Category: Articles
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MikeCheck: McNair insists there’s no QB controversy at Alcorn State – it’s Harper’s job as long as Braves keep rolling
MEMPHIS – When it comes to the quarterback position in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, there are burdens and then there are blessings. Alcorn State coach Fred McNair insists he’s not burdened with the Braves’ blessings. Alcorn State Braves head coach Fred McNair looks on from the sideline during the SWAC Championship football game between the…
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MikeCheck: Grizzlies big-man tandem Jackson and Valanciunas building ‘to become best frontcourt in the NBA’
MEMPHIS – A Duke education is hardly required to grasp the dynamics of a Grizzlies offense intentionally designed to induce Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas into an identity crisis. But thankfully, Blue Devils alum Grayson Allen was available to break down the new schemes and concepts in a way that simplified expectations on a…
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MikeCheck: Anderson approaching ‘100 percent’ confidence in shoulder as he adjusts to Grizzlies faster camp pace
MEMPHIS – When training camp opened earlier this week, Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson was uncertain how much he could initially contribute in his return from offseason shoulder surgery.
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MikeCheck: Healed and hungry, Brooks ‘taking nothing for granted’ in camp quest to reclaim Grizzlies starting role
MEMPHIS – Under most circumstances, there would be inherent training camp benefits for returning as the Grizzlies’ longest-tenured player on the roster. Then there’s Dillon Brooks’ situation. “I played a whole year and then sat out practically all of last year,” Brooks said of a promising rookie season that gave way to a painful second-year…
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MikeCheck: Morant anointed Grizzlies starting point guard as Jenkins ponders option of pairing rookie No. 2 pick alongside Jones
MEMPHIS – Considering the Grizzlies used the No. 2 pick in June’s draft on Ja Morant and two weeks later spent their entire midlevel exception in free agency on Tyus Jones, it’s safe to say Memphis invested more at point guard than any other position entering this season. Don’t expect Morant and Jones to be…
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MikeCheck: Josh Jackson’s path to Grizzlies role will start on assignment with G League’s Memphis Hustle
MEMPHIS – Former NBA lottery pick Josh Jackson’s fresh start in Memphis this season will require earning that opportunity through a stint with the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate, team sources confirmed. Jackson’s representatives and the Grizzlies have mutually agreed to allow the forward to restore his reputation on and off the court through an undisclosed…
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MikeCheck: Picked in preseason to finish last, Arkansas-Pine Bluff now poised to turn SWAC upside down
MEMPHIS – In no way does Cedric Thomas hide from the fact that his program was on the wrong side of college football history this time a year ago. Actually, Thomas embraces it as a necessary part of the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s journey to get here. But back then, barely a month into his…
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Lang’s World: Tennessee is in a bad place, but it’s not time to panic. Yet.
On Saturday morning, I had the rare luxury of having a few hours to myself. My wife was otherwise occupied, and with my son having an early afternoon soccer kickoff, I had the opportunity to do what I wanted, for a change. Shouts to Lil Uzi Vert. So I hopped in the car and hit…
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MikeCheck: Rookie Clarke packs outside-the-box mentality and skillset for Grizzlies’ training camp
After a breakout summer spent putting action behind those draft night words, Clarke will embark on his first NBA training camp on Oct. 1 as arguably the most intriguing player on the Grizzlies’ roster. That’s a lofty projection considering Memphis also drafted dynamic point guard Ja Morant with the No. 2 pick in June’s and…
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MikeCheck: Ten years after Steve McNair’s death, unbreakable brotherly bond brought Alcorn State coach back as Titans retire No. 9 jersey
NASHVILLE – When Fred McNair first learned the Tennessee Titans would be posthumously retiring his younger brother’s No. 9 jersey, he quickly searched for a calendar. The potential conflict lunged off the page like a blitzing linebacker. As head football coach at Alcorn State, Fred McNair’s Braves faced a road game at McNeese State in Louisiana…