Growl Towel

A Growl Towel is the colloquial name used to refer to the rally towels given to fans prior to National Basketball Association (NBA) playoff games involving the Memphis Grizzlies.

Origin

The original Growl Towels were given out from 2004 to 2006, when the Grizzlies made three straight playoffs . However, the Grizzlies were swept by their opponents in all three appearances, so only six different towels were made. The Grizzlies failed to make the playoffs for the next four seasons, so the Growl Towel was shelved.

The Growl Towel is actually traced back to the Lafayette Leopards (Lafayette College, Easton PA) during the 1980s. Photos in their archives will show this. https://ldr.lafayette.edu/concern/images/wh246s748

2004 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
San Antonio Spurs	Game 3	Believe It	White
San Antonio Spurs	Game 4	Believe It	White

2005 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Phoenix Suns	Game 3	Play On	White
Phoenix Suns	Game 4	Play On	White

2006 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Dallas Mavericks	Game 3	Play On Play On Play On Play On Play On Play On	White
Dallas Mavericks	Game 4	Play On Play On Play On Play On Play On Play On	White

2011 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
San Antonio Spurs	Game 3	Believe Memphis	White
San Antonio Spurs	Game 4	Believe Memphis	White
San Antonio Spurs	Game 6	Believe Memphis	White

Western Conference semifinals

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Oklahoma City Thunder	Game 3	Believe Memphis	Gold
Oklahoma City Thunder	Game 4	Believe Memphis	Gold
Oklahoma City Thunder	Game 6	Believe Memphis	Gold

2012 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
LA Clippers	Game 1	Believe Memphis	Gold
LA Clippers	Game 2	Believe Memphis	Gold
La Clippers	Game 5	Believe Memphis	Gold
La Clippers	Game 7	Believe Memphis	Gold

2013 Playoffs

Starting with the 2013 Playoffs, the growl towels started to feature different captions in each game, in addition to the traditional "Believe Memphis" towel. The Nashville Company called ''Something Inked'', which specialises in custom promotional products, produces a new growl towel for each playoff game.

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
LA Clippers	Game 3	Believe Memphis	Gold
LA Clippers	Game 4	Alternating “Grit” and “Grind”	Gold
La Clippers	Game 6	We Don't Bluff	Gold

Western Conference Semifinals

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Oklahoma City Thunder	Game 3	Believe Memphis	Gold
Oklahoma City Thunder	Game 4	Alternating “All Heart” and “Grit and Grind”	Gold

Western Conference Finals

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
San Antonio Spurs	Game 3	Believe Memphis	Gold
San Antonio Spurs	Game 4	We Don't Bluff	Gold

2014 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Oklahoma City Thunder	Game 3	Believe Memphis	Gold
Oklahoma City Thunder	Game 4	We Don't Bluff	Gold
Oklahoma City Thunder	Game 6	All Heart. Grit. Grind	Gold

2015 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Portland Trail Blazers	Game 1	Believe Memphis	Gold
Portland Trail Blazers	Game 2	Alternating “Grit” and “Grind”	Gold
Portland Trail Blazers	Game 5	We Don't Bluff	Gold

Western Conference Semifinals

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Golden State Warriors	Game 3	Memphis vs. Errrbody	Gold
Golden State Warriors	Game 4	Believe Memphis	Gold
Golden State Warriors	Game 6	All Heart	Gold

2016 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
San Antonio Spurs	Game 3	Believe Memphis	Gold
San Antonio Spurs	Game 4	All Heart	Gold

2021 Playoffs

Play-In

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
San Antonio Spurs	Game 1	Nxt Up Memphis	Gold

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Utah Jazz	Game 3	Ya Hear Me!	Gold
Utah Jazz	Game 4	"I'm on my grizzly"	Gold

2022 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Minnesota Timberwolves	Game 1	MemThis	Gold
Minnesota Timberwolves	Game 2	Ain't No Runnin' in the M	Gold
Minnesota Timberwolves	Game 5	Memphis Memphis Memphis Memphis Memphis Memphis	Gold

Western Conference Semifinals

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Golden State Warriors	Game 1	We Here	Gold
Golden State Warriors	Game 2	Big Memphis	Gold
Golden State Warriors	Game 5	Ain't Duckin' No Smoke	Gold

2023 Playoffs

Round 1

Opponent	Game	Caption on Towel	Color
Los Angeles Lakers	Game 1	With Us	Gold
Los Angeles Lakers	Game 2	For The M	Gold
Los Angeles Lakers	Game 5	Big Memphis	Gold