Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal is already worried about the Grizzlies' tenure in Memphis.

A couple of days his column was on all the special interest groups that are latching onto the new building Memphis is paying for.  

Some groups are pushing for special labor agreements.  Some are pushing for special minority arrangements.  And others are pumping for a particular general contractor.

And he says when Don Smith, the former executive director of the public building authority, walked out of the job because the Grizzlies wanted to much control, that he's on the side of the Grizzlies.  After all, they're the only ones whose sole concern is the quality of the building.

Calkins says the politicians should cancel all their committee meetings and give the Grizzlies greater control.  The Grizzlies have to sell the tickets, and they have to cover any operating losses.

The other side of the coin is that the public is paying.  But Calkins says if they can't quite the squabling, and can't quit the elaborate game of chicken over financing, the league might decide to make the Grizzlies available to a new owner in Charlotte.  It seems a stretch, but there sure are a lot of nervous cities these days.