Month: February 2001

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News News Feature

DELECTABLE

I borrowed a cookbook from a friend in Memphis last week, marvelous recipes culled from dozens of Louisiana cookbooks. Blackfish and jambalaya. Couche-couche and bouillabaisse. It told me what to do to an alligator or a squirrel. To turtles and crayfish.

But the one that snared me was taken from a cookbook called Turnip Greens in the Bathtub.

I sat there grinning, reminded of my mother, a woman so eccentric you’d think she’d been born in Louisiana.

Mama used to clean her greens in her Sears Deluxe washing machine on the rinse and spin cycle. Unfortunately, the residues killed the washer. But she sure got her turnip greens clean.

I’m a lot more lackadaisical. A good swish in a sink of warm water is just fine with me, and you’ll almost never taste a bit of grit in a bite of my greens. Nor has a single spider floated to the surface of any pot I’ve ever made.

I do know folks who are much more thorough.

Vergie Butler, for instance, rinses her greens three times. Then she adds fatback and turnips and lets them simmer for an hour.

Vergie is my neighbor who lives just down the road from our McNairy County farm, and I have an open invitation all winter long to stop by any time I’d like to raid the patch of greens behind her house. Every autumn she not only plants the ubiquitous turnip, but mustard and — my favorite — winter salad.

In fact, when the temperature’s dropping hard into the twenties, she’ll give me a call.

“Come on over and get yourself a mess o’ greens before they go to waste!”

She always insists on helping, so there we go, Vergie dragging on her sweater over her housedress as we pick our way down the slope to the garden.

We have more than once been out there in the dark, bent over the squat plants, working our way down those long rows, our ears and noses burning in the cold, our fingers steadily stiffening as the jet stream moves in.

She fills one grocery sack to overflowing and I another, pulled on by the lure of just-one-more. You’d think we were kids in a blueberry woods.

A day or so after my most recent foray into Vergie’s backyard, I drove on down to Corinth, Mississippi — hardly a stone’s throw south of our farm. Dashed off a few errands, then stopped by Menna’s for a cup of coffee and mentioned Vergie’s generosity. The two of us got to reminiscing about great turnip greens we have known.

Like many a Mississippian, she’s been trekking to Memphis for decades. Back in the Seventies, Menna and a carload of friends used to make a run into town about once a month, spend all day shopping at Goldsmith’s (downtown) and at Seessel’s, Helen of Memphis, and the Green Stamps store. Sometime about noon, they’d pick a place to eat, their hot spots including The Cupboard on Union, where you could buy pot likker — straight — with cornbread.

And then there was the Knickerbocker out on Poplar Avenue.

Oh, yes, Menna remembered their turnip greens. Yummed and nodded. Yes, they were fine.

I didn’t know Menna way back then, but in my early twenties my mother and I were big Knickerbocker fans. The linen tablecloths. The coffee in heavy white cups. The cellophane packets of Melba toast. We’d spread those thin dry toasts with the pats they served on bread and butter plates. Sip coffee and nibble. Pretty soon, one of their middle-aged waitresses would have plunked down our turnip greens along with baskets of corn sticks that crunched.

We’d keep telling each other how good those victuals were — that is, when our mouths weren’t too full to speak.

The question is, what you do with the turnips dangling like heavy ornaments from the ends of their stalks, bone white with bands of purist purple swirled around their bald heads.

Vergie always insists on uprooting several large specimens and laying them–bouquetlike — on top of my sack as if they were an offering to the gods.

Mama, Vergie, Menna–they all like’m peeled and sliced and set in the bottom of a pot with the greens piled on.

Once cooked, they look like melted flesh, as though Dali had drawn them. I’ve never told Miss Vergie, but I’m not wild about those limp, gray wedges.

Not that I really mind them in a pot of greens; I just think they’re wasted.

I’d rather make carrots ‘n’ turnips.

On the Yankee branch of my family, this dish carries a mythical weight. No Thanksgiving, for instance, would be Thanksgiving without it.

And it’s easy.

Boil a half pot of carrots and another of turnips, drain them and mash. Add a chunk of butter, salt and pepper–generously–and they’re just right. I promise.

But save the water you boiled them in for the next time you make soup.

Mama used to live next door to a guy with seven children, vice president of Muzak as a matter of fact, who’d shoo his wife out of the kitchen now and then so he could cook up a vat of vegetable soup.

He told me once that he always added a turnip. Claimed it was The Secret.

I’ve done it ever since. Amazing how that no-count, funky root gives a broth such resonance, a certain je ne sais quoi.

So it’s evening and I’m running warm water over a sinkful of greens, trimming the leafy parts off the stalks, dropping them into the pressure cooker along with chopped onion, dried jalapenos, and chicken bouillon. My grandmother’s cast-iron skillet bakes cornbread with a crispy crust, and in half an hour my husband and I will be savoring the pot likker, fragrant and hot.

Yes, you may have your ambrosias and souffle’s.

Your gumbos and pates.

Nothing hits the spot on a cold winter’s night like a mess of first-rate greens.

[This story originally appeared in Memphis Magazine.]

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Politics Politics Beat Blog

THE CONVERSION OF TOM MOSS

Okay, it was expected that Tom Moss, who was appointed Shelby County Commissioner last fall, would try to get himself assimilated as a member in good standing of the commission’s seven-member GOP majority.

After all, nominal Republican Moss had defeated mainstream Republican David Lillard and was named to his post basically by a Democratic-dominated coalition (the same one that at the selfsame meeting boosted lodge brother Shep Wilbun into the vacant Juvenile Court clerkship), and Moss, along with veteran Republican Clair VanderSchaaf (who voted with the Democrats both times), was supposed to be dog meat for righteously vengeful Republicans to gnaw on at reelection time in 2002.

So builder Moss, whose ascension to the commission may have been more a developers’ coup than anything expressly political, has tried to accommodate himself to his fellow Republicans.

But things have become almost surreal: There was Moss after Monday’s commission meeting complaining, “I don’t think we’re a solid enough bloc. I don’t think we’re exacting enough in return for what we give up.” We? Why, the Republican majority, of course!

“For example, we should have demanded a quid pro quo from the Democrats when Brigget [Chisholm] came on,” Moss continued, referring to the young African-American woman, thitherto a political unknown like himself, who was elected to the commission two weeks later to replace Wilbun (Moss’s seat was the one formerly held by the GOP’s Mark Norris, who left for the state senate.)

In other words, Tom Moss — who achieved office under the cloud of Democratic sponsorship — has now become the most zealous of GOP partisans: No more deals with the Democrats unless something of solid value to the Republican coaliation comes from it!

It’s really quite remarkable, this turnaround saga of Moss the hardnose.Though there are those who maintain that Chisholm is in the same developers’ camp as Moss, she herself boasts State Senator John Ford and U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. as her chief supporters.

And in a key vote Monday on a Southeast Shelby County development resisted by its projected residential neighbors, she voted one way (against), Moss voted another (for), and VanderSchaaf voted yet a third way, proposing an amendment that would have split the difference.

(The project deadlocked at six-and-six and thereby died, although it can — and probably will — be brought up again for reconsideration.)

But the interesting fact about the vote was that none of the three supposed New Bloc members were together on the deal.

It may be easier than one would have thought for Tom Moss to take on protective coloration he’ll need for next year’s election season. At last Saturday’s annual Shelby County Republican Lincoln Day banquet at the Adam’s Mark, Moss was observed having a chummy conversation with Chris Norris, the ex-commissioner’s wife and a bedrock Republican in her own right.

That was followed by an even chummier conversation with county GOP chairman Alan Crone, who was overheard to be asking the new commissioner out to lunch.

After Moss’s appointment, Commissioner Michael Hooks was recommending a wait-and-see attitude to his fellow Democrats. He reminded them that they had played a large role four years ago in the appointment to the body of Morris Fair, but, said Hooks, “he voted with us once or twice, and then he turned into just another Republican.”

Whether that’s totally accurate or not, it describes a conversion process that Tom Moss, in his turn, may have already begun.

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Sports Sports Feature

“THAT’S NOT ACCEPTABLE”

In front of 30,117 home fans, the XFL Memphis Maniax turned the ball over four times (3 fumbles, 1 interception) on the way to a 25-3 beating by the Las Vegas Outlaws at Memphis’ first-ever home XFL game.

In a game dominated by the Outlaws’ (2-0, 1-0) defensive line, Memphis (1-1, 0-1) could never get its offense moving with running back Rashaan Salaam rushing for only 82 yards on 17 carries and a critical fumble at the Maniax one-yard line which was scooped up in the end-zone by Outlaws’ middle linebacker Kurt Gouveia and run back 100 yards for a touchdown.

Maniax quarterback Marcus Crandell struggled as well, completing only 9-21 passes for 134 yards, before being replaced by back-up QB Craig Whelian, who promptly threw an interception to Outlaws’ free safety Chris Bayne. Whelian finished with only 5-12 completions for 46 yards.

The Outlaws offense didn’t fair much better, collecting only 92 yards rushing and 62 yards passing. But the Outlaws were able to convert the Maniax’ turnovers. Besides the 100-yard return, Outlaws’ free-safety Jason Kaiser ran back a fumbled exchange 80 yards for a touchdown. The Outlaws were also able to score a field-goal after Whelian’s interception, which Bayne ran back for 71 yards to the Memphis 8-yard line.

“The fans have every right to be mad. I’m mad. Because that’s not acceptable,” said Maniax head coach Kippy Brown after the game.

Though frustrated with Sunday’s outcome, Brown said he wasn’t totally surprised.

“Our problems started when we came back to work on Wednesday. We didn’t have a good feel by the way we were preparing. It’s embarrassing, but there’s no excuses. This wasn’t the true Maniax team.”

The Maniax’ next game is Saturday, February 17th at the Liberty Bowl against conference foe San Francisco(1-1, 0-1), who lost in Orlando, falling to the Rage 26-14 in a game Saturday.

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Sports Sports Feature

TIGERS HANDLE TULANE

The University of Memphis dominated Tulane Saturday night at The Pyramid, winning 91-64. The Tigers have won 10 of their last 11 games and appear ready to host arch-rival and conference power Cincinnati. The Bearcats come to Memphis Thursday night for a game on ESPN.

“The [one] barrier that this team has not been able to break through has been nationally televised games at home in front of great crowds,” Calipari said after watching all ten of his players score in a game that was never close. “Overcoming a little bit of selfishness, where it’s ÔME, ME, ME because we’re on TV, TV, TV.’ So the next challenge, Thursday, is that. Nationally televised game against THE team in our league.”

The difference against Tulane was Kelly Wise. The junior forward was sensational, scoring 18 points in 28 minutes. Wise made a steel at half-court then drove for a slam dunk just before halftime. He added a stick-back basket and led the Tigers off the floor with his arms raised in triumph, leading 43-26. “Without Kelly we’re not up 17,” Calipari said. “He’s getting better and better.”

Freshman Scotter McFadgon scored in double figures for a team-leading 10th consecutive game, with a game-high 19. Senior Shannon Forman hit seven out of 10 from the field to finish with 17 points.

The Tigers pressured the Tulane guards all night, putting their taller players, including the 6-10 Wise on the ball. Tulane turned the ball over 15 times but more importantly, the Green Wave was never able to run its offense. It was, in fact, the very type of defensive pressure that Bob Huggins’ teams at Cincinnati have used in dominating this league and the Great Midwest Conference before that.

This will be the first time Huggins has met Calipari in Conference USA. Calipari is 0-2 against Cincinnati, one of the few teams that he has a losing mark against.

“Bob and I are friends and competitors at the same time,” Calipari said. “In the NBA, it was Larry Brown, who’s a mentor, he knew I wanted to beat him so bad. It was the same with Rick Pittino. I think we went 3-1 against Boston. It’s the same way with this game. If Bobby and I were playing one-on-one I would feel very good about our chances, but since it’s his team against my team — who’s going to be playing better? It should be a lot of fun.”

ESPN is expected to bring its first team in for the game, meaning the return of Calipari’s motor-mouth friend Dick Vitale, who broadcast the Tigers’ home opener against Temple. Vitale also made a paid appearance at The Pyramid for the celebrations surrounding the opening of Tiger basketball practice in October.

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Politics Politics Beat Blog

COHEN’S LOTTERY PROPOSAL PASSES THE BIG TEST

“It’s interesting that, just as we take the turn into the 21st Century, in the Tennessee legislature we’ve finally caught up with the 20th.”

That was State Senator Steve Cohen on the comfortable predicament he is now in, with the state Senate having finally bought the lottery-referendum resolution he’s been vending in one form or another for 16 years, and with the state House poised to give an almost certain Yes next week.

The self-same House wasted no time Thursday in setting up for action. The body suspended its rules to read the lottery resolution for the first time Thursday, putting the decisive third reading and the final vote — when the measure needs a two-thirds majority for passage — on the calendar for next Wednesday.

Speaker Jimmy Naifeh said, “From a preliminary count it looks like there should be sufficient votes for the lottery resolution to pass the House.”

Chris Newton (R-Cleveland) said he is confident the House will have the 66 votes. “We want more than that,Ó he said. ÒWe want a resounding voice from the peopleÕs House. Then we can go on with the other issues without this lingering over everything else.”

Lottery opponents, meanwhile, have all but given up the ghost. “The momentum is with them right now. I don’t think there is any doubt that the votes are there,” said Rep. Bobby Wood (R-Harrison).

Gov. Don Sundquist has said he will sign the lottery resolution as soon as it passed and gets to his desk. Upon the expected House approval next week and the governor’s signature, there would be set in course a statewide vote on the lottery to be held at the same time as the November 2002 governor’s race.

A majority of people voting in the governor’s race would be required to approve the measure, which, in simplest terms, amends the constitution, removing the ban on holding lotteries. The resolution specifies that revenue from the lottery would go toward educational purposes.

The proceeds, which could run as much as $200 million annually, would go first to college scholarships for Tennessee youths to attend Tennessee schools. Any money left over would be used for school construction and early childhood learning programs.

Senate Was Big Hurdle

The big obstacle, of course, was overcome on Wednesday, when the Senate approved the referendum by the bare-minimum vote of 22-11 — getting the requisite two-thirds needed to get the referendum on the November 2002 ballot.

Wednesday’s Senate vote saw the lottery withstand some furious last-minute lobbing against it by both gambling forces based in Tunica, Mississippi, and conservative religious groups — an indication of what to expect when the statewide vote occurs next year.

But Cohen was content just now to bask in the present. “This is a victory for the people of Tennessee. I guess time is on my side,” said the euphoric senator after the Senate vote.

The lottery resolution was passed by a majority vote of both houses last year, and this year needed a two-thirds vote in the Senate and House.

Ironically enough, given the number of years it has taken for the lottery resolution to get to this point, actual debate Wednesday lasted only about an hour. Opponents focused on the dangers of gambling and warned that the resolution, if approved, cou ld lead to a return of corrupt bingo games of the sort that were banned after the Rocky Top scandals a decade ago.

Sen. Douglas Henry (D-Nashville) said the lottery would be “injurious to the people.” He said for the state to use lottery proceeds for education, “We would have to prostitute the state of Tennessee. We would have to drag our skirts in the dirt. . . .[W]e would have to say to children . . .’When you get old enough, you should buy a ticket. It will get you a fortune for nothing overnight.'”

And Sen. Roy Herron (D-Dresden) suggested during debate that an Attorney General’s opinion lef it unclear whether the Cohen resolution would permit casinos.

Cohen and his supporters warned against fear tactics and stressed that Tennesseans were mature enough to make a decision on the measure. “I ask 21 others to join me and cast the most important vote of your life to give the people of Tennessee the right to vote to help our schools and help our children.,” Cohen said before the Sernate vote.

And Sen. Ward Crutchfield (D-Chattanooga) asked, “In the final analysis, if your constituents are smart enough to elect you, why aren’t they smart enough to vote for this?”

Result Preordained?

In the wake of his triumph, Cohen said that he had resisted the temptation to roll the bill until next week, as a sometimes wavering supporter, Sen. Doug Jackson (D-Dickson), had suggested. “I knew that Lincoln Davis [D-Pall Mall] would be gone on Thursday, and I didn’t want to let things hang over the weekend,” said Cohen, noting that he had asked that the rules be suspended to permit both a second and third reading this week.

Cohen said the 22 Yes votes were exactly the ones he expected, and so were the 11 No votes. “Really, the vote total was decided in last year’s electons, and really on filing deadline. I knew that [new Shelby County Republican senator] Mark Norris would vote for it, and I knew that either [Democratic winner] Larry Trailor [Republican loser] Howard Wall in their [Murfreesboro-area] race would be for it. So it was set back then, with those two seats.”

Cohen professed disappointment in the resistance to his resolution by Senator Herron. who was one of the leaders of the opposition to the bill but, Cohen said, had consistently supported a virtually identifical measure while a member of the House several years ago.

In the end, the lottery may have benefitted from the intense debate caused by Gov. Sundquist’s call over the last two years for a state income tax. Opponents insisted that any new tax required a vote by the people, and they fell to looking for an alternative. Both circumstances helped the lottery proposal .

As State Senator Marsha Blackburn of Williamson County, perhaps the most arch of the Senate’s arch conservatives and a bitter foe of the income tax, said in Memphis this weekend, where she attended the annual Shelby County Republican Lincoln Day dinner: “In American you let the people vote. That works for the income tax, and it works for the lottery.”

Cohen could count on several such Republican votes to go with those from his Democratic base.

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News News Feature

PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE EDUCATION

When her oldest child was ready for kindergarten, Pam Church began looking at schools. “I’ve probably visited every private school in Memphis,” says Church, only half joking. The Church family lives in Germantown, where the public schools are considered to be among the best in the nation. In 1996, the Shelby County school system was chosen by Money magazine as one of the top 100 affordable public school districts in America.

Despite such high marks, Church says her three children attend private school. Why?

“I like the responsiveness and accountability that you find in a private school,” says Church. “They have to listen to you or they’ll be out of business,” she says. “Plus, I felt like my children would receive more individualized attention in a private setting.”

Dan and Tara Browning, who live in the same subdivision as the Churches, send their three children to the public school in their neighborhood. When faced with the same choice of public versus private education, the Brownings decided to move from the city to the county so their children would be able to attend a public school.

“We feel it’s a privilege to support our public schools, because they prepare all our children to live in a diverse world,” says Tara Browning. “As long as our children are safe and getting a good education, I just don’t have any peripheral reason for sending them to a private school. Besides, we’re paying for it with our tax dollars, so why not support it and make it the best it can be?”

The Churches and the Brownings have wrestled with a decision that faces virtually every parent at some point. “Where are we going to send our kids to school?” is a question some parents discuss as early as pregnancy. Parents typically want what’s best for their child and that includes the best possible education. Yet when given a choice between public and private schools, parents can be overwhelmed by the variety of options. The purpose of this article is not to recommend one system over the other, but to give readers an objective overview of these two very different approaches to education, so that those who have a choice might make an informed decision.

Last year, the National Association of Independent Schools commissioned an independent research company to assess public perceptions of public and private schools. In order to determine school preference, the survey asked, “If all things were equally available, what type of education would parents choose for their children?” Surprisingly, the “share of preference” was split fairly evenly among public (39 percent), independent (30 percent), and parochial (28 percent) schools. Clearly this “share of preference” indicates some inherent differences in the way these institutions approach education. Any parent who is in the process of choosing a school should understand these differences before they begin visiting schools. Be aware, however, public schools vehemently resist being compared to private schools.

“There is a lot of discomfort among public school officials when you begin comparing public and private schools,” says Delores Bell, communications manager for the Memphis City Schools. “Our missions are so entirely different, many people say the two systems just can’t be compared.” Still, they are being compared, whether public school officials like it or not – by every parent with school-age children. No matter how complex this issue may seem to administrators, parents realize it boils down to one simple question – who can do the best job of educating my child?

While only the parent can make that decision, it’s helpful to understand the inherent differences between public and private schools.

The Role

Public schools are driven by the needs and expectations of the communities they serve. Their success or failure depends largely upon the amount of support they receive from that community. “Public schools are a microcosm of our society,” says Mary Lee Hall, head of the department of instruction and curriculum leadership at the University of Memphis. “It’s how we perpetuate the intent of our founding fathers.”

A good school system is the product of a civic-minded, economically sound community. A troubled school system, on the other hand, is an expression of a troubled community. “The quality of public education is a reflection of community standards, environment, and culture,” says Ed Mance, executive director of the Tennessee Education Association, a professional association for teachers.

By contrast, private schools are market driven. Because they must meet the needs of a particular target market, their culture and environment is a reflection solely of that market, rather than the community at large. Their success or failure is directly linked to how they meet those demands and the amount of support they receive from within their own organization. It also depends on their ability to fill a niche within the private school marketplace. Being unique is essential to their financial stability. In describing St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Lindy Williams, the director of admissions, says, “We’re not the right school for everyone. Some people want a school that provides an evangelical Christian setting. That’s not us. Some people want a school that doesn’t have such challenging academics, so we try to help them find a transitional school. We’re really a school for hungry learners.”

The Raw Material

Public schools are bound by law to meet the educational needs of every child. They can’t choose which children they will or will not teach. They must accept everyone within their district regardless of their abilities, limitations, race, religion, gender, or socioeconomic status. According to Bell, “This includes children with physical and mental handicaps, children for whom English is not their primary language, children who come to kindergarten with limited early learning experiences, children who are poor . . . all children.”

Public education is founded on the principal that every child should have the chance to learn and develop his or her potential to the fullest. However, because public schools must be all things to all people, they’re often seen as “teaching to the middle,” as Pam Church describes it. “I think children who are needy or gifted don’t get the attention they really need because the teacher has to teach to the middle. Even though they have pull-out programs, I just think on a daily basis, [children] don’t get the attention they need to thrive,” says Church.

In a carefully worded statement, MCS says, “We work to level the academic playing field so that all students leave school with the highest level of skills possible.”

Private schools have the freedom to choose or reject students based on gender, aptitude, religion, and the family’s ability to pay tuition, as well as other criteria. This luxury gives them tremendous control over their raw material, the school environment, and thus, their results. They may also dismiss students whose needs change after enrollment. An East Memphis mother who did not want her name published tells of her frustration when her son was dismissed from a private school after he was found to have a learning disability.

“It made him feel as though he wasn’t good enough to go to school with the other kids,” she says. “Even though he was not disruptive, they didn’t want him in the school anymore. It took too much time to deal with his problems.” While this mother’s case is probably the exception rather than the rule, the fact remains that private schools have far more control over their student population than public schools.

Private schools also have more control over their financial resources. If their budget runs short, they can raise funds without having to pass tax increases or budget referendums. They explain the reasons for the needed money only to those who support the school. Private schools often have generous alumni and individual supporters who have a vested interest in the school’s success.

Public schools are funded by taxpayer dollars and, therefore, fall under heavy scrutiny. When school officals ask for more money, they must justify the additional expenditures to the taxpayer vis-a-vis the school board, which typically approves school budgets. When the public isn’t convinced of the need for additional funding, schools must do without by trimming their budgets or finding other ways of raising funds.

Regulatory Issues

Public schools report to local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as teachers unions, professional associations, parent-teacher organizations, the general public, and the parents of the children they serve. According to Mance of the TEA, the overwhelming amount of paperwork required of most school principals interferes with the time they can devote responding to individual parents.

“Often, even good administrators are not as receptive and accommodating to the parent as they should be,” he says. “Too often, they’re overloaded with rules, regulations, paperwork, and overcrowded schools to be sensitive and responsive to the parents.” Asked if anything is being done to give more internal control to the schools, Mance gives a sigh of frustration. “Every time we take a step forward in that direction, we seem to take two steps back,” he says. With the legal obligations and red tape involved in the management of public schools, it’s no wonder conversations with public school officials are more often laced with “I have to” rather than “I can.”

Private schools report directly to the customer. For the most part, the schools are self-governed. Voluntary participation in professional associations, such as the National Association of Independent Schools, requires the school to abide by certain requirements and regulations adopted by that organization. The biggest regulator in private schools might actually be the tuition factor. If private school administrators are nonresponsive to parents, they run the risk of alienating their customer base and losing business.

Because of the division between church and state, prayer and religious discussion is forbidden in public schools. But Mance adds, “Most schools still teach values by modeling values, setting and enforcing rules, and maintaining discipline.” Hall agrees saying, “We have to relate the concepts of right and wrong without ties to religion. It can be done.”

Privates are free to integrate the religion of their choice throughout every aspect of the school. Many schools are directly supported by specific denominations, churches, or synagogues.

Public School Strengths

¥ Diversity.

Because public schools accept everyone, they have the best chance of offering a diverse environment in which children can learn about other cultures and races. However, diversity in public schools isn’t limited to ethnic origin. “In most public schools, you’ll find a wide range of achievers. From those who are struggling to those who are average, above-average, and gifted, the grade scale is usually pretty wide,” says Mance. “In private schools, you’re more likely to find a narrower scale.”

Exposure to those who learn differently could be an asset to children. They will no doubt encounter people in college and the workplace who have different abilities. Understanding, compassion, and an ability to work with people at many levels are virtues that are encouraged in a public school setting.

¥ Public Scrutiny.

Public schools always have someone looking over their shoulder – the taxpayer. Every taxpayer expects a return on his investment. When public schools are successful, the entire community benefits. When public schools fail, the public deserves an explanation. School board officials who fail to provide leadership can and should be replaced. The legal red tape and necessary hoop-jumping may be excessive, but from the parents perspective, accountability is a good thing.

Both Hall and Mance agree that public school officials sometimes respond defensively to the intense scrutiny of public schools. And such behavior makes parents more suspicious and contentious. But Hall contends that more parental involvement is the answer, saying, “Too many parents don’t understand they have the right to visit their public school. Any good administrator would welcome such a visit because they are proud of their school.” Mance adds, “Anytime parents are involved, performance increases.” Yet he admits, “Public schools need to cultivate better public relations.”

¥ A Variety of Learning Opportunities.

Advanced college placement classes, honors programs, foreign-language programs, visual and performing arts, optional programs, vocational and technical training, and a variety of sports and activities make public schools a smorgasbord of educational options. The possibilities for learning reflect the diverse student population public schools serve. As children grow and change, public schools are generally prepared to meet their interests in a variety of ways.

Private School Strengths

¥ Internal Control.

Private schools set their own course. They make their own rules, choose their own curricular materials, determine requirements for both students and faculty, and they alone decide how to measure their results. The freedom from government restrictions creates a responsive climate where creativity and innovation can thrive. “We have the freedom to adapt according to the needs of our student population,” says Williams of St. Mary’s. “We can change our curriculum every year if we want. Our hands are not tied by anyone or anything outside the school.” Such freedom is a powerful draw to enthusiastic teachers.

¥ Religious Freedom.

Private schools can study the religion or religions of their choice as well as the effects of religion on world history. Dr. David Ellis, of the department of history at the University of Memphis, says, “You can’t study history without discussing religion. The two subjects are inseparable.” Also, many parents are looking for sources outside the home to reinforce their own message of spirituality. Private schools take a very proactive approach to encouraging moral and spiritual development.

¥ Individualized Attention.

Because private schools can keep class size small, teachers have a greater opportunity to bring out the best in each child. By creating an environment that promotes high levels of achievement, every child, regardless of their personality or demeanor, should be encouraged to express himself in positive ways.

No matter what your preference, public and private schools make valuable contributions to our society. Private schools offer parents an alternative, while public schools ensure that no child is denied the right to an education. “Educating children is not a competition,” says Delores Bell at MCS. While that may be true, an enormous amount of support and resources are redirected from public schools when parents choose private schools for their children. If public schools fail to compete for public support and parental involvement, they run the risk of losing those resources by default.

[This story first appeared in Memphis Parent]

Categories
Sports Sports Feature

MANIAX’ DUELING QUARTERBACKS

The Maniax will have a different backup quarterback when Memphis plays Las Vegas Sunday at the Liberty Bowl. In the season opener against Birmingham Jim Druckenmiller was the backup to starter Marcus Crandell. However, this week the backup quarterback will be Craig Whelian.

The change has nothing to do with Druckenmiller, who played a series when Crandell came out of the game after a big hit. Instead, it’s a player management tactic by Maniax head coach Kippy Brown as a reaction to XFL rules which restrict the team’s roster to 38 players. Teams can also suit-up a third-string quarterback as a 39th man.

The trick is that the third-stringer doesn’t get paid since he is not technically on the active roster unless he comes into the game. This isn’t little league where the coach has to make sure everyone plays, so in most cases the third man out is … well, out. Even though he practices with the team, wears a uniform, and is ready to play, the third quarterback gets only a fraction of the pay that his teammates make, and no bonus if the team wins. That means that while quarterbacks in the XFL get $4,500 a game plus a $2,500 bonus if they win, the third-string quarterback gets only $1,000.

“It’s not right, but it’s the way the league is right now,” Brown says. His solution? “This week we made Druck the second guy. He got his full salary and bonus. Next week, Whelian will be the second guy, and he’ll get the full deal. That’s being honest about it. That’s being fair about it. It’s hard for me to walk up to a guy on Thursday, and say, look, you busted your butt, you’re prepared, but you’re not going to be active this game. He hadn’t done anything to be sitting down, but that’s pro football.”

Brown says the switch might continue with other positions as well. “There will be some positions where it’s close. And I might flip-flop it because the guy that I sit down, he doesn’t deserve not to make his money,” the coach says. “I’m going to do what it takes to win, but if there’s a situation where the two players are even, I’m going to rotate them.”

However, Brown also hopes for a league change in the future. “The league, hopefully down the line, will realize this and even it up . . . . The rules in this deal have to be figured out. I think once we go through the growing pains, the people calling the shots want this thing to be as good as we can make it.”

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Sports Sports Feature

WEST PLEASED WITH FIRST TIGER RECRUITING CLASS

Tommy West appreciates Rip Scherer hiring him in 2000 as defensive coordinator. So, he is careful not to say anything about the former coach that could be construed as negative. But read between the lines and a picture begins to form of just where West thinks the Tiger football program got off track.

“This is phase one of our putting our stamp on this football program and I really don’t think it could have gone a whole lot better than it did,” West said as he announced his 2001 recruiting class which includes 20 players. “I don’t think there is any doubt that we have brought a different temperament or a different attitude to some positions on our football team.”

West wants a tough football team and towards that goal he signed nine lineman, including two jucos and Albert Means, a former Parade All-American who transferred to his hometown university after his high school coach was accused of taking $200,000 from an Alabama booster. (The U of M has appealed to the NCAA to waive the transfer rule that calls for a player to sit out a year after moving to a school.)

“I really thought we would have to go a little more into junior college recruiting in our lines, but we ended up with two out of nine lineman coming from junior colleges,” West said. Six of the linemen come from high schools.

West wanted to get a better balance on his team. The Tiger squad he inherited had 11 scholarships taken up by wide receivers while only 10 lineman were on scholarship.

“I think we got a little bit closer to being back in line from a numbers standpoint,” the coach said.

He also laid out a challenge to his current players.

“We’ve oversigned. If there are a few academic casualties in this class, then we’re prepared for that,” West said. “If you are on this team right now, then I would be at every workout, I would be at every class, and I would be at every study hall. We are trying to create as much competition as we can at every position.”

The recruiting class is being heralded as the best at the U of M in close to 20 years. “If you would have put this class on the board on December 1st, I wouldn’t have believed that it ever could happen that way,” said West, who took special pride in signing nine players from the Memphis metro area, where the Tigers had little success in recent years. “I think what we did locally is a statement.”

Scherer made a habit of redshirting almost all of his high school recruits. Don’t expect the same from West.

“I will give every member of this class an opportunity to play next year,” he said. “If they can play on special teams, if they can help us in anyway, then they are going to get a chance to play next year.

“Redshirting has almost become a thing of the past. The NFL has helped see to that,” the former Clemson head coach continued. “The days of taking six or seven years to build a program have also become a thing of the past. So if they can help our team in any way then they will play for us next year. And I expect a majority of this class will contribute next year.”

He sounded like a coach who had learned some lessons the hard way.

2001 MEMPHIS FOOTBALL SIGNEES

Eric Anderson, 6-2, 285, Offensive Line, Middle Georgia College, Marietta, GA Lettered as an offensive center at Middle Georgia College … Helped his team to a 10-2 record and a fifth place national ranking in 2000 … Was named to the 1999 All-Region XVII Team … Played for coach Randy Pippen at Middle Georgia College.

Greg Billingslea, 6-3, 245, Defensive Line, Tucker HS, Tucker, GA Lettered as a fullback and defensive lineman at Tucker High School … Spent his time on offense blocking for tailback Jabari Davis … Helped Tucker HS to a record of 10-3 … Is projected as an defensive lineman at Memphis … Played defensive end in high school before dropping weight to play fullback … Played for coach Phil Lindsey at Tucker HS.

Dante Brown, 6-2, 220, Running Back, Middle Georgia College, Swainsboro, GA Lettered as an tailback for two years at Middle Georgia College … Helped his team to a 10-1 record and a fifth place national ranking in 2000 … Led MGC to a bowl appearance in Brunswick (Ga) in 2000 … Rushed for nearly 900 yards and 14 touchdowns during 2000 season at MGC … Had 208 yards and scored three touchdowns on just 11 rushing attempts during his freshman season at Middle Georgia … Had touchdown runs of five, 42 and 46 yards in that game … Scored four rushing touchdowns against Wingate College in 1999 … Had runs of one, three, seven and 79 yards in that game … Was named to the All-Region XVII Team in 1999 … Signed with Tommy West at Clemson out of high school but attended junior college … Was a first team USA Today All-American at Swainsboro High School … Rushed for 1,842 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior in high school … Had 317 yards and scored four touchdowns against Johnson County in 1997 …Had four kickoff returns for touchdowns as a senior in high school … Rushed for over 1,300 yards and scored ten touchdowns as a junior in high school … Ran track in high school and has posted a time of 10.9 in the 100 meters … Recruited by Clemson, Auburn, Georgia, Ole Miss and South Carolina in high school … Played for coach Randy Pippen at Middle Georgia College.

Shakorr Bryant, 6-3, 265, Defensive Line, Middle Georgia College, Powder Springs, GA Lettered as an defensive end at Middle Georgia College … Helped his team to a 10-2 record and a fifth place national ranking in 2000 … Was named to the All-Region XVII Team in 1999 … Attended McEachern High School in Powder Springs … Played for coach Randy Pippen at Middle Georgia College.

Dierre Carter, 6-3, 245, Defensive Line, Melrose HS, Memphis, TN Lettered as an offensive and defensive lineman for the Melrose High School … Was named to Student Sports Magazine’s 2000 All-America Team … Rated by SuperPrep Magazine as the #17 prospect in Tennessee … Was named to the 2000 Prep Star Magazine All-Southeast Region team … A Commercial Appeal Best of the Preps Football Finalist in 2000 … Named to the Associated Press 4A All-State team in 2000 … Was named to Hi-Tech Tennessee’s Top Prospect List for 2000 … One of the most highly sought after recruits in the Memphis area … Chose Memphis over LSU, Georgia and Ole Miss … Credited with 110 solo tackles and 40 assists as a junior … Had 20 quarterback sacks and 22 tackles for lost yardage during the 1999 season … Also lettered as a member of the Melrose track team … Played for coach Tim Thompson at Melrose High.

James Corder, 6-7, 305, Offensive Line, Christ Presbyterian Acad., Nashville, TN Lettered as an offensive and defensive lineman at Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville, TN … Led his team to a 15-0 record in 2000 and the Tennessee Class 1A state title … Received second team all-state honors for all classifications and was named to the first team all-region team … Was named to Bill Buchalter’s Dandy Dozen Offensive Linemen for 2000 … Was named to Hi-Tech Tennessee’s Top Prospect List … Rated as number two lineman in state of Tennessee by Hi-Tech Tennessee … Played for coach David Pack at Christ Presbyterian Academy.

Cameron Essex, 5-11, 170, Defensive Back, SW DeKalb HS, Atlanta, GA Lettered as defensive back at Southwest DeKalb High School … Helped his team to a 12-1 record in 1999 … Played for coach Buck Godfrey at SW DeKalb HS.

Jacob Ford, 6-4, 215, Defensive Line, Melrose HS, Memphis, TN Lettered as an offensive and defensive lineman for the Melrose High School … Was named to the 2000 Prep Star Magazine All-Southeast Region team … Was named to Hi-Tech Tennessee’s Top Prospect List for 2000 … Had 76 tackles and 10 quarterback sacks as a junior … Played for coach Tim Thompson at Melrose High.

Gene Frederic, 6-4, 275, Offensive Line, DeSmet Jesuit HS, St. Louis, MO Lettered as an offensive lineman … Helped his DeSmet Jesuit High team to a 8-1 record and a berth in the state 5A playoffs … Lost in triple overtime to Pattonville in the opening round of the playoffs … Received honorable mention All-Metro honors from the St. Louis Post Dispatch in 2000 … Played both offensive and defensive line for DeSmet … Also handled all of the deep snapping duties for his school … Was a three year football letter winner … Played for coach Dennis Cernaka at DeSmet HS.

James Gaither, 6-4, 220, Punter/Kicker, Grayson County HS, Litchfield, KY Lettered as punter, kicker and wide receiver at Grayson County High School … Was a three year letterman and starter for the football team … Punted 38 times for 44.2 yard average during the 2000 season … Made seven of 11 field goal attempts and had a long field goal made of 51 yards … Was GCHS’s second leading receiver … Had 25 receptions for 275 yards … Was a first team all-district selection as a punter in both his junior and senior seasons … Was a third team all-state selection as a punter in his junior season and was a second team all-state selection as a punter after his senior season … Had 98% of his kickoffs land in the end zone for touchbacks as a senior … Was a two year starter at center on the GCHS basketball team … Led the team in rebounding as both a junior and senior … An outstanding baseball player Gaither batted .475 as a sophomore an had 13 home runs … Batted .380 as a junior with two home runs … Was heavily recruited by the University of Iowa … Played for coach Danny Clark at Grayson County HS.

Andrew Handy, 6-3, 285, Offensive Line, Palmetto HS, Miami, FL Lettered as an offensive and defensive lineman at Palmetto High School in Miami, FL … Selected to play in the Florida All-Star game on Martin Luther King Day … Is expected to play in the Florida-California Football Classic in Santa Barbara, CA in June … Was named first team All-Dade County in 2000 by the Miami Herald … Was considered by many to be the best offensive lineman in the Miami Dade County area this fall … Is called by high school coach “the best lineman ever to play at Palmetto High School” … Worked as a strong guard during his senior season and helped team to an 8-3 record … Played tackle as a sophomore and junior … Was named Palmetto’s MVP Lineman for three consecutive years … Has run 4.9 forty yard dash … Was recruited by Miami (FL), Rutgers and UMass but selected the Tigers … Played for coach Jim Kroll at Palmetto HS.

Albert Means, 6-4, 335, Defensive Line, Univ. of Alabama, Memphis, TN Transferred to the University of Memphis in January of 2001 … Has three years of eligibility remaining at the U of M … Lettered as a true freshman at Alabama in 2000 … Played in seven games and started the final four games of the year at defensive tackle … Was credited with 18 tackles including two tackles for lost yardage … Played his prep football at Trezevant High School in Memphis … Was named to the 1999 Parade All-America Team … Was named to the 1999 USA Today All-America Team … Was named to the 1999 Tom Lemming All-America team … Was named to SuperPrep’s All-America Team … Named to Boarder Wars first-team All-South Team … Picked on the 1999 Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team … Named by Prep Star as one of the top three defensive linemen in the nation in 1999 … Was named as the number one prep prospect in the Southeast by Prep Star Magazine … Named the Defensive MVP in the South by Prep Star … Was named the number two defensive lineman in the nation by Rivals100.Com in 1999 … Was named to the Rivals100.Com All-America team … Was named Tennessee’s Mr. Football in 1999 … Named to the first-team Associated Press and UPI All-State teams … Registered 120 tackles, including 85 solos in 1999 … Had nine quarterback sacks and three pass interceptions two of which he returned for touchdowns … Had 110 tackles as a junior with 11 sacks and five interceptions … Ran a 4.9 40-yard dash at Trezevant High School … Bench pressed 385, squatted 535 and cleaned 315 in high school.

LaDarius Price, 6-0, 175, Quarterback/Receiver, East HS, Memphis, TN Was a three year football letterman who lettered as the quarterback at East High School for the past two seasons … Rated by SuperPrep Magazine as the #12 prospect in the state of Tennessee … Was named to Hi-Tech Tennessee’s Top Prospect List for 2000 as one of the top quarterbacks in the state… Helped East High School to a 9-1 regular season record and a berth in the state playoffs in 2000 … Connected on 27-of-76 pass attempts for 531 yards and three touchdowns in 2000 … Was ranked 10th in Shelby-Metro in punting with 19 for 673 yards … Averaged 35.4 yards per punt … Was ranked second in Shelby-Metro in kickoff returns in 2000 … Had four returns for 182 yards and one touchdown … Averaged 40.5 yards per kickoff return in 2000 … East High averaged 349 yards per game in total offense in 2000 … Led East High to a 13-2 record and the 1999 Tennessee Class 4A state championship … Was ranked 27th in Shelby-Metro in passing completing 30-of-86 passes for 800 yards and 12 touchdowns … Was ranked eighth in passing efficiency with a rating of 152.1 … Was ranked 13th in Region 8 4A in total offense in 1999 … Was ranked fifth in punt returns with a 16 yard average per return and was 10th in kickoff returns with 14 for 283 yards … Averaged 20.2 yards per kickoff return … Worked as the Mustangs punter and was ranked sixth in the Region … During his sophomore season was ranked first in Region 8 4A in kickoff returns … Had 13 returns for 473 yards and one touchdown … Averaged 36.4 yards per kickoff return … Helped team to an 11-1 record in 1998 … Has run times of 4.4 in the forty yard dash … Played for coach Wayne Randall at East High School.

Mario Robinson, 6-0, 205, Running Back, Melrose HS, Memphis, TN Lettered as a tailback and defensive back for the Melrose High School … Was named to the 2000 Prep Star Magazine All-Southeast Team … Battled injuries during his junior season but had strong senior year … Helped Melrose High to a 9-1 regular season record and a berth in the state playoffs in 2000 … Was ranked 13th in Shelby-Metro in scoring despite playing in just six games … Scored seven touchdowns and had six two-point conversions during the 2000 season … Was ranked 18th in Region 8-4A in rushing as a junior despite injuries … Had 20 attempts for 276 yards and scored seven touchdowns in 1999 … Was ranked 15th in Region 8-4A in scoring with his seven touchdowns and two two-point conversions … Was named to the 1998 Prep Star Magazine All-Southeast Team as a sophomore … Rushed for 560 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a sophomore … Tallied 28 tackles during his sophomore season … Played for coach Tim Thompson at Melrose High.

Sheldon Taylor, 6-2, 220, Linebacker, Trezevant HS, Memphis, TN Comes to the Tigers from Trezevant High School in Memphis … Lettered as a linebacker/defensive end for the Bears … Registered 100 tackles during the 2000 season including 70 solo stops … Was also credited with nine quarterback sacks … Was named to the 2000 Associated Press 4A All-State team … Played in the same defensive line with Tiger transfer Albert Means during the 1999 season … Helped Trezevant to a berth in the state playoffs in 1999 … Played for coach Lynn Lang at Trezevant High.

Tristan Thomas, 6-1, 175, Defensive Back, Marietta HS, Marietta, GA Lettered as strong safety at Marietta High School … Was credited with 67 solo tackles, 23 assisted stops, two quarterback sacks, two tackles for lost yardage and two pass interceptions during the 2000 season … Was an all-county and second team all-state selection in football in 2000 … Also lettered as a member of the Marietta track team … Ran a leg on the 4 X 400 meter relay team … Was a high jumper for AAU Junior Olympic team in the summer of 1999 … Placed 18th in AAU Southeast meet in Orlando, Florida, in the high jump and was 10th in the 80 meter low hurdles with a time of 15.61… Played for coach James “Friday” Richards at Marietta HS.

Scott Vogel, 6-1, 190, Defensive Back, MUS, Memphis, TN Lettered as a quarterback and defensive back for the Memphis University School Owls … Battled injuries throughout his career but put together an outstanding senior season … Helped his team to a 6-5 record in 2000 … Passed for 672 yards and two touchdowns this past season … Rushed for 264 yards and four scores … Was the Owls second leading tackler as a safety … Registered 88 total tackles in 2000 and had two blocked kicks and one pass interception … Was being recruited by SMU and Kentucky … Played for coach Jake Rudolph and Bobby Austin at MUS.

Charles Wellington, 6-0, 225, Linebacker, Trezevant HS, Memphis, TN Was named to the 2000 Associated Press 4A All-State team as a defensive lineman … Was a high school teammate of Tiger signees Sheldon Taylor and Albert Means and helped the Bears to a berth in the 1999 state playoffs … Played for coach Lynn Lang at Trezevant HS.

Marcus West, 6-4, 224, Tight End, Columbus HS, Columbus, MS Lettered as a tight end/defensive end at Columbus High School … Was a first team Associated Press all-state selection in Mississippi … Rated among the state of Mississippi’s Top 40 Prospects by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger … Played tight end on a Columbus team that used a running offense … Had just six pass receptions during the 2000 season and turned one into a touchdown … Was credited with 115 tackles and 12 quarterback sacks playing defensive line … Was invited to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic in Mobile, Alabama on June 16, 2001 … Recruited by Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Mississippi … Played for coach Roy McCrory at Columbus High.

Darron White, 6-0, 180, Receiver, Covington HS, Covington, TN Lettered for four years in football at Covington High School … Was a Commercial Appeal Best of the Preps and Tennessee Mr. Football Finalist as a senior … Was named to the Associated Press Class 4A All-State team in 1999 & 2000 … Was named to the Associated Press 3A All-State team in 1998 … Was named to the Tennessee Sportswriter’s All-State Team in 1999 & 2000 … Broke every offensive record in the 78-year history of Covington High … In his four year career he rushed for 3,867 yards, had 1,142 yards receiving, compiled 1,875 yards in returns, totaled 7,260 all-purpose yards, intercepted 18 passes and scored 83 touchdowns … Led his team to a 13-2 record and a berth in the state 3A championship game in 2000 … Scored 32 touchdowns as a senior … Had almost 3,000 yards of total offense in 2000 … Was ranked 13th in Shelby-Metro in rushing in 2000 with 78 carries for 992 yards … Scored 15 rushing touchdowns … Averaged 12.7 yards per attempt which led the Shelby-Metro area … Was ranked first in Shelby-Metro in all-purpose yards with 2,254 during the regular season and almost 3,000 with the state playoffs … Ranked first in Shelby-Metro in scoring with 24 touchdowns and 144 points … Was eighth in Shelby-Metro in both kickoff returns and in pass interceptions … Had 14 kickoff returns for 499 yards and two touchdowns … Registered four pass interceptions for 75 yards in returns … Led Region 7-3A in punt returns, punt return average and punt return touchdowns as a junior at Covington High School … Had 302 yards in punt returns in 1999 and averaged 27.5 yards per return … Scored two punt return touchdowns as a junior … Was ranked fourth in Shelby-Metro in punt returns and 10th in Shelby-Metro in all-purpose yards … Rushed for 1,226 yards, had 283 yards receiving, 302 yards in punt returns, 333 yards in kickoff returns for a total of 2,204 all-purpose yards during the 1999 season … Was named to the first team All Shelby-Metro squad as a specialist in 1999 … Was ranked fourth in Shelby-Metro in kickoff returns as a sophomore with eight for 221 yards and one touchdown … Rushed for 1,055 yards on 123 attempts as a sophomore … Was ranked 21st in Shelby-Metro in interceptions with four during the 1998 season … Was ranked 13th in all-purpose yards with 1,508 … Chose Tigers over Ole Miss and Arkansas … Has been selected to play in the 2001 Tennessee-Kentucky All-Star game … Played for coach Jeff McFerrin, former Tiger linebacker.

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News News Feature

AS CLEAR AS MUD

Trying to understand the utility industry’s jargon and practices is no easy feat. After a conference call with Memphis Light, Gas and Water’s assistant manager of utility resources Bill Bullock, chief financial officer John McCullough, and the utility’s director of corporate communications Mark Heuberger, the Flyer tried to shed some light on what’s going on at the publicly owned utility. Unfortunately, sometimes getting an answer from MLGW only makes the issues more confusing.

First, according to the officials, the checkbook pain Memphians are feeling is due to an increase in gas prices , not rates . Semantics? Maybe. In utility-speak, prices and rates are different. But as the MLGW officials explained it, most utilities use a base rate (Memphis’ is $2.10 per unit, according to these guys) and then add to that a Purchase Gas Adjustment (PGA).

Crystal clear, right?

They further explained that it’s kind of like the escrow account used for a house note. The base rate is billed in and then later the utility considers what was actually paid in and then tallies up or down from the $2.10 figure to set the gas price. If more is owed, the price is raised; if less, the price is lowered. Also, the city council has to approve the rate. Lucky for us, the council approved a rate decrease in May. If they hadn’t, the MLGW officials say we’d be paying even more now.

But if the price is going to be determined by how much is needed for the purchase of gas in addition to the rate amount, then the rate decrease that was hyped this year may not really mean anything at all to the consumer. Got that?

Things just get more confusing from here. A study of MLGW’s gas expenditures for 1989, 1994, 1997, 1998, and 1999 listed in the 1999 financial report reveals that in 1997 MLGW spent $145,562,708 for gas that was later sold to customers. This amount stands out because in the other years examined MLGW spent an average of $116,677,751 each year on the gas the utility bought from suppliers, a difference of $28,884,957. A nearly $29 million discrepancy is apt to raise some eyebrows, considering that this amount is almost half of what MLGW is borrowing this year to pay its own bills.

When questioned about the 1997 numbers the officials said they didn’t know why so much more was spent on gas that year. They did agree with the Flyer that consumer gas prices should have increased in kind if so much more was spent by the utility on gas that year. The officials said that they would call back with a complete explanation (at press time they had not) but surmised that it might be due to industrial customers opting to purchase gas from MLGW that year instead of procuring it on their own on the open market.

Are we then to assume that in 1997, and not in any of the prior or subsequent years considered, industrial customers chose to buy gas from MLGW? The officials didn’t know.

Further, according to the notes following the financial statements in the 1999 report, “The Gas Division enters into futures contracts for the purchase of gas to manage the risk of increases in the market price of gas on anticipated purchase transactions.”

If this month’s bill is any indication, the futures contracts concept doesn’t seem to be working very well.

The MLGW officials volunteered that these contracts are entered into up to a year in advance but typically six to nine months prior to delivery of the gas and that MLGW enters contracts with several suppliers to “minimize risks.”

So, if these contracts were entered into at least six months in advance, with the prices the utility would be paying for gas locked in, then the utility knew months ago that there would be a dramatic increase in the consumer cost of gas, right? Well, um, sort of.

And if the utility knew in June at the latest (that’s six months before December, folks) that gas prices would skyrocket, why did they wait until October to say anything? And why didn’t they increase the price consumers pay for gas year-round to offset the winter increase so that consumers wouldn’t be hit so hard in December (right after Christmas, no less)?

The answer: They didn’t think it would be this bad.

The officials say that they didn’t purchase all of the gas the utility needed on the futures market because they hoped prices would go down. Fair enough. The $5-per-unit price that MLGW locked in this summer seemed awfully high compared to normal rates, so the utility’s gas buyers took a risk that prices would get lower. That’s prudent, even if it didn’t quite work out like they hoped. In fact, when prices soared as high as $10 per unit, and now that they’re about $8 or $9 per unit, MLGW and Memphis have been pretty lucky to have that $5-per-unit gas sitting around.

Score one for MLGW, no? No.

They still hadn’t answered the question about why the price increase wasn’t spread out over several months to lessen the blow. Oh wait, they tried.

Their answer: MLGW has offered a billing plan for a while now so that customers can pay an average bill amount each month. But that doesn’t answer the question.

Sorry, the officials have another meeting. They only have time for one more question from the Flyer . Here goes:

You told us the last time we talked (we said) that MLGW can’t borrow the money it needs to cover the cost of gas from the electric or water divisions because regulatory laws prevent one division from loaning money to another. You also told us this was why MLGW needed to borrow $20 million from the city of Memphis to fund the privately owned Memphis Networx venture.

Okay, but on your financial report there’s a “common account” listed with $220 million in it. The report says this money is then put into revenue-producing safe investments like mutual funds and government bonds. If the utility can combine revenue from the three divisions to invest the money together, why can’t it inter-divisionally borrow money?

Their answer: “Common account” is an accounting term, not a practical one. The money is separated back in the end.

But, hold on. It’s separated back? So it was together at some point, wait …

They really do have to go now.

Hope that clears it all up. Let us know if we can help you with anything else.

Click.

So it all makes sense now, doesn’t it?

( If you’ve got any answers, or if you’ve got more questions you’d like the Flyer to pose to MLGW, you can e-mail Rebekah Gleaves at gleaves@memphisflyer.com. )

Categories
Sports Sports Feature

MANIAX COACH REVIEWS FIRST GAME AND LOOKS AHEAD

Maniax coach Kippy Brown met with the press Tuesday afternoon to talk about last Sunday’s season opener, where the Maniax came away with a 22-20 win over the Birmingham Thunderboltz. Brown also commented on this week’s home opener. The Maniax (1-0) will face the Las Vegas Outlaws (1-0) at the Liberty Bowl, 6 p.m. on Sunday, February 11th.

“We can play better,” Brown said reviewing last weekend’s performance. “In order for us to continue to have success, we need to play better and not make some of the mistakes that we made.”

Those mistakes include a Hail Mary by Maniax QB Marcus Crandell at the end of the first-half, with the Maniax up by 13 points. The pass, which resulted in an interception, was only supposed to be a hand-off, according to Brown. In addition, Brown felt that Memphis allowed the Thunderboltz too much success on third-down, where they converted 50 percent of the time (7/14). However, the defense gave up a late touchdown that kept the Thunderboltz in the game, despite forcing two critical turnovers.

Brown was generally positive about the Maniax performance. The first major plus was only one turnover by the Maniax offense. “When you go on the road for your first game, with a brand-new team, and you don’t turn the ball over, that’s big,” he said.

In addition, Brown lauded the team’s lack of penalties, which plagued the team during the pre-season. The combination led to very few long-down situations, which meant an equally high third down conversation rate (10/20). Finally, the Maniax kept the ball moving with Rashaan Salaam’s rushing game (154 yards on 24 yards).

Looking toward next week, Brown emphasized that Las Vegas is the first divisional game for Memphis. Brown thinks that the biggest challenge facing Memphis against the Outlaws is stopping their defensive line.

“Their front seven, in my opinion, is their strength,” Brown said. However, Brown doesn’t think the Maniax will fall prey to the pass-rush as did the hapless NY/NJ Hitmen, which could not find a way to score last Saturday.

“We’re more than a two-back team,” Brown said. “We’re going to play-action, [Crandell] is going to get out of the pocket. We’re not going to be be sitting ducks.”