(Memphis) A t-shirt meant to root-on the Grizzlies is also getting side glances as well.
The shirt shows a picture of a grizzly paw pointing a gun!
Some people think it highlights the darker side of our city.
“It’s the first I’ve seen this,” said Paul Morris with the Downtown Memphis Commission. “What does it say?”
“Mama tried?” asked Memphis Resident John Garcia. “I really don`t understand what that means.”
“What does it say? Mama tried? I don`t understand,” said April Branch, who works downtown.
It’s a shirt supporting the Memphis Grizzlies that shows a Grizzly paw holding a gun that says “mama tried.”
“I have no idea what that means,” said Morris.
Well, if it has anything to do with a 1960s country song, it means a mother tried but her son still ended up in prison getting life without parole.
But what does that have to do with basketball?
“To have a gun on a shirt, that`s not something I would wear,” said Branch. “I wouldn`t wear anything that would be that negative.”
We found a similar shirt for sale at the Whatever Shop on Highland that also shows a Grizzly paw pointing a gun.
“Some people believe Memphis is a violent city and that`s another reason why I wouldn`t wear it,” said Branch. “It just doesn`t reflect well on the city.”
“We need one that says ‘whoop that trick’ or the ‘growl towel’,’ said Garcia. “Can we get that going?”
Garcia says he’s not taking the design too seriously.
He says it’s just means the Grizzlies have a win on the way, “I think it’s just a way of saying ‘we are going to kill the Spurs.”
The next game against the Spurs is going to be Tuesday night at 8 p.m.
