Month: November 2009

Healthcare Planning Workshop Tonight

Post author By Bianca Phillips
Post date November 17, 2009

Whether you’re concerned about being shut out of your sick partner’s hospital room by his homophobic family or you’re just interested in learning about living wills, you’ll likely find an answer at tonight’s Advanced Healthcare Planning Workshop at the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center.

“Your Wishes, Your Choices” addresses healthcare planning concerns for LGBT folks, but straight people may benefit as well. The workshop will be held tonight (Tuesday, Nov. 17th) at 7 p.m. at 892 S. Cooper. For more information, call 901-326-8861.

Sports

Would You Dope If You Could?

Post author By John Branston
Post date November 17, 2009

After I told one of my regular sports partners I had been covering the story of the Memphis pro golfer suspended by the PGA Tour for doping violations, he looked at me and smiled, “You know where I can get some testosterone?” He was kidding, I think.

As one of the PGA’s attorneys said in court last week, professional athletes are held to high standards for the integrity of the game.

“When you become a professional athlete you don’t always get to do everything the man on the street gets to do,” said Rich Young, a lawyer in Colorado Springs who has worked on the Floyd Landis case and other major doping suspensions.

If, as a weekend warrior, you could take drugs to boost your strength, speed your recovery, improve your time, or calm your nerves, would you do it? I’m not so sure.

Sports Tiger Blue

Memphis Tigers with “Nothing to Lose”

Post author By Frank Murtaugh
Post date November 17, 2009

Tip-off against the number-one team in the land is 9 pm. Catch it on ESPN if you’re not heading up I-55 to St. Louis.

I’ve tried to remember the last time the Memphis Tiger basketball team had “nothing to lose,” that age-old brand that pronounces a team not just an underdog, but a three-legged, one-eyed underdog with a crooked tail. (I’ve been cranking up the great KISS song — from their first album — to inspire.)

One possibility is the 2005 C-USA Championship game at FedExForum (the Darius Washington game), but with an NCAA tournament berth on the line, there was MUCH to lose that day against the heavily favored Louisville Cardinals.

An unranked Tiger team led by Antonio Burks and Sean Banks faced 6th-ranked Louisville on February 4, 2004 . . . and won. But that was a home game, and the 6th consecutive win for the Tigers in a streak that would reach 11.

The last time the U of M went on the road in what might be called a hopeless situation was March 3, 2002. The Tigers were an underwhelming 22-7, their offense running almost entirely through freshman Dajuan Wagner. They managed to take the 4th-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats to overtime before losing, 80-75. Four weeks later, Memphis won the NIT championship.

Sing All Kinds We Recommend

Knowledge Bowl: Marion Patriots vs. FACS Crusaders

Post author By Greg Akers
Post date November 17, 2009

Knowledge Bowl, Match 3: Marion Patriots vs. First Assembly Christian School Crusaders. Aired November 14, 2009.

Marion (Red Team):
Landon (Captain), Senior
Nicole, Junior
Raghib, Sophomore
Jonathan, Junior
Alternate: Sam, Junior

FACS (Blue Team):
Andrew (Captain), Freshman
Hannah, Junior
Zach, Junior
Megan, Senior
No alternate

Results:
Round One: Marion 55, FACS 80
Round Two: Marion 100, FACS 85
Round Three (Lightning Round): Marion 40, FACS 30
Tiebreaker: Marion 0, FACS 10
Final: Marion 195, FACS 205

Marion? Huh? According to the taping and broadcast schedules on the official Knowledge Bowl website, Match 3 was set to be FACS vs. Wooddale. For some reason, the team from Marion High School in Arkansas played against FACS. I can currently give no explanation. (Marion didn’t appear elsewhere in the tournament either, so I’m going to chalk it up to Wooddale being unable to play for some reason and Marion being the first alternate to fill in.)

The Game: The early moments of the game provided an answer for a hypothetical future KB FAQ. Marion rang in early and missed a question before they actually had any points, ostensibly accruing a five-point penalty. The scoreboard doesn’t tally negative points, so Marion had an understood -5 score.

This was confirmed after Marion’s first correct answer (Nicole: “Civil War”), when the scorekeeper posted Marion’s first sum as 5 instead of 10.

Round one was tighter than it should’ve been. Marion only answered two toss-ups correctly, but they did get the two bonuses. FACS, though it got 6 toss-ups correct, only cashed in on one bonus question.

The end of Round Two saw Marion within 10, setting up a tense finale. The Lightning Round was thrilling as promised, with Marion tying it up with 4 correct answers to FACS’ 3.

Host Jim Jaggers, unaware of the tie, was about to go to commercial when someone off-camera shouted, “No no no no no! Tiebreaker.”

News

Iverson and Grizzlies Part Ways

Post author By Flyer Staff
Post date November 16, 2009

The short-lived and much-hyped Allen Iverson era of the Memphis Grizzlies ends with a whimper. Chris Herrington has details.

Daily Photo Special Sections

cirque holidaze

Post author By
Post date November 16, 2009

Beyond the Arc Sports

Iverson Out

Post author By Chris Herrington
Post date November 16, 2009

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

Larry Kuzniewski
Byeverson: We hardly knew ye, A.I., but we sure felt your impact.

The Memphis Grizzlies officially severed ties with AWOL Allen Iverson this afternoon, announcing the mutual decision to end the relationship with a the following statement this afternoon:

The Memphis Grizzlies today released the following statement from General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace.

“The Grizzlies and Allen Iverson have come to a mutual agreement that because of personal matters that forced him to leave the team on November 7, Allen will step away from the game at this time, allowing him to focus on those matters.

“As a result, we will be ending our contractual agreement with Allen, which will allow both parties to move forward. We wish Allen the best.”

The initial read around the country was that no other team would have interest in Iverson, but it looks like there may be one exception: The New York Daily News’ Frank Isola is reporting that the New York Knicks management will look to meet with Iverson to explore a potential signing.

Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

On the Scene at the Signature Chefs Auction

Post author By Pamela Denney
Post date November 16, 2009

While eating my way through Sunday’s March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction at the Racquet Club in East Memphis, I mixed up this recipe for a fun and happy fund-raiser.

Start off with a great dress like the one worn by honorary chair Jennifer Hobson. Here she is talking with Connie Loeb:

Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Joy Bateman Booksigning Tuesday

Post author By Susan Ellis
Post date November 16, 2009

In 2005, Joy Bateman, who works as an account executive for Flyer sister publication Memphis magazine, published The Art of Dining in Memphis. The cookbook includes recipes from the city’s best restaurants and illustrations by Bateman. The book sold well, and Bateman followed it up with The Art of Dining in New Orleans in 2007.

The city Bateman turned her attention to next came as a surprise … at least to her.

Blurb Books

“Ford County”: signature Grisham

Post author By Leonard Gill
Post date November 16, 2009

Before there was The Firm, there was A Time To Kill, which was set in Ford County, Mississippi. Now there’s Ford County (new from Doubleday), and it’s the author’s first collection of short stories.

If you pre-ordered a signed copy of Ford County from Burke’s Book Store, your order is ready. If you didn’t pre-order, signed copies are still available through Burke’s, but the supply is limited. Just don’t expect a signature with a personalized greeting. Just the name of the author: John Grisham.

For a signed copy of Ford County, call Burke’s at 901-278-7484, go by the store at 936 S. Cooper, or visit burkesbooks.com.