#NNPA BlackPress

Memphis Tigers’ Head Coach Penny Hardaway welcomes high expectation of top recruiting class: “We want all the smoke”

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “This is what we want. This is Memphis,” Hardaway said in his first media session since capping his recruiting season with 5-star prospect Precious Achiuwa. “We don’t bluff. We want all of the smoke. We want everything to be about Memphis. We want it to be, ‘You guys are supposed to do this.’ We want to reach that. That is what this city wants.

Published

7 years ago

May 30, 2019

Oakland Post

By Terry Davis, The New Tri-State Defender

The recruiting class Memphis Tigers Head Coach Penny Hardaway has assembled may be a shock to most. However, Hardaway had always envisioned getting a top recruiting class with his late friend Desmond Merriweather and he is not surprised by having this class. Nor is he shying away from the expectations of a stacked roster.

“This is what we want. This is Memphis,” Hardaway said in his first media session since capping his recruiting season with 5-star prospect Precious Achiuwa. “We don’t bluff. We want all of the smoke. We want everything to be about Memphis. We want it to be, ‘You guys are supposed to do this.’ We want to reach that. That is what this city wants.

“We don’t want to shy away from anything,” he continued. “We want to win a national championship. We want to hang one in this building and especially at the FedExForum.”

Longtime friends, Merriweather and Hardaway frequently talked about how Penny would become head coach at Memphis and compete for a national championship. After signing Precious Achiuwa, the Tigers have the No. 1 recruiting class and can compete with some of the best collegiate teams in the country.

The recruiting class is loaded with five- and four-star talent. James Wiseman and Precious Achiuwa are five stars, DJ Jeffries, Boogie Ellis, Damion Baugh, Malcolm Dandridge and Lester Quinones are all four stars. Another Memphis commit, Rayjon Tucker, has not enrolled with the University and has kept his name in the NBA draft. Hardaway was not allowed to comment on Tucker or his status.

But the rest of his roster? Hardaway talked plenty about them.

“I am excited for the city, the staff and for the school. What we have done this summer is amazing. To land the No. 1 recruiting class in the country is a blessing. I wanted this so badly for so many reasons. To be able to this in such a short amount of time and I want to thank God for this opportunity.”

Just over a year ago, when Hardaway was announced as head coach, he openly aimed to return Memphis to national prominence. He wanted to compete with the top schools. And now, he has out-recruited storied college programs and coaches at Duke, Kansas and Kentucky for some of the top high school talent in the country.

Hardaway and the Memphis basketball program has been prominently displayed across all of ESPN stations, because of this recruiting class. It is not normal for a school like Memphis to get this type of class. Hardaway appeared on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” to talk Tigers.

Hardaway said his players have already embraced the sacrifices that will come with having so many talented players on the roster.

“Boogie, Precious, Lester and James all started a group chat,” Hardaway said. “They added everyone else to the group chat. And all they have been talking about has been sacrifice.”

Tigers fans still have hopes of landing R.J. Hampton and Trendon Watford. So is he done recruiting?

“I don’t know yet,” and he just smiled and rest of the media gathered just laughed.

The team will get an early opportunity to develop team chemistry. All incoming players will be in summer school starting on June 3. The team will also spend seven days in the Bahamas. The Tigers will play four games. Hardaway would like for all of Memphis to make the trip to the Bahamas to see the team play.

The schedule has not been set as of yet. However, Hardaway did say that the possible Georgetown game will not take place this season. The big networks may step in and schedule a few national games for the Tigers against other national powers.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Henry “Box” Brown Mailed Himself to Freedom

Don't Miss

FILM REVIEW: Us

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
____________________________________________________________________
AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY