The Lucky Penny

If you have turned on the news or read the newspaper, all you have seen is the new head coach for the University of Memphis, Penny Hardaway. After coaching at East high school, Hardaway was hired to lead the struggling Tigers back to national prominence. The Memphis native, former Tiger All-American, and NBA first round draft pick has his work cut out for him. The tigers have been less than stellar these last couple of years. All Penny has done is coach middle school and high school basketball the past three years (with three state championships) and coach the best AAU team in the country. He is a Memphis icon. Our city and university has embraced him. All is well in the Bluff City.

Now comes the issue of can he transition from coaching high school basketball to college basketball? His teams have some of the best talent in the country, and it is almost a guarantee that those players will follow him to Memphis. However, can he prepare these players for the rigors of college athletics? Hardaway has promised that he will bring back the Memphis Tigers brand like it was when he was playing. That fast paced, razzle-dazzle style of Memphis basketball that has recently been lost. The brand of Memphis basketball is going to return under the leadership of the Memphis native.

Penny is just what this city needs, someone to make everyone feel proud to be a Memphian. Hardaway wants to bring back the times when this great city loved our team and flew the Blue and Grey from their car windows. Penny Hardaway: Memphis native, former Tiger, All-American, NBA All-Star, and local legend… the Tiger basketball brand is back.

Memphis has so much to offer in a city. Outsiders just do not understand. Our love for it cannot be matched. We have our problems sure, but our pros outweigh our cons. Let’s show the country that we are a great city with even greater people through the love of our basketball team. One of our finest traditions is when we all get together at the FedEx forum for a night of Memphis Tigers basketball, where we will watch Penny Hardaway lead us back to national prominence. Hardaway is the first step to rebuilding the great brand of Memphis basketball that has been lost for the past decade.

The Lucky Penny, it has been found.