Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Geoff Calkins

Calkins: For 100 years, Memphis and Rhodes have needed each other. That's truer than ever today.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 12:06:14 -0500

Rhodes moved from Clarksville to Memphis in September 1925. A hundred years later, the college and the city still rely on each other to thrive.

Calkins: The Central High band was banned from a game. So they fought back — with kazoos!

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 21:33:16 -0500

The Central High band was banned from a football game Friday night. So how did they respond? With kazoos! A protest story for our time.

Calkins: How did Memphis beat Arkansas? With a miracle. And heart.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 07:58:55 -0500

How did Memphis defeat Arkansas? With a crazy, can-you-believe-it play that will be remembered forever in Tiger football lore.

Calkins: Memphis has a rich history of playing the SEC. Is it coming to an end?

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 04:00:12 -0500

For almost exactly 60 years, SEC teams have been traveling to the Liberty Bowl to play Memphis in football. Saturday might be the beginning of the end.

Calkins: Why is a cove in Memphis suddenly filled with Cubs flags? It's out of sadness — and respect.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 04:00:00 -0500

Todd Dixon — a nurse, triathlete, Sunday-school teacher, husband and father — died at 54. Now an entire street in East Memphis is flying Chicago Cubs flags in his honor.

Calkins: Calipari is coming back to Memphis. And that's a very good thing.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Tue, 2 Sep 2025 18:14:12 -0500

It had to be the right moment for John Calipari to come back to Memphis. This is the right moment.

Calkins: He’s going to get people believing in this city once again — if he has to do it one Memphian at a time.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Mon, 1 Sep 2025 04:00:01 -0500

William Dunavant III has a speech he has already given to 20,000 Memphians. The topic? Why the city is on the cusp of great things.

Calkins: The Grizzlies want to stay in Memphis. Let's make it easy for them.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 15:31:57 -0500

The Grizzlies lease negotiations are nerve-wracking. What is a Memphian to think?

Calkins: Memphians will be finishing Liza's Run again. A few weeks ago, that was no sure thing.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 04:00:10 -0500

A month ago, it seemed as if the event was ending. But a group of women emerged to make certain that Memphians will once again be finishing Liza Fletcher’s run.

Calkins: Why does he give expensive gifts to strangers? A Memphis mystery to melt your heart.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 04:00:10 -0500

“I understand that it’s unusual,” Mike Perkowski said. “Some people might think, ‘What’s this weirdo doing?’ Or they think there has to be a catch.”

Calkins: On Fred Smith's 81st birthday, the city he loved said goodbye

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 19:29:01 -0500

Memphis threw a celebration at FedExForum that was worthy of Fred Smith’s life. Of course, Smith himself might not have liked all the fuss. He would have told us to get back to work.

Calkins: Why Fred Smith saved the Memphis golf tournament. (Hint: It wasn't about the golf.)

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Sat, 9 Aug 2025 19:11:48 -0500

“This will be the first FedEx St. Jude Championship since the death of Fred Smith. Why did Smith embrace the tournament the way he did? It wasn’t about the golf.”

Calkins: Mongolian girl wins caddie scholarship. (It's a golf story you won't believe.)

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Wed, 6 Aug 2025 04:00:13 -0500

Grace Amgalan came to Memphis from Mongolia because her little brother was a patient at St. Jude. What happened next is a story about golf, community — and what can happen when we lift up those who come to our shores.

Calkins: Hey, xAI did a good thing! (And MSCS was smart enough not to get in the way.)

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:15:33 -0500

“Whatever you think of the members of this particular school board, even they couldn’t screw this one up.”

Calkins: Paul Sax is about to stop teaching tennis. But that's not all we can learn.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 17:02:18 -0500

After 42 years of teaching tennis, Paul Sax is retiring. But he still has lessons to teach us about a well-led life.

Calkins: If the Big 12 couldn't see what's changed at Memphis, they weren't looking very hard

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 06:02:52 -0500

“Memphis once again put together a lucrative offer that has been rejected by Big 12. Is that for embarrassment? Or cause for hope?”

Calkins: Why Mister Hats is hanging up its hat forever

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 18:39:00 -0500

Another iconic Memphis store bites the dust. Why is this happening? And how should we feel about it?

Calkins: Memphis Rox reopens with 'climb for Mond'

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 17:49:45 -0500

Two weeks after Jarmond Johnson was shot and killed at Memphis Rox, the gym reopened with a joyful, mournful — and ultimately hopeful — ceremonial climb.

Calkins: He's the pastor who survived the Harvest plane crash. A story of gratitude and grief.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:12:16 -0500

Kennon Vaughan has been told that the insurance company’s survivability expert concluded there was a zero percent chance anyone could have survived the plane crash. But he did. Here’s how he makes sense of his story.

Calkins: Jarmond Johnson died 'a hero.' Memphis Rox will soon reopen to spread his light.

gcalkins@dailymemphian.com (Geoff Calkins) — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 21:26:41 -0500

Jarmond Johnson died a hero, according to officials at Memphis Rox. The celebrated climbing gym is preparing to reopen with a memorial climb in his name.