I'm in favor of Memphis and Tennessee maintaining a football series and here's why:

Every couple of years I look forward to devouring some good Memphis ribs on the company expense account.

Besides, there's something oddly enjoyable about strolling to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on game day through a carnival midway and livestock exhibits.

I'm also in favor of Memphis and Tennessee playing basketball every year and here's why:

It's great basketball.

When Tigers and Vols coexist on 94 feet of court, there's energy. There's passion. There's high-level skill. And there's a bit of contentiousness, too.

Isn't that what makes a great rivalry, even if it's a reluctant rivalry?

You get the feeling Memphis in general, and coach John Calipari in particular, would be fine with the Tigers and Vols not coming within 400 miles of each other.

Three years ago, UT used football as a wedge to renegotiate a deal that calls for the Vols and Tigers to meet in hoops through 2013.

After a three-year hiatus the contract kicked in last winter with Memphis winning an 88-79 barnburner in FedExForum.

"The way it (the media) is playing this in Memphis is I'm trying to escalate this rivalry,'' UT coach Bruce Pearl said Tuesday.

"It's not my contract. All I did was honor it.''

Maintaining the series would seem to benefit the Vols. They recruit in Memphis. Memphis doesn't recruit in Knoxville.

"We don't have to play Memphis to have a presence in Memphis,'' Pearl protested. "Memphis is in Tennessee. I believe it's still in the state.

"Does it help playing them? I think it helps in many, many ways other than recruiting.''

As for examples, Pearl has several:

"It helps us sell season-tickets. Murray State was a really good team, but who would our fans rather see, Murray State or Memphis?

"Who would our players rather play?

"Which game is going to help us get into the NCAA tournament?''

Memphis, Memphis and Memphis.

Does the game benefit Memphis?

You can make a case. Since the Tigers got left behind in a watered-down Conference USA after Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette and DePaul bolted to the Big East, Memphis could use a rivalry with some sizzle.

Who would come closer to packing FedExForum, East Carolina or UT?

When it's time to lock away the shoulder pads and break out the sneakers, Memphis fans look down their blue noses at Tennessee.

"There is no program in the country that respects us less than Memphis,'' Pearl said, "and that's because we haven't done enough to earn their respect.''

Memphis rightly considers itself a basketball town. From the preps to the Tigers and, lately, to the NBA Grizzlies, it's a year-round hoops hotbed.

"I think it's up there with the tops in the country,'' said Memphis native and UT senior Dane Bradshaw.

"Rarely will you find a player from Memphis that hasn't gone up against strong competition that prepares you better for the college level.''

At the college level, the Tigers have a more complete portfolio than the Vols.

Memphis has been to two Final Fours and was one game away from a third last March. UT's high-water mark was leading North Carolina with 4 minutes to play in the Sweet 16 back in 2000.

There are four ex-Tigers in the NBA and two other signees who jumped straight to the league. For the second consecutive year, there are zero ex-Vols in the NBA.

Memphis plays in the spectacular FedExForum and has a spiffy practice facility. Playing catch-up, Tennessee is remodeling 20-year old TBA and building a practice facility.

And yet, Vol fans may counter, there is this:

Tennessee leads the series, 10-7.

So play on.

"It's the right thing to do,'' said Pearl, "for a lot of the right reasons.''

The best reason is it's great basketball.