The Memphis Clippers

Head on over here first.

We are in danger of having the Griz turn into the Clip. Davis wants to raise the average ticket price 10 bucks and slash payroll. While I agree that cutting payroll (bye, Eddie Jones, Jake Suckilidas, and Chucky Atkins) is a good decision, they are going about it the wrong way. They believe that they can win with a payroll under the cap with young, cheap players while raising ticket prices.

I agree that they might have more knowledge about basketball then me, but I also know that the only way to contend is to spend money to a degree, that's why the NBA has cap exceptions and cap minimums. We are in danger of having the old Clippers here. A team of good young players that we trade or let go in free agency. There will be little to no loyalty by the players and even less reason for them to want to come here if the owners won't spend money because it doesn't fit their plan for the team.

I am worried that the prospective majority owner is selling ownership shares in order
to raise the money to by Heisley's over priced shares. Attendance is down and will remain that way until next year when the Griz will be reloaded with Pau back and a likely high draft pick that we could turn into Noah, McRoberts, or possibley Oden. It's kind of funny that at the start of the season ESPN and SI said that we would be players in the hunt for Rashard Lewis when he is a free agent this summer.

Enjoy these last three years of Grizzlies. If Brian Davis and company buy the team, this town is doomed to be the new Clippers, Warriors, Wizards, or Hawks. As a Duke apologist on a level just below Dick Vitale, this is going to be painful to watch.

Vote by Mail-My Two Cents

I am opposed to vote by mail for several reasons. I think it is a good idea for Tennessee, but at this point in time I think it is unworkable for Tennessee especially Memphis and will disenfranchise a lot of minority voters.

One is that the ballots are mailed to the voters address of record. A lot of Memphians move around a lot and don't bother to update their voting records. To my understanding, these voters will have no way to post a provisional ballot or vote on election day at an actual polling station.

The second and primary reason surrounds us here in Memphis and also around Davidson County. I am talking about the White Flight areas of Lakeland, Atoka, Tipton, Fayette, Desoto, and Crittendon locfally. Thousands of former Memphians have fled here to go there.

The voter rolls in Memphis need to be purged after each election. Match them up with tax records. Send these registered letters that are the same as the ballots to the houses on record. If they get no response or find they have moved, purge them. Purge the dead as well for Ophelia's sake.

If they wish to retain their right to vote in the elections, let them produce tax records, utility bills, rental agreements, or cable bills in their names at these addresses. Give them until the day before election to cast provisional ballots and verify their address. Partner with the aforementioned counties and this information so that they can add them to their rolls.

Purge the rolls and give people who have moved or otherwise failed to vote during an early voting style format and you will have a lot more workable way to process vote by mail.,