Nashville – we’re back for Week 10 of the SoBros Network’s Nashville Power Rankings. As journalists, we have the story of a city to tell, and we’re hammering it out one week at a time.
Well, well, well – I’m back. After weeks spent traveling (almost) literally from coast to coast (San Francisco to Chattanooga), I’m ready to attempt to tackle this behemoth of a column again. I did feel the need to at least address my absence for the last several Fridays, so that people can stop sending me e-mails demanding the return of the Nashville Power Rankings. I hear WSMV is dealing with similar issues after pulling Paul Heggen from the morning show…
If you have a submission for this column, feel free to DM us on Facebook or Twitter, or shoot us an e-mail at thesobrosnetwork@gmail.com because we’re still too cheap to pay for e-mail hosting.
The Week In Review
Story of the Week: Has to be the passing of Glen Campbell. I’m terrible at these things, but The Tennessean had an incredibly nice, extensive piece on the legacy of “The Rhinestone Cowboy.” Check it out here, and be prepared to shed a tear or two.
Blue Collar Badass of the Week: Cody Engdahl – How about “No Fear Engdahl” going out there and nearly takin’ a black eye off the fist of some backwoods meth head this week?
This woman says she’s going to give me a black eye. She’s 1 of 35 drug suspects Cheatham Co. is out to arrest. pic.twitter.com/E36xPwGtRw
— Cody C. Engdahl (@WSMVCodyEngdahl) August 10, 2017
Way to put yourself out there for a story, Cody.
Honorary Nashvillian of the Week: Curt Stallion and Joey Janela put on one hell of a 45-minute knockdown drag-out at The Basement East on Sunday night for Southern Underground Pro. Holy shit, what a match, and what a night. Check out what you missed here.
Shoutout: Jonas Brotherly – the newest SoBro! My man dropped this bomb of a piece on the origin of Marvel’s Cable, and it has been blowing up. We’re happy to have him on the team, so be sure to go give him a follow on Twitter.
Also, big shout outs go out to all the fine friends we made in Chattanooga over the weekend. What a fun time.
SoBros Story of the Week: Has to be “Nature Boy” Brandon Vick wondering if the Star Wars franchise could saturate its market.
Step Your Game Up
WSMV – Listen, your boy’s been out of the office for the better part of the last two weeks. I haven’t had a normal routine since early July, so I’m only just realizing that Paul Heggen is indeed off the morning show for Channel 4. That sucks, and here’s why. Let’s make some noise, Nashville – try to get The Heggenator back on in the mornings.
The old guys fighting at Titans practice – tsk, tsk, fellas. There are families present, damn it! Besides, it’s a football game! Also, learn how to fucking fight. #BeBetter
The dude who robbed the Hermitage Kroger – That’s my Kroger, dude! Don’t be going in there and making it all unsafe with your robbery. Now, I’m going to have my head on a swivel every time I’m checking the avocados 18 times before picking one that may or may not even be ripe.
On to the Rankings
5. Live on the Green – Never been because I don’t really enjoy going to shows downtown anymore, much less shows in the summer time when it’s hot as hell and I do nothing but sweat. But, I know a lot of people in town sure do love it, so as a man of the people, who listens to the people, I have to put ’em on the list.
4. MLS – If you’re a soccer fan hoping for Major League Soccer to come to town, you’ve got to be ecstatic at the news that the Wilf family has joined the group attempting to lure pro soccer to Nashville. I’ve been saying for five years now that MLS will likely be the next pro sports league to set up shop in Nashville. Surely the fervor of the Predators’ Stanley Cup run and demonstrating how our city shows up for big events helped. But, at the same time, it also helps to have billions of dollars in your pockets.
3. Independence Day – Yes, it is August 11th, but the stats just came out this week, and it turns out, Nashville’s 4th of July party raked in $8 million….in one night!
“This family-friendly event continues to deliver great national and international media attention, strong attendance and outstanding economic activity for the city,” said Beth Seigenthaler Courtney, chairman of the Nashville Convention & Visitor Corp board and president and managing partner at DVL Seigenthaler, in a news release. “Along with other major festivities like New Year’s Eve and CMA Fest, these events have emerged as major economic drivers for Nashville and are important contributors to our popularity as a destination.”
The Metro Nashville Police Department estimated 240,000 people attended the July 4 event.
240,000 people! Downtown! On one evening! I mean, no way in hell I’m ever going to one of these events, but still….good for the city…
2. Craft Beer – I don’t know if you guys have noticed, but Nashville has become a pretty damn good craft beer city. Personally, I’m a fan of Tailgate Brewery. But, this week, the Nashville Scene rolled out a pretty good story on how the decision-makers at M.L. Rose come about getting new craft beers on tap, and just how competitive the craft beer industry is getting in the Music City.
1. Zach from the Pokemon Go Fest story – Several weeks ago, a dear friend of the site, Mack Lunn, ventured up to Chicago for a weekend to attend Pokemon Go Fest. He wrote a piece that ended up going viral and is now the most-read piece in SoBros Network history. Mack came to me and wanted to nominate a guy named Zach, and I intend to honor that request.
I was very glad to meet Zach, as he brought along a level of positivity to this experience that I’m finding difficulty articulating–this guy is wild.
Almost in unison, as moods started to drop, the thermometer started to rise. After Niantic announced that their first wave of challenges would be delayed due to technical difficulties, the temperature was rapidly approaching 90°F. Zach wasn’t about to let this take away from his weekend, and he wasn’t going to let anyone else have a bad day either. Like a magician with a sleeve full of kerchiefs, Zach pulled an inflatable Pikachu costume out of God knows where (though my guess would be his backpack).
A modern Kafka, Zach quickly metamorphosed into a giant, yellow, mouse Pokèmon so that he could change the tone of the day. With my girlfriend acting as his impromptu handler and photographer, he spent hours in this costume, walking from one end of Grant Park to the other, stopping every few steps to offer hugs and take photographs with children. It was truly an awesome experience to watch as moods transitioned from annoyance to delight, in waves that numbered into the hundreds.
During the closing ceremony, Zach received a phone call informing him of a family emergency requiring that he leave right away, leaving us without the chance to tell him how awesome it was that he spent the day turning frowns upside down.
Zach, if you get a chance to read this, bud – just know that you have the full support of the SoBros machine. We’re behind you.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. A strong advocate of GSD (get shit done) and #BeBetter, he’s down to talk Tennessee Titans and Alabama Crimson Tide football over a beer any day. Check him out covering the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @WrestlingNewsCo
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