Rewind 5 years ago. The basketball office is empty. Not even a desk or snow cone machine was in house. No one wanted to follow in the steps of Calipari and the impending NCAA sanctions. One man and his cell phone became the basketball operations at the University of Memphis. He needed to sell the program to his first full recruiting class. What does a coach with no experience say when many of the coaches he was recruiting against could tell the same players “I turned down that job”? What does a young, new coach say to sell a pillaged program?

“Its not my team, it’s the city’s team.” Joe Jackson, Chris Crawford and Tarik Black all bought into that. To the city they loved, they would be the players that would keep the passion for one of the few things that transcends race in their city, Memphis basketball. Their freshman year, the weight of their dream of giving the people of Memphis something to celebrate and to be proud became full bore. Tarik looked to take an initial leadership role, even named a captain freshman year. Yet the weight became too much. The heralded recruiting class whittled down to Chris Crawford and Joe Jackson.

Behaving as model citizens, graduating in three years, winning big games, conference tournaments, keeping Memphis basketball relevant was not good enough. Their dream was to unite the city with a magical NCAA run. They wanted to mend the hearts of Memphians. I believe they wanted this for themselves but more so for the city they loved and called home. Joe and Chris fully bought into the fact this was the city’s team but with that the weight became tremendous. In Memphis, negativity abounds. Winning against non-NCAA teams is not good enough, you have to blow them out. Some fans want you to quit after one bad game.

After a good night sleep, I want to declare Joe and Chris Memphis heroes. You may not have accomplished all your lofty dreams and mine as well, but to face the pressure, the adversity and to have one of your mates quit, you have nothing to feel but proud as young adults. Unfortunately, heroes have villains. Too bad for Joe and Chris, often times the villains were the people they so wanted to please.

Rewind 4 years, I would take Joe and Chris back in a heartbeat. Only this time, hopefully the villains aren’t also rooting for Memphis. Hopefully, we as Memphis fans can help support and build up the next hometown hero who wants to step up. Otherwise there will be fewer who wish to do so.

I am proud to have rooted for my Memphis Tigers, Joe Jackson and Chris Crawford. I wish I realized sooner watching you play was a “privilege and not a right”.

Thank you Joe Jackson and Chris Crawford.

100% agreed. Great post.

Agree totally. What those kids accomplished - putting the program immediately back into the national conversation - is not to be overlooked. Sure, more postseason success would have been welcomed, but they have nothing to be ashamed of.

Not the sort of hater or troll post that gets the most attention on this board OKCTiger --- but it gets a thanks from me -

(03-24-2014 09:27 AM)OKCTiger Wrote:  Rewind 5 years ago. The basketball office is empty. Not even a desk or snow cone machine was in house. No one wanted to follow in the steps of Calipari and the impending NCAA sanctions. One man and his cell phone became the basketball operations at the University of Memphis. He needed to sell the program to his first full recruiting class. What does a coach with no experience say when many of the coaches he was recruiting against could tell the same players “I turned down that job”? What does a young, new coach say to sell a pillaged program?

“Its not my team, it’s the city’s team.” Joe Jackson, Chris Crawford and Tarik Black all bought into that. To the city they loved, they would be the players that would keep the passion for one of the few things that transcends race in their city, Memphis basketball. Their freshman year, the weight of their dream of giving the people of Memphis something to celebrate and to be proud became full bore. Tarik looked to take an initial leadership role, even named a captain freshman year. Yet the weight became too much. The heralded recruiting class whittled down to Chris Crawford and Joe Jackson.

Behaving as model citizens, graduating in three years, winning big games, conference tournaments, keeping Memphis basketball relevant was not good enough. Their dream was to unite the city with a magical NCAA run. They wanted to mend the hearts of Memphians. I believe they wanted this for themselves but more so for the city they loved and called home. Joe and Chris fully bought into the fact this was the city’s team but with that the weight became tremendous. In Memphis, negativity abounds. Winning against non-NCAA teams is not good enough, you have to blow them out. Some fans want you to quit after one bad game.

After a good night sleep, I want to declare Joe and Chris Memphis heroes. You may not have accomplished all your lofty dreams and mine as well, but to face the pressure, the adversity and to have one of your mates quit, you have nothing to feel but proud as young adults. Unfortunately, heroes have villains. Too bad for Joe and Chris, often times the villains were the people they so wanted to please.

Rewind 4 years, I would take Joe and Chris back in a heartbeat. Only this time, hopefully the villains aren’t also rooting for Memphis. Hopefully, we as Memphis fans can help support and build up the next hometown hero who wants to step up. Otherwise there will be fewer who wish to do so.

I am proud to have rooted for my Memphis Tigers, Joe Jackson and Chris Crawford. I wish I realized sooner watching you play was a “privilege and not a right”.

Thank you Joe Jackson and Chris Crawford.

They did well. Hard to live up to the hype.

Excellent piece and so refreshing to read on this board!