Month: September 2000

Council Fattens Up

Post author By Rebekah Gleaves
Post date September 30, 2000

Earlier this week City Council Chairman Barbara Swearengen Holt decided to raise the daily food allowance for traveling council members from $20 without receipts and $45 with receipts to $45 without receipts and $75 with receipts.

Holt defends this decision by saying, “You can’t eat at McDonald’s for that,” referring to the daily meal allowance before it was increased.

Actually, Chairman Holt, you can eat at McDonald’s quite a bit for that.

At $20 a day, the previous amount without a receipt, a council member could eat five extra value meals (sandwich, fries and a drink, typically priced at $3.50) and have some change left over. If the council member was particularly hungry, they could opt to “supersize” their meal (for about 80 cents) and still eat four sandwiches, orders of fries and drink four soft drinks. If the council member elected to have an apple pie or a hot fudge sundae, they could only order four regular-sized extra value meals, but could have dessert three times a day. Similarly, at the previous $45 a day allowance with receipts, a council member could eat 12 extra value meals a day, ten if they wanted those meals supersized.

(The Flyer would like to point out that most McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants will not charge a customer for their meal if the customer was not issued a receipt. Therefore, if a council member doesn’t get a receipt from McDonald’s, then they can eat 10 regular-sized extra value meals a day under the $20 per diem.)

Under the new daily allowance, a council member that does not elect to supersize can eat 12 extra value meals a day without receipts (actually 24, if they tell a manager that they didn’t receive a receipt) and a whopping 21 regular sized extra value meals at the $75 rate, and still have some change for a sundae. (This, of course, is not to be confused with Burger King’s Whopper meal — also a sandwich, fries and a drink — which a council member could order about 18 times a day for $75.)

If a council member were required to drive from Memphis to Los Angeles (though we doubt they’d be asked to) the council member could eat at 36 of the 78 McDonald’s along the way, if they stopped for a single value meal at each one on the approximately three day drive under the $45 previous allowance. But now, under the $75 allowance, a council member can stop 63 of the 78 restaurants and order a value meal at each in three days time. However, considering that the council member would be stopping so many times, it is doubtful that they would actually make it to Los Angeles in under a week.

In seven days time, at $75 a day, a council member could eat at every single McDonald’s between here and Los Angeles twice, with ten of the restaurants getting three visits.

With that much fast food, perhaps Holt should have given the council members national memberships to the YMCA too.

(You can write Rebekah Gleaves at gleaves@memphisflyer.com)

Politics Politics Beat Blog

Democrats Firm up Local Fundraiser

Post author By Jackson Baker
Post date September 29, 2000

Operatives of the national Gore-Lieberman campaign will return to Memphis next week to put the final touches on what is shaping up as a mammoth local fund-raiser involving both Democratic candidates. The affair, involving a multi-tiered ticket range, is provisionally set for October 24th and would feature a Mud Island rhythm-and-blues concert.

All these details are subject to change; the one thing that won’t is the new determination by officials of Tennessee Democratic Victory 2000 (co-sponsors with the Democratic National Committee of the forthcoming fund-raiser) to make Tennessee an active battleground in the presidential-campaign wars.

Until recently both major parties had seemed reluctant to commit resources to the state– each side preferring to fight verbal wars against each other and to cite competitive polls.

That began to change when GOP standard-bearer George W. Bush showed up in Nashville last week for a major fund-raiser and series of photo-ops– an appearance that may have drawn Gore into what had been thought of up to that point as a limited venture in Memphis involving only vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman.

Still lacking are in-state political ads boosting the two candidates. Republican state chairman Chip Saltsman likened the absence of ads to a “game of chicken,” saying, “If Gore goes up with TV ads first, he admits he has a problem.” For his part, Roy Herron, chairman of the statewide Gore-Lieberman effort, responded that his side didn’t plan on “firing the first shot” in Tennessee.

What both sides may remember during a campaign still rated as neck-and-neck is that the Clinton-Gore ticket barely won Tennessee in 1996– on the strength of an all-out showing in Shelby County. That local effort was led by former U.S. Representative Harold Ford Sr., who was intent on seeing to the election of his son and namesake as his successor.

Harold Ford Jr., who has since become a national figure, didn’t even draw an opponent in his reelection battle this year, and Ford Sr., now a high-priced consultant, may have superintended his last political battle with last year’s disastrous loss of brother Joe Ford to Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.

That makes the statewide Democratic effort more crucial than ever, and the Memphis situation decidedly iffier.

That’s one reason why local Democrats reacted with disproportionate panic when Shelby County Commissioner Shep Wilbun, an African-American, recently threatened a party-splitting independent run for the relatively minor job of county register. Wilbun was eventually brought in line, and unity-minded Shelby County Democrats are looking to next month’s projected Gore-Lieberman event as a decisive act in both the local and the national campaigns.

You can write Jackson Baker at baker@memphisflyer.com

News News Feature

City Picks Three Finalists for Big Outsourcing Job

Post author By John Branston
Post date September 28, 2000

The city of Memphis has narrowed the field to three finalists for the job of outsourcing its computers and telecommunications.

The three companies (chosen from an initial field of 17 firms) are Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), headquartered in Dallas; Electronic Data Systems (EDS), also headquartered in Dallas; and Systems & Computer Technology (SCT), with headquarters in Malvern, Pa.

The contract for the rapidly growing computer and telephone operations could be worth as much as $70 million or more, based on the budget for the Division of Information Services, which is being outsourced. It will be for at least five and possibly seven years, according to Roland McElrath, director of the Division of Finance and Administration.

“We are still going through our evaluation,” said McElrath. “We have completed a technical review and we are going through a business evaluation of the proposals. We planned to go through oral presentations next week, and the target date to sign an agreement is early December. We are on schedule to hit that.”

The outsourcing effects only about 45 employees, but in dollar terms it is by far the largest in city history. McElrath declined to put a number on it because the bids will be negotiated, but the Division of Information Services was budgeted for about $10 million a year.

“Our strategy is to downselect to two companies and negotiate prices with them,” said McElrath.

Information systems includes computers and telephones for all city departments except the Memphis Police Department, which is on the Shelby County phone system.

Adding an unusual twist to the story are embarrassing financial disclosures, a dizzying sequence of management resignations, and allegations of fraud at SCB Computer Technology, the city’s consulting partner.

SCB Computer Technology, a Germantown company, has a $468,000 contract to help choose the outsourcing firm but is excluded from bidding on the job itself. Since the contract was signed in 1998, however, SCB has been in turmoil. It has paid the federal government $1.6 million to settle an overbilling complaint by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Its top management, independent auditor, and a board member have resigned. Its stock has been delisted by the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. And its credibility has been battered by company admissions of overstating earnings and hyping press releases in order to inflate revenues. Several lawsuits have been filed alleging that shareholders were defrauded.

“We are aware of the financial difficulty they have had but those have not had any adverse impact on the services they provided to us,” said McElrath. “The services we contracted for with them will be completed by the end of the year.”

The city has also hired the Washington D.C. law firm Shaw Pittman to advise it on legalities of the outsourcing.

SCB Computer Technology, founded by T. Scott Cobb and Ben Bryant Jr., became a publicly traded company in 1996. The stock traded for as high as $13 a share but had fallen to just over $2 a share when the company announced possible accounting problems in April. The Nasdaq delisted the stock, meaning trading was halted. SCB appealed the delisting but it was affirmed in August.

In July, SCB admitted overstating its earnings from 1998-2000 by $4.18 million and exaggerating the impact of four contracts on future earnings. The contracts, which did not include Memphis, were either canceled, under review, or worth less than SCB stated they were.

Cobb resigned as chairman last November along with board member Joe McLeary. Bryant replaced Cobb as chairman, then Bryant also resigned as chairman and CEO in May of this year and Cobb returned as CEO. Former chief financial officer and president Gary McCarter resigned in July. And Bryant resigned as a director and employee of the company in September, according to the company proxy statement released last week. The new chairman of the board is Jack Blair, formerly an executive with Smith & Nephew in Memphis.

The city has put together an evaluation committee that includes McElrath, CAO Rick Masson, City Councilman Tom Marshall, Abe Kani of the former Information Systems division, internal auditor Elizabeth Moore, and Deputy Human Resources Director Charmaine Claxton. The committee will make a recommendation to Mayor Willie Herenton.

(You can write John Branston at branston@memphismagazine.com).

Sports Sports Feature

Tigers Win Third Straight

Post author By Dennis Freeland
Post date September 23, 2000

WEST POINT — Free safety Idrees Bashir ran an interception back a school-record 100 yards propelling the University of Memphis to their third consecutive victory, 26-16 at Army. It was the first Conference USA game for Memphis but the win came at a high price.

Jared Pigue, the Tigers’ deep snapper injured his knee on a third- quarter punt. The injury, which happened when one of Pigue’s teammates ran into him, is thought to be a season-ender for the true freshman from Nashville. On a day where Memphis special team mistakes led directly to all 16 Army points, it is easy to see just how devastating the loss of this non-scholarship freshman may be.

Army ran back a punt for one touchdown, returned a fumbled kickoff for another, and scored a safety after Pigue’s replacement snapped the ball over Ben Graves’ head late in the game. Memphis special teams also allowed a blocked punt and had a high snap, blowing a point-after-touchdown attempt.

For the second time in four games the Memphis defense pitched a shutout, but the goose egg didn’t go on the scoreboard.

Tailback Sugar Sanders also left the game early, pulling up with the same hobbled ankle that has plagued him all season. Sanders had a career-best 62-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter. But after running 31 times against Arkansas State, the sophomore could only rush seven times before the ankle wore out.

On a positive note, reserve quarterback Neil Suber was solid in his first start of the year (20-31-1, 187 yards, 1 TD). And freshman running back Jeremiah Bonds, getting a chance to play because of injuries to Sanders and Dernice Wherry, showed a glimpse of his big-play potential with a 31-yard touchdown run after catching a short pass from Suber. The catch and run broke a 14-14 deadlock midway through the fourth quarter.

Army drove for what could have been the go-ahead touchdown after the bad snap on the conversion left the score at 20-14. But Bashir intercepted a Curtis Zervic pass in the Memphis endzone with 3:49 remaining. He streaked down the sideline in front of the Army bench and broke a record that had stood at the U of M since 1958.

After Memphis failed on its two-point try, Army scored a safety with 2:08 to go to finish the scoring at 26-16.

The Memphis defense yielded 269 passing yards to the Black Knights, but never allowed them to score. Most of the yardage came, as Arkansas State’s 222 passing yards the week before had, on short and intermediate passes. At one point in the second quarter Zervic completed 9 passes in a row.

But the Tiger defense made big plays again and again. Besides Bashir’s interception, Michael Stone and Glenn Sumter both picked-off Zervic. For Sumter it was his third interception in four games. The sophomore strong safety entered the game ranked 12th in the nation in interceptions. The Tiger defense also had a fumble recovery by nose tackle Marcus Bell.

Memphis takes its three-game winning streak (and five-game road winning streak) to Hattiesburg next Saturday to take on nationally-ranked Southern Miss. The game will be televised as part of the C-USA television package.

GAME NOTES: The previous Memphis record for longest interception return was held by Robert Lyles who ran one back 99 yards against Mississippi State in 1958. . . . The Tiger defense continued to demonstrate its depth. Linebackers Coot Terry and DeMorrio Shank both missed the game with injuries, but freshman Derrick Ballard and redshirt-freshman Greg Harper played well in their place. Also redshirt-freshman Jason Brown continued to start in place of cornerback Marcus Smith. Smith is still hobbled by an ankle injury, but played against Army. . . . Sanders limped off with 13:02 left in the second quarter. He led Memphis with 73 rushing yards. Darche Epting had 66 on 19 carries. . . . Bunkie Perkins had his best day as a Tiger with four catches for 37 yards. Al Sermon led Memphis receivers with 44 yards on four catches. . . . Memphis lost the possession time battle for the first time this year. Army had the ball for 30:41; Memphis 29:19. . . . Wade Smith fumbled a short kickoff to start the second half and Army ran it back to tie the game at 14 just 11 seconds into the half. . . . Several influential U of M boosters attended the game, including former Shelby County Mayor Bill Morris.

(You can write Dennis Freeland at freeland@memphisflyer.com).

Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Goes For Three in a Row

Post author By Dennis Freeland
Post date September 22, 2000

NEW YORK — Will Rip Scherer have the last laugh? Will the fans forgive the University of Memphis offensive woes if the Tigers can win seven games and go to a bowl game? Those are the story lines, going into the fourth game of the season.

“Winning ugly” is what fans are calling the Tigers’ modest two-game winning streak. It is not meant as as a compliment.

Heading into Saturday’s Conference-USA opener at Army, Memphis (2-1) has scored only five touchdowns and four came against a horrible Louisiana-Monroe team. Lack of imagination in the play calling is particularly troublesome to Tiger fans.

But Scherer insists he is only interested in winning and doesn’t mind ‘winning ugly.’ He feels the best chance he has is to play a conservative, ground-oriented offense to enhance his team’s obvious strengths — defense and kicking. Memphis has the seventh-best defense in the nation. Ben Graves has punted the ball extremely well. And Playboy all-American Ryan White is a threat anytime Memphis gets inside the opponent’s 35.

The question for some fans is why, after five complete seasons under Scherer, does Memphis not have a more productive offense? Why are the Tigers forced to play games like last week’s 19-17 come-from-behind victory over Arkansas State? Why does Memphis rank 106 out of 115 Division I teams in total offense?

Lost in the unhappiness about the offense is the fact that Memphis is 2-1 for the first time since 1984. The fans might grumble about how they are doing it, but a win over Army Saturday will put Memphis exactly where it wants to be — on track for a seven-win season and a bowl invitation.

And that will give Scherer a chance to have the last laugh.

GAME NOTES

** After ending a streak that saw the Tigers go from 1996 to 1999 without a road win, Memphis has now won four straight on the road dating back to October of last year. They go for five in a row this Saturday at Army.

** Quarterback Neil Suber is scheduled to start for the first time in 2000. He replaces Travis Anglin who is out with a sprained ankle.

** INJURY REPORT: Redshirt freshman linebacker Coot Terry sprained his knee this week in practice. He is doubtful. . . . . Senior starting linebacker Demorrio Shank (foot) is probable after missing the first three games. . . .Running back Dernice Wherry (shoulder) is doubtful. . . . Starting cornerback Marcus Smith, who missed the last two games, is probable. . . . Starting guard Josh Eargle (ACL) is out for the season. His replacement Trey Erye suffered a hyperextended elbow against ASU and is questionable.

You can write Dennis Freeland at: freeland@memphisflyer.com

Sports Sports Feature

ABA 2000 Has Familiar Faces

Post author By Dennis Freeland
Post date September 20, 2000

The cast announcing the name of the latest Memphis pro sports franchise was a familiar one. Gene Bartow, Larry Finch, and Jack Eaton– the coach, star player, and radio announcer for the 1973 Memphis State team– were all at the head table when the new ABA 2000 team, the Houn’Dawgs, unveiled its name and logo at a noon press luncheon Wednesday. It was the second pro sports announcement of the week. Earlier the Memphis franchise of the XFL announced they were hiring former Tiger quarterback Kippy Brown as the head coach of the Maniax.

“We felt it was very important to establish an identity with the Mid-South and also capture the history of the ABA red, white, and blue basketball on its finger,” team president Bartow said. The team mascot will be called “king” and the franchise colors will be red, white, and blue.

Finch is in charge of player personnel and Eaton is the team’s radio coordinator. No contracts have been signed yet, but WHBQ-AM is in negotiations with the team for a radio deal. Jeff Weinberger and Eaton are set to do the broadcasts.

Bartow said a coach will be named soon, maybe by next week. The team schedule is expected to be released by October 1st. The Houn’Dawgs will play 60 games — 30 on their home floor in the new Desoto Civic Center in Southaven. The season is expected to begin in late December.

Other cities in the new league are Anaheim, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Long Island, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, and Tampa Bay.

(You can write Dennis Freeland at freeland@memphisflyer.com)

Sports Sports Feature

Maniax Name New Coach

Post author By Chris Przybyszewski
Post date September 18, 2000

Memphis’ XFL team, the Maniax, today announced its new head coach — Kippy Brown, former University of Memphis quarterback (1975-1977).

Memphians may remember Brown’s role in the Tigers’ victory at 6th ranked Auburn in 1975. After graduation, Brown coached running backs and receivers at his alma mater until 1980. He then coached for Louisville (1982), the University of Tennessee (1983-89, 1993-94), and joined the NFL as an assistant coach for the Jets (1990-92), Buccaneers (1995), Dolphins (1996-1999), and Green Bay Packers (2000).

According to Maniax general manager Steve Ehrhart, one of the best recommendations came from NFL future hall-of-famer Dan Marino, who was under Brown’s direction as Miami’s offensive coordinator from 1998-1999. In fact, sources close to the situation say Brown served as the go-between in the quarterback’s stormy relationship with former Dolphin coach Jimmy Johnson.

“It is unbelievable to see my career come full-circle — from when I was a player in Memphis 28 years ago, now having the honor of being the head coach of the Memphis team in this exciting new league with such a great future,” Brown said.

Since Memphis has territorial rights to the University of Memphis and Tennessee programs, Brown’s ties to both were seen as particularly important. Brown will officially join the team as soon as his current commitment to the Green Bay Packers, where he is the running backs coach, is complete.

(You can write Chris at chris@memphisflyer.com)

Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Avoids Indian Ambush

Post author By Dennis Freeland
Post date September 17, 2000

JONESBORO, AR — In the end Memphis ran the ball. … And ran the ball. … And ran the ball. Of the 13 plays in the 58-yard drive that culminated in Ryan White’s winning 35-yard field goal, 12 were running plays with either Sugar Sanders or Darche Epting carrying the ball. The drive began at the Memphis 24 with 6:35 left in the game and Arkansas State leading 17-16. When White’s kick split the uprights only 49 seconds remained.

The final quarter of the game began with Memphis leading 16-3, but Cleo Lemon, Arkansas State’s nifty senior quarterback, led his team on two long touchdown drives to give the Indians the lead and set up the late game heroics of the Tiger offensive line and backs. Head coach Rip Scherer had maintained all year that the Memphis offense was going to be a good rushing team. On that final drive, they may have proven it.

Lemon tried to rally his team for a game-winning score but came about three feet short. Lemon completed two passes for 30 yards to his favorite receiver, Robert Killow, to move the ball to the Memphis 35. But Nick Gatto’s 52-yard field goal attempt was about three feet short.

It was hard not to think that Scherer’s career at Memphis hung in the balance as Gatto’s kick soared toward the goal post. When it fell harmlessly to the ground, Scherer and his beleaguered offense had a new lease on life.

“In the past five years we’ve always found a way for these type games to get away from us. You play your heart out and you let it get away,” a jubilant Scherer said after the game. “I’m proud of Ryan White. But more importantly, I’m proud of our offense. When we had to have a drive, had to get field position, had to grind it out, we did it. They knew what we were doing. They had nine or ten in the box. We were running hard. Running for first downs. This kind of game is a character builder. It might not have been pretty, but winning like that late in the game can really help our season.”

Memphis rushed the ball for 147 yards and didn’t turn the ball over for the first time this season. Sanders rushed for 96 net yards and Billy Kendall caught four passes for 40 yards. Kendall’s first catch of the day was the biggest, a 12-yard touchdown in the first quarter. The touchdown followed a Glenn Sumpter interception of a Lemon pass. Sumpter returned the ball 32 yards to the ASU 17, setting up the touchdown. After that Memphis could only manage four field goals from White, the Playboy all-American. White’s field goals were from 19, 26, 42, and 35.

The Arkansas State offense got untracked in the second half — with 81 and 67 yard touchdown drives. The Indians gained 324 yards on the nation’s second-ranked defense. It was the first time Memphis had allowed more than 100 yards rushing or 200 yards passing this season.

Memphis now prepares for its first conference game Saturday at West Point. It will be the Tigers first trip to Army since 1985.

GAME NOTES

This is the first time Memphis has started a year 2-1 since 1984.

Quarterback Travis Anglin suffered an ankle sprain in the third quarter and was replaced by Neil Suber. Anglin will likely miss at least two weeks with the injury. Guard Trey Erye, playing in place of Josh Eargle, suffered a hyperextended elbow in the game. His status will be determined later in the week. Linebacker DeMorrio Shank, tailback Dernice Wherry, and cornerback Marcus Smith all sat out the game with injuries.

With the touchdown catch, Billy Kendall extended to 19 a streak of games in which the senior tight end has caught at least one pass. The streak started when Kendall was a sophomore.

Al Sermon saw his first action of the season with five catches for 38 yards. Six different Tiger receivers caught passes.

For the second consecutive week a Memphis opponent had zero punt return yardage. Ben Graves averaged 40 yards on 5 punts.

The linebackers led Memphis in tackles. Kamal Shakir had 9 and Coot Terry and Greg Harper had 8. Terry also had a sack.

(You can write Dennis Freeland at freeland@memphisflyer.com)

News

Hackett To Head Wonders

Post author By John Branston
Post date September 13, 2000

Former Memphis mayor Dick Hackett will be the new head of Wonders, the city’s cultural exhibition series, Hackett confirmed Wednesday.

Wonders will be privately funded by the Plough Foundation as a not-for-profit corporation. It had been operating as a division of the city since it was conceived in 1987 during Hackett’s mayoral administration. The city will continue to support it with a $400,000 allocation this year.

Hackett will have an office in Pembroke Square downtown.

Since he left the mayor’s office in 1991, Hackett has been working for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a fundraiser and public representative. He said he “loved” the job and plans to stay active as a volunteer.

Glenn Campbell, the current head of Wonders, will stay on as chief operating officer.

Wonders got off to a strong start with the Ramesses the Great exhibition but has struggled in recent years. The next exhibition, consisting of Egyptian art from the British Museum, will be in 2001 at The Pyramid.

Hackett will be working in tandem with the man who defeated him, Mayor Willie Herenton.

(You may write John Branston at branston@memphismagazine.com)

Politics Politics Beat Blog

Lieberman’s Coming!

Post author By Jackson Baker
Post date September 12, 2000

The decision by Vice President Al Gore to tap Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman as his running mate has, by all accounts, paid instant and enduring dividends in the presidential preference polls. It is likely, too, that the senator will net for the ticket some financial dividends at assorted fund-raisers– like one which is now tentatively scheduled for Memphis in mid-October. The genesis of a fund-raiser here involving Senator Lieberman probably had its origins in a conversation last week between State Senator Steve Cohen and Memphis mega-developer and yellow-dog Democrat Henry Turley. They found themselves wondering out loud whether Senator Lieberman might (a) make himself available for a Memphis fund-raiser and (b) whether his presence would help energize potential Democratic cadres–especially those in Memphis’ Jewish community– who might otherwise have tuned out politics this year.

One thing led to another, and some of the Gore 2000 campaign’s ranking officers– notably chief finance officer Johnny Hayes, longtime Gore friend Jim Gilliland, and state Gore-Lieberman director Roy Herron– came to Memphis Monday for a planning session at Bosco’s which drew some 50 Memphis Gore supporters. “There was a lot of enthusiasm, and everybody was there,” said Pace Cooper, one of the main ultimate planners of the luncheon, along with U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. The “everybody” included Mayor Willie Herenton as well as the congressman and his father, Harold Ford Sr., Shelby County party chairman David Cocke, and virtually every other stripe of local Democrat. The upshot is that, of the $2 1/2 million, which Tennessee is charged with raising for the Gore-Lieberman campaign, the Memphis supporters have obliged themselves to raise 20 percent or $500,000. And Lieberman’s forthcoming fundraiser– to be held “in a private home,” says Cooper– is being counted on to provide a substantial hunk of that half-million.

Cooper’s family is related by marriage to the Lieberman family, and Pace Cooper’s father– the late hotelier, philanthropist, and Democratic eminence Irby Cooper– sponsored a fundraiser for Lieberman at the East Memphis Hilton (the Coopers’ local flagship hotel) back in 1994. Pace Cooper allowed himself the wistful thought that his father would have been thrilled to see his friend Joe Lieberman rise to his present role in American political history, and when local Democrats gather with the senator next month, the spirit of Irby Cooper is sure to be invoked, one way or another.

Turnabout is fair play– or something. Shelby County’s Democrats will be opening up a headquarters in Eastgate Shopping Center this week– roughly at the same time that Shelby County’s Republicans, who have been at Eastgate, will be departing from that location to inaugurate their new headquarters at Park Place Mall. Jackson Baker can be contacted at baker@memphisflyer.com.