I Have Chosen To Stay And Grind (Believe, Memphis!)

Today, Memphis has its collective back up over the obnoxious words of LA Times sports columnist, T.J. Simers, who apparently felt that instead of writing a sports column about the NBA play-offs, he would instead badmouth Memphis for eight hundred words and call it a column. Inexplicably, his editor was okay with this. So we figure now's a good time to hear from Memphian Shawn Lynch, on why the Grizzlies, and Memphis, are awesome. Enjoy! -Ed.

by Shawn Lynch

It’s that time of year again. That time where our fair city grabs our yellow towels and heads to the Grindhouse to scream until we can’t scream no more. The time of year where a 9:30 tip time on a Monday night severely damages the entire regions productivity on Tuesday. It’s the NBA playoffs. It’s time to believe, Memphis.

When the Grizzlies moved to Memphis in 2001, this is what people envisioned. Those of us who had NBA Now yard signs thought it was a worthy enterprise to bring a major league sports franchise to Memphis. It would be something that could bring the community together. It would be something that could make people think that just maybe Memphis could be a better place.

As you may remember, many folks did not think it was a worthy enterprise. The idea of building a $250 million arena in downtown Memphis was the worst idea since… building a baseball stadium in the middle of downtown Memphis. We could not support a team, they said. They will just leave for another city, they would add. We can’t afford it anyway. They were full of excuses.

This city has a long history of being divided. Whether it’s about race, class or wet vs. dry ribs; we just can’t seem to get on the same page. (The correct answer is dry, by the way.) Currently, the biggest division we have is those who believe and those who do not. Not those who are Grizzlies fans and those who aren’t, but those who believe in Memphis and those who don’t. You read their comments in the Commercial Appeal comments section. You hear them complain when you go to eat. They refuse to believe that we can do better.

So, when you walk out onto a packed Beale Street after another Grizzly win this week, take a look around. Revel in the experience with your fellow believers. Take pride in the fact that we, the believers, were right. Memphis can be a better place if we make it a better place. The power is in our hands. All you have to do is believe.

Shawn Lynch is a lifetime Memphian and believer. He believes “Stop and Think it Over” is the greatest song written in the past quarter century.