Tony Allen signs Eric Evans' t-shirt.
The short but exhausting NBA season is over and we all know who won the championship.
Nonetheless, it was an exciting showing for the Grizz as there were significant bursts of energy throughout, a few major dissapointments, but most of all good clean fun at the FedExForum.
One of the highlights of every game for me is seeing what the crowd is wearing. I have to say some of the most creative Grizz shirts came from local designers that took clever catchphrases and paired them with graphic designs that made winning t-shirts for all to enjoy. Here are two of the very best.
Eric Evans, also known by his graffitti artist moniker Sache, has a licensing deal with our beloved Tony Allen and is responsible for the stash of TA tshirts that are worn with pride throughout the season by adoring fans. The TA9 shirts that were everywhere in 2010/11 were made by him, featuring Tony's image and his Grizz number on hand-dip-dyed shirts. For the 2001/12 season, Eric pleased again with "The Grindfather" shirts that borrowed from The Godfather film logo and applied it to Tony's coined phrase of "Grit & Grind." The shirts blew up and were all over the city. Eric took an XXL "The Grindfather" shirt for me and sized it down to a dress for the ultimate tshirt dress — I'm a lucky girl. More of Eric's work was featured in the June issue of Memphis magazine as part of the "Made in Memphis" fashion story. Eric's shop, Sache, is on South Main next to Ernestine & Hazel's.
Design duo Leslie Skelton and Ian Lemmonds are behind the creative force known as Hoop City. Their sharp designs and in-your-face phrases bring swagger to their t-shirts and elevates egos when they are worn — perfect for game days. "Taking Care of Grizzness" and "This is Memphis, We Grind Here" are a few of the slogans emblazoned across the very softest cotton t-shirts and make me feel as tall as Zach Randolph when I wear them. They set up shop in a most renegade way — at festivals, during Trolley Tour, wherever and whenever with their buffet table lined up with their super-soft cotton t's. Their shirts are irresistably comfortable and sharp-witted. Keep an eye on their Fall offerings — they include SEC football t's and new designs for the Tigers and Grizz. Check out their website, hoopcitymemphis.com
As of now, we are welcoming new owner Ryan Pera and new teammate Tony Wroten into the fold. It will be interesting to see how our team fares next season and what shirts will emerge that will surely keep Grizz fans looking good.
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Tony Allen of the Grizzlies signs Eric Evans' tshirt.
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The Grindfather, available at Sache on South Main
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"Grit and Grind" available at hoopcitymemphis.com
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"This Is Memphis. We Grind Here" available at hoopcitymemphis.com
