Then he handed me a bag full of money

November 16, 2015 7:14 AM

"The Memphis Grizzlies will be honoring the old Memphis Sounds for their Hardwood Classic games this NBA season by wearing the Sounds’ red-and-white jerseys. Given that the Sounds were around in the early 1970s and were of the ABA, the jerseys are pretty slick and sweet. ...To understand the Sounds you need to understand the music. And to understand the music you need to understand race and cotton." - Curtis Harris on Stax Records and the context of the Memphis Sounds.
posted by Potomac Avenue (18 comments total)

Hit post too hastily, meant to link to Mr. Harris's excellent twitter account too where he writes about Black History often.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:17 AM on November 16, 2015

They ought to bring back those velour short-shorts from the 70's NBA
posted by thelonius at 7:17 AM on November 16, 2015

Lebron has started to wear shorter shorts this season, claiming he did it to be a better role model for professionalism for kids. I presume the mustache is for the same reason.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:25 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]

If they really want to honor them, they need to change their name from the totally inappropriate Grizzlies back to the Sounds.

The NBA needs comprehensive name reform:

New Orleans gets back "Jazz"
Minnesota gets back "Lakers"
Salt Lake City can have "Grizzlies"

LA can have a new name...the Hollywood Glitter or something.
posted by zipadee at 7:27 AM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]

I love throwback jerseys to defunct teams. I keep meaning to buy a Memphis Chicks t-shirt, too.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:28 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]

Also very cool, this year's NBA Christmas jerseys.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:32 AM on November 16, 2015

Edmonton gets back "Commercial Graduates"
Winnipeg gets back "Wheat Sheaves"
Brandon gets back "Royal Wheat Sheaves"
posted by clvrmnky at 7:33 AM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]

Back to the Sounds?

In five years in the 1970s they went from being called the New Orleans Buccaneers, to the Memphis Pros, to the Memphis Tams before they were the Memphis Sounds. Why does it seem like there is no problem in sales that marketing can't solve with a change of name - or a new jersey.
posted by three blind mice at 7:35 AM on November 16, 2015

I do not like or watch sports. But learning about the Stax connection just made me a Memphis fan.
posted by davidmsc at 7:44 AM on November 16, 2015

Too bad you didn't find out about that 3 years ago when the Grizz were contenders. :(
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:46 AM on November 16, 2015

In five years in the 1970s they went from being called the New Orleans Buccaneers, to the Memphis Pros, to the Memphis Tams before they were the Memphis Sounds.

What the hell does the "Tams" mean?
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:47 AM on November 16, 2015

(from TFA: "After another season as the Pros – and a 26-58 record including a terrible 3-27 stretch over the 1971-72 season’s final 30 games – Finley changed the Memphis team’s name to the Tams. That’s “Tams” as in Tennessee (T), Arkansas (A), and Mississippi (M).")
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:48 AM on November 16, 2015

Ah, there it is, deep in the third link. Still a stupid name.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:57 AM on November 16, 2015

Indeed. Yet Sounds is such a good one. Maybe DC should steal it for their as yet unnamed Washington Football Team!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:01 AM on November 16, 2015

I think they should be the Washington Filibusters and their games should begin with the PA announcer rambling on and on for as long as he/she is able before finally relenting and allowing play to begin.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:13 AM on November 16, 2015 [3 favorites]

Ah, there it is, deep in the third link. Still a stupid name.

Still has nothing on the original National League member Dark Blues who went on to become the Brooklyn Hartfords (in a similar attempt to claim multiple markets at the same time).
posted by dances with hamsters at 10:04 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]

We still have the Washington Senators. Given the approval ratings for Congress, people would enjoy seeing their Senators get the crap beaten out of them every Sunday.

Or, the Washington Insiders could work. They would immediately replace the Cowboys as America's most hated NFL team. But they would win all the time even though everyone vowed never to support them.
posted by zipadee at 1:10 PM on November 16, 2015

How about the Washington Natinals? There are already jerseys for that.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:29 PM on November 16, 2015