story we reported here on Shades of Blue four days ago -- Mark Price is the shooting coach for the Memphis Grizzlies. When news breaks, we're first on the scene with the duct tape.

Marlon Morgan has a nice column in the Commercial Appeal, detailing the fact that the team is actually healthy for this season's training camp -- a big difference from last year's disastrous start. He's got quotes from Brian Cardinal, Damon Stoudamire, Marc Iavaroni and Tarence Kinsey, all of whom are ready to prove that last season was an aberration and that this team was a lot better than their record indicated. Damon, in particular, seems to have a chip on his shoulder going into this season, which could result in him playing a lot more minutes than many fans would have expected after the selection of Mike Conley Jr. on draft night.

Finally, I urge all of you to read Geoff Calkins' column in this morning's Commercial Appeal titled "There's nothing hopeless about the Grizzlies this season". In it, Calkins details just how much things have changed from the standoffish, keep-at-arm's-length approach the organization had employed for the previous few seasons when dealing with its fanbase. The column is highlighted by President of Business Operations Andy Dolich offering his parking space so that a longtime season ticket holder would renew for this season. It is a new era in Memphis for the Grizzlies, so I think everyone should be willing to give them a chance to prove themselves to the community at large.