Month: November 2018

Categories
News News Blog

Man Indicted for Transporting Several Undocumented Immigrants Through State

An undocumented Mexican national was indicted for illegally transporting undocumented immigrants through Tennessee.

Rufino Valldovinos-Ramirez, 41, was charged with illegally transporting nine undocumented immigrants by a grand jury who maintained that he “knew and disregarded the fact that his passengers were illegally present in the United States, and then transported them in furtherance of their violation of law, for the purpose of his own financial gain.”

Valldovinos-Ramirez was also charged with illegal re-entry to the country after having been deported. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in prison for each of the nine counts of illegal transportation and up to two years and/or a $250,000 fine for the illegal re-entry charge.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said promoting lawful immigration is a priority for his office.

“Because the Department of Justice is the only agency that can prosecute violations of our sovereign immigration laws, it is critical that our work focuses on criminal cases that deter and reduce illegality whole promoting lawfulness in our immigration system,” Dunavant said. “This is a high priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and we will aggressively prosecute any persons who engage in unlawful smuggling, transportation, or harboring of multiple undocumented aliens to illegally enter the United States.”

The case will be prosecuted by assistant U.S. Attorneys, Lauren Delery and Stephen Hall. It was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations.

Jere Miles, the special agent over the Homeland Security Investigations stationed in New Orleans, said illegal border crossing poses a threat to the country’s security and that the department is committed to investigating and prosecuting those that “flagrantly violate U.S. law.”

“Criminal networks who engage in illegal cross-border smuggling pose a security vulnerability to the U.S.,” Miles said. “Further, these groups routinely place profit over the well-being of their human cargo, which often has tragic results for those taking this dangerous illegal path.”


Categories
News News Blog

Group: ‘Coliseum Is Officially Saved’

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Justin Fox Burks

The Mid-South Coliseum has been saved, according to the group that has worked for years to preserve the structure.

Demolishing the Coliseum was a central part of previous plans to transform the Memphis Fairgrounds into a youth sports mecca. But state leaders gave their blessing on a new plan Monday that — at least — leaves the building in place. That was enough for the grassroots Coliseum Coalition to celebrate.

Group: ‘Coliseum Is Officially Saved’ (4)

“The Coliseum is officially saved!” the Coalition wrote on Facebook and Twitter Monday.

For that exclamation, the group pointed to Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s plan for the Fairgrounds. In its third phase, the plan would put Tourism Development Zone (TDZ) funds with private investment to “achieve the reactivation, adaptive reuse, or redevelopment of the Mid-South Coliseum,” the Coalition said.
[pullquote-1] “These are huge wins for the Coliseum, and big steps forward to a great Fairgrounds,” reads the group post. “We still have to make Phase 3 happen and get the Coliseum open, but like the rest of Memphis, the Coliseum and Fairgrounds have some strong winds in their sails.”

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Beat Mavericks 98-88, Tie for #1 in West

CREDIT: Matthew Preston

On the second night of a back-to-back, the Grizzlies returned to FedExForum hoping to secure another win, and a tie for first in the Western conference, after 16 games.

The Dallas Mavericks arrived in Memphis on a four-game win streak, having beaten the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Jaren Jackson had faced off against every other top 5 2018 draft pick except the Mavs’ Luka Doncic before tonight.
Matthew Preston

In his pregame availability, Grizzlies head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the foundation has been set after 15 games and lauded the team’s solid identity and culture. In terms of improvement, Bickerstaff said better offense will come along as the Grizzlies get more comfortable with one another, and learn each others’ games and how to play toward their teammates’ strengths and tendencies.

The Mavericks started the game on a 5-0 run, but the game sank waist-deep into that Grindhouse mud soon after and remained bogged down, per the Grizzlies’ liking, from that point onward. Neither team pulled away by more than a few points, with the lead changing hands 17 times.

The Mavericks got an early boost from Dorian Finney-Smith’s two threes. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies shot 0-4 from deep to begin the game.

Jackson put on a showcase in the first quarter. Though he and Doncic were the star rookies in this matchup, Jackson spent more of his time guarding and being guarded by DeAndre Jordan.

Jackson made Jordan look downright foolish on a handful of possessions. On one play, Marc Gasol kicked the ball out to Jackson in the corner. Jackson dribble-drove into Jordan, backed up, then drove past him for a reverse-layup.

Grizzlies Beat Mavericks 98-88, Tie for #1 in West (2)

In another sequence, Jackson hit a deep two in Jordan’s face, then blocked Jordan’s dunk attempt on the other end. Jackson registered another block on Jordan in the post soon after. The Mavericks finished the first period shooting 29.2 percent from the field.

Between the first two quarters, the Grizzlies game-break entertainment featured a three-way competition between dental equipment. I’m only pointing that out because the competition and accompanying video made less sense than episode 8 of the recent Twin Peaks. I don’t know if it was ineffectual production or high art, but I didn’t like it (unlike episode 8 of Twin Peaks).

Another absurd thing that happened: Jackson had multiple highlights in one sequence. Doncic had a look from three, but didn’t want to take it with Jackson defending the perimeter. Instead, he drove towards the rim, but only made it about a step before Jackson picked his pocket, ran the court, and finished at the other end with an and-one spin move. It was sublime and deserving of the Black Unicorn nickname I’ve seen spreading on Twitter.

Grizzlies Beat Mavericks 98-88, Tie for #1 in West (3)

Mike Conley also had a sweet assist to Jackson in the second quarter, where he drove to the rim and no-look flipped the ball over his shoulder to the trailing rookie. I’m interested to see how the Grizzlies’ fast break offense unearths ways to leverage Jackson’s abilities for easy points.

After the game, Bickerstaff said Jackson has “… an offensive skill set that we’re just beginning to see.” I agree.

Through good overall team play, the Mavericks pulled ahead early in the second quarter, and held that lead til near the end of the half. But the Grizzlies clawed their way back to a four point lead after two quarters.

One thing I liked seeing: Gasol looking great on one of his rumbling hook shots in the paint, with bouncy footwork and an elastic finish. It’s nice to know that shot is still very much in his tool belt.

Bickerstaff called a timeout less than a minute into the second half, after Doncic and Smith Jr. hit quick threes. Doncic would finish with 8 points in the period.

The teams finished the third quarter tied at 74.

Memphis suffocated Dallas in the fourth quarter, holding the Mavericks to 14 points. I repeat: the Grizzlies held the Mavericks to 14 points in the final period of play, and did so on the second night of a back-to-back (when their previous game was on the road).

Meanwhile, solid and clutch play by Conley, Shelvin Mack, Garrett Temple, and Gasol enabled the Grizzlies to close out the game on the offensive end.

Grizzlies Beat Mavericks 98-88, Tie for #1 in West (4)

Conley had another stellar shooting night, filling the basket to the tune of 28 points, and going 7-11 from deep! Five of those triples came in the second half. He also dished seven assists, had two steals, and five rebounds.

His shooting was efficient — 10-18 from the field. Conley made it to the line for only two free throws, but I don’t mind him pouring in nearly 30 points without having to put his body on the line to get to the charity stripe this early in the season.
Larry Kuzniewski

Kyle Anderson was effective in this game as well. His passing and defense were stellar, and he’s shown much better touch around and near the rim in the last two games. He finished with 8 points on 4-6 shooting, and had 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. He had one particularly clutch play late in the game, where he missed a corner three, stole the rebound away from the Mavericks, and finished with a jam.

JaMychal Green buoyed an otherwise disappointing performance by the Grizzlies bench. Wayne Selden and Marshon Brooks had trouble making good decisions with the ball, especially in the pick and roll, and combined for just 5 points. Mack had a lackluster shooting night, taking a small number of shots, but he made a timely three in the fourth quarter, and didn’t turn the ball over once.

Green had a nice return to the home court after his jaw surgery. He had a nasty block on Dennis Smith Jr., and scored 12 points on 5-8 shooting, 2-4 from three. He was one rebound shy of a double-double.

Gasol had a solid night on offense, contributing 17 points on 6-16 shooting, but missed all five of his three point attempts. He made up for it on the boards, however, pulling down 15(!) rebounds (all defensive).

Grizzlies Beat Mavericks 98-88, Tie for #1 in West

Memphis beat Dallas on the boards (45-43), and in the paint (44-36).

Defense won the game again for the Grizzlies. The Mavericks average about 110 points a game this season, but couldn’t break 90 at the Grindhouse. Gasol and Jackson had 4 blocks each. The team had 11 overall. The Mavericks finished shooting an anemic 34.1 percent from the floor.

One thing Dallas did differently for stretches at the beginning of the game and second half, pointed out by Chris Herrington, was put Jordan on Jaren Jackson and smaller forwards on Gasol. As a result, Gasol’s three-point game was taken away, and he spent much of his time down low with Jackson on the perimeter—when their positions are usually the other way around.

After the game, Bickerstaff and Gasol said they weren’t too worried about other teams trying a similar tactic, and attributed the scheme and its success to the type of personnel the Mavericks have.

The Grizzlies are now tied for first in the Western conference after 16 games. That’s not a tiny sample size. But the team isn’t thinking much about that. Bickerstaff said he won’t be paying too much attention to the rankings until after the All-Star break, and Gasol said he was happy, but that being happy isn’t the same as being satisfied.

The Grizzlies are off until Wednesday, when they’ll take on a dangerous and similarly slow-paced Spurs team in San Antonio.

Categories
Music Music Blog

In Memoriam: Patrick Mathé of New Rose & Last Call Records

Today, the French journal Libération reports that Patrick Mathé, co-founder of New Rose Records and Last Call Records, has died. The details are not available at this time. He was 69.

Patrick Mathé

The importance of both labels to Memphis music, and underground music in general, can scarcely be overstated. After working to import punk music to France, starting in 1976, Mathé opened the New Rose record store in Paris in 1980. Soon after, he and partner Louis Thévenon started the label of the same name.

Their first release, the Saints’ Paralytic Tonight, Dublin Tomorrow, set the tone for a long track record of soulful garage rock, alternative, and punk music. Many Memphis-associated artists were eventually released on the label, including Alex Chilton, Tav Falco & His Unapproachable Panther Burns, the Hellcats, and the Country Rockers. Chilton, after releasing two Eps on Big Time, shored up his career revival in the mid-’80s with High Priest, Black List, and Clichés on New Rose. The label also released such Chilton-produced gems as the Gories’ I Know You Fine But How You Doin’? and Les Lolitas’ Fusée D’Amour.

In Memoriam: Patrick Mathé of New Rose & Last Call Records

Even renegade country groups like the Country Rockers or Our Favorite Band, some of the first artists recorded by Memphis’ Doug Easley (who would doubtless be rejected by today’s gatekeepers of Americana), were welcomed by New Rose, as were many other unclassifiable combos. Many of them were featured on compilations like the multi-band Everyday is a Holly Day, a tribute to Buddy Holly, as well as on albums under their own names. 

In the 90s, New Rose was put on ice, as Mathé launched Last Call Records with much the same aesthetic as its predecessor. Perhaps that label’s greatest achievement, subjectively speaking, was the brilliant Cubist Blues, an improvised album by Alex Chilton, Ben Vaughn, and Alan Vega, released in 1996. It also re-released many older New Rose titles, and continued to operate well into the 21st Century. As Vaughn wrote in a Facebook post today, “He was the first true ‘bon vivant’ I ever met. A great music man. He will definitely be missed.”

Categories
News News Blog

BREAKING: Fairgrounds TDZ Wins State Approval

City leaders cleared a major hurdle Monday morning with a positive vote from state leaders on the city’s plan for the redevelopment of the Memphis Fairgrounds.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Paul Young, the city’s director of Housing and Community Development, won approval of the city’s revamped Tourism Development Zone (TDZ) from the executive committee of the State Building Commission during a meeting Monday morning in Nashville.

The move would allow state taxes inside the zone to be redirected to pay for the possibly $181 million plan that would transform the fairgrounds into a youth sports mecca.

“Competitive youth sports is a huge business and, if you’ve ever been, it’s a lot of fun, too,” Strickland told the four-member committee Monday morning. “It’s multiple thousands of families taking mini-vacations all across the area. Retailers, restaurants, and hotels do a booming business. I know because my son did it all over the Midwest and Southeast playing basketball.”

Young noted the TDZ proposal before the board Monday was completely different from the plan put before them in 2013. He said his team looked again at competitive youth sports market reports and ensured the plan focused only on those sports with which they could compete (basketball, volleyball, mat sports, and indoor cheerleading).

Also, Young said his team “right-sized“ the retail spaces, the sports facilities, and made sure the complex would not compete with existing sports facilities in the Mid-South.

“The only similarities at this point is that it’s at the Fairgrounds site and it’s youth sports,” he said.

Young explained the project would move through three phases. Phase one is complete, with Tiger Lane, improvements to Liberty Bowl stadium, and site work for phase two. That part of the project would include the construction of the youth sport complex, which would front Southern on the south end of the Fairgrounds.

But before hammers begin to swing on the complex, state officials will have another review of the plan before it moves ahead at all. Monday’s approval of the TDZ allows city officials to begin collecting commitments of the $61 million in private funds needed to fuel phase two of the project. State finance officials will only sign off on the the $90 million in bonds city leaders will issue for their part of the project if they can raise those private funds.

“If the money and the numbers do not work out, we will not move forward with the project,” Young said.

During Monday’s meeting, Justin Wilson, the state Comptroller of the Treasury, said at first he was “very suspicious of this project.” But with those financial assurances from city leaders (that they’d halt the plan if the money didn’t work) and that state officials would get another look at it later, “I’m satisfied this is the appropriate thing to do.”

If the finances are in line, city leaders could issue the bonds next year or early 2020. With that, the plan said the complex could open by 2021 or 2022.

Phase three of the project would begin within five years of the completion of phase two. Phase three cold cost up to $30 million and include “iconic” entrances and exists, improvements to the Pipkin building, expanded parking, a tourist attraction at Melrose High School, and more.

The Mid-South Coliseum would remain mothballed under the plan. but Young told committee members Monday that private funding to revive the building would emerge if the area around it were reactivated.  

Larry Martin, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration, commended Strickland and his administration for a “job well done.”

“The city of Memphis has come a long way with this TDZ from 2013 to the plan we have in front of us today,” he said.

State Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) spoke in support of the city’s TDZ. He pointed to re-development projects all over the city including Crosstown Concourse, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the city’s riverfront, and South Main. He said he considered the Fairgrounds part of the city’s “Golden Horseshoe.”

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Music Video Monday: Fingertrick

INITIATE MUSIC VIDEO MONDAY PROTOCOL

Chris Pietrangelo, Patrick Pietrangelo, Alessio Mauro, aka Fingertrick, are not feeling themselves in director Blake Heimbach’s video for “All Dawgs Go To Heaven.”  Will experimental psycho-medical intervention from a sexy nurse save these young rockers, stricken with insanity before their time? Watch this slick clip to find out!

Music Video Monday: Fingertrick

If you’d like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com

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From My Seat Sports

Gameday Gratitude

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

I like to give thanks this time of year for the little (and big) treasures from the local sports scene that have enriched life in Memphis.

• I’m grateful for two years of Stubby Clapp-led baseball teams at AutoZone Park. The Memphis Redbirds’ 2017 championship club — 13-0 in extra-inning games — felt over the top at times. The winning came so steadily, so “easily.” Then 2018 happened and the Redbirds did it again. More than 60 players but one hugely popular manager with a clubhouse touch apparently borrowed from Casey Stengel. The back-to-back Pacific Coast League championships will forever be attached to the height-restricted back-to-back PCL Manager of the Year. Clapp is moving on to St. Louis, where he’ll coach first base for the Cardinals. He managed to transform Memphis baseball both as a player and a manager, a total of three championships left behind in the record book.
Larry Kuzniewski

Jaren Jackson Jr.

• I’m grateful for Jaren Jackson Jr. The day will come — I know it’s hard to stomach — when the remaining members of the Memphis Grizzlies’ Fab Four (Mike Conley and Marc Gasol) are no longer sprinting the floor at FedExForum. A franchise can fall into a post-superstar hangover in which roster comings-and-goings matter little to a fan base. (See the post-Kevin Garnett years in Minnesota.) “Triple J” (or “Trey J”?) may be the bridge to the next era for our NBA outfit. I’ve seen nothing not to like about the 19-year-old forward over the first month of his pro career. Here’s hoping we get to see a playoff run (or two) with Conley, Gasol, and Jackson.

• I’m grateful for Darrell Henderson on first down. And second and third. The numbers for the Memphis Tigers’ junior tailback are silly: 1,521 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns with at least two games left to play. There will never be another DeAngelo Williams, but let it be said Henderson has been a nice reminder.

• I’m grateful for Coach Penny Hardaway. It’s been a unique view. I’m of Hardaway’s generation (two years older), so I’ve witnessed his rise to greatness as a player, his dormant years of early retirement, and now this year’s resurrection as a city’s cultural icon, all the while passing through my own life stages, however distant they are from the limelight. So I feel young whenever Hardaway is described as a new or rookie coach and I feel “seasoned” when I remember he’s older today than Larry Finch was when Finch coached his final Tiger game. Most of all, I’m grateful to again be on a ride driven by Penny Hardaway. He’s yet to disappoint.


• I’m grateful for plans to erect a statue of the great Larry Finch. This was overdue, but many of life’s happiest developments are just so. Memphis recently endured a period of conflict over statues that divided segments of the community. We will soon be able to visit a statue (and park!) that I’m convinced will unify Memphians. For such a bronze idol we should all be grateful.

• I’m grateful to be married to an exceptional athlete. My beloved wife, Sharon, will run her first marathon on December 1st, not quite four months after her 50th birthday. She has become a local running star, whether she’ll admit it or not. (She won the 2018 Race for the Cure women’s division, all age groups.) I’ve witnessed her devotion to the cause, her daily training (well beyond my reach), and the joy she’s taken through the agony of a last mile. You spend your working life admiring athletes from different circles, then find yourself cheering loudest for the person across the dinner table.


• As always, I’m grateful for Flyer readers. I hear from you year-round, appreciate your perspectives, counterpoints, and especially your passion for Memphis sports. The title of this column originated from my own devotion to fandom, to being part of the crowd that makes a sporting event — large or small — worthwhile. Thanks for keeping it alive these 17 years.
Categories
We Recommend We Saw You

Indie Film Fest, Grilled Cheese Fest, Adapt-A-Door and more!

CREDIT: Joshua Cannon

Joshua Cannon

Here’s a scene with Bailey Inman and me from Joshua Cannon’s film, ‘Waikiki Beach.’ I play a TV reporter in my first movie role. The movie premiered at this year’s Indie Memphis Film Festival.

I’m proud to say I made my film debut at the recent Indie Memphis Film Festival playing a TV reporter in Waikiki Beach, a film directed by my colleague Joshua Cannon.

I had one line, which I didn’t screw up. I thought I did a good job, but I didn’t see a slew of movie directors waiting to sign me to another movie after the film was shown at the Halloran Centre during the festival.

I loved the movie, which Cannon describes as a “drama comedy.”

This year’s Indie Memphis Festival was outstanding, says Indie Memphis executive director Ryan Watt. “I feel like it’s our best year ever based on the films and the response we’re getting from everybody,” he says. “Just through our surveys from the audience and the feedback. We did an audience survey. Four hundred people replied. It was our third year to do it and I would say it was our best feedback.”

Counting every type of film, including music videos and shorts, Watt says there were 275 movies shown. “Which is the most we’ve ever had.”

Michael Donahue

Austin Barringer and J. M. Stodola, whose movie trailer, ‘Bumble,’ was in the Indie Memphis Film Festival.

Michael Donahue

Jonathan Clarke, Sakura Horiuchi, Robert Stodola, Hibah Siddiqui at Indie Memphis filmmakers after party.

…………
Michael Donahue

Van Duren, Vicki Lovelace, Wade Jackson and Diana and Jody Stephens at a showing of ‘Waiting: The Van Duren Story’ at Malco Ridgeway.

I really loved Waiting: The Van Duren Story, a documentary about Memphis singer/songwriter/musician Van Duren. It won the Audience Award for Best Hometowner Feature this year. It’s a must see if you haven’t already seen it. I did a feature story on Van Duren a couple of years ago. He told me a documentary was being made on him, but he couldn’t talk about it.

I enjoyed meeting the Australian directors Wade Jackson and Greg Cary at the festival’s filmmaker’s after party, which was held November 5th at Tad’s Indoor Trailer Park.

Wade, who stayed a while after Cary left Memphis, got up and played guitar during Van Duren’s regular Thursday night gig at Mortimer’s.

Michael Donahue

Greg Cary and Wade Jackson at the Indie Memphis filmmakers after party.

Michael Donahue

Jack Gould and Claire O’Connell sample some grilled cheese at the Memphis Grilled Cheese Festival.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I love grilled cheese sandwiches. My mother used to make killer ones on an electric toaster oven, which she procured after saving Top Value or Green stamps. She’d dot each sandwich with four tabs of butter before she put the sandwiches in the toaster. That’s all she ever used that oven for, as I recall.

All this is a long way of saying I’m a fan of Memphis Grilled Cheese Festival. This year’s event was held November 4th in front of the Hi-Tone.

One of the most arresting booths was the Mempops booth, which was manned by children.

“This is their third year to help,” says Mempops owner/founder Chris Taylor. “We got tired of doing it. (We said,) ‘You’ll take over. You do it.’” Manning the booth were the Taylor kids — Caroline and Harry — and their friends Anna Ratton, Anna Lauritzen-Wright, and Sarah Kate Ratton.

They grilled the sandwiches on an electric flat top, Taylor says.

He’s a Grilled Cheese Festival veteran. “We’ve been doing this since they’ve been doing it. It’s a block from my house, so it makes it easier.”

Bram Bors Koefoed won this year’s grilled cheese eating contest. He won a toaster and a pair of socks dotted with a pattern of little grilled cheese sandwiches. 

Michael Donahue

Bram Bors Koefoed won a toaster and a pair of socks in the grilled cheese eating contest at the Memphis Grilled Cheese Festival. With him is Brian ‘Skinny’ McCabe.

Michael Donahue

Young people manned the Mempops grilled cheese booth.

………………

Michael Donahue

Cole Ellis at Wine & Dine.

Cole Ellis, owner of Delta Meat Market in Cleveland, Miss., was one of the chefs participating in this year’s Wine & Dine fundraiser, which was held at Tower Center atop Clark Tower. The benefit was for Special Olympics Greater Memphis.

“I thought it was great,” Ellis said.

And, he says, “I’ve done a lot of those type events and it’s always nice to do stuff like that that involves my family. Lisa’s my second cousin.”

He was referring to Special Olympics Greater Memphis executive director Lisa Taylor.

I was crazy about the cuisine Ellis served. I ate several dishes. He made a carrot toast with smoked pulled Springer Mountain chicken from Georgia and smoked onion marmalade. “We use pecan wood in our smoking process. An indigenous tree in our area.”

Getting back to that carrot toast. “I made our carrot cake recipe and then baked it into logs and made it into a French toast. Instead of an egg batter I infused it with flavors I would normally use for carrot cake.”

I wish I had some right now. I also wish I could have made it to the restaurant on its fifth birthday. But Ellis says they’re postponing the birthday party and having a big Christmas party. “We’re going to do steaks for the original price for when we opened and a few other odds and ends. Frogmore stew — a shrimp boil with corn and potatoes. Basically, we’re

going to have a big party.” 

Michael Donahue

Wine & Dine

Michae Donahue

Wine & Dine

MIchael Donahue

Matthew Sheppard and Taylor Story at Wine & Dine

Michael Donahue

Brian Thurmond at Wine & Dine.

…………….

Michael Donahue

Charles Harris and Breslin Perry at LeMoyne-Owen President’s Gala

The big news at LeMoyne-Owen’s President’s Gala, held November 10th at Memphis Cook Convention Center, was the $250,000 donation from the Shelby County Commission. County Commissioners Mickell Lowery and Willie Brooks made the presentation to the school’s president Andrea Lewis Miller and board of trustees chair J. W. Gibson. The money will be used for scholarships and other things.

The gala, which drew about 700, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the merger of LeMoyne College with Owen College.

The Garry Goin Band and the LeMoyne-Owen Concert Choir performed. Dinner included chicken roulade with sweet potato medallions and New York cheesecake with raspberry coulis.

Not everyone was a LeMoyne-Owen, LeMoyne or Owen alumn; Perrin Crews, who attended with his wife, Jill, wore a pair of purple and gold – LeMoyne-Owen’s school colors – socks. “I may not be an alumn, but I’m here to support the school,” he says.

          

Michael Donahue

Crafts & Drafts

 

Michael Donahue

Grady Ferguson and Crystal Brown at Memphis Tequila Festival

The two recent Memphis Flyer events — Memphis Tequila Fest and Crafts & Drafts —were big successes.


Guests tasted and learned about 30 exotic tequilas at Memphis Tequila Fest, which was held October 19th at Overton Square. Among the brands included at the event were Casamigos, Maestro Dobel, and Tres Papalote Mezcal. A mariachi band, face painting, cigars, and cuisine from Babalu, Laura’s Kitchen, and Regina’s Cajun Kitchen rounded out the festival.

About 950 people attended. Proceeds benefited Volunteer Memphis.

Crafts & Drafts, which was held Nov. 10, featured 85 local artisan and craft vendors in front of the Crosstown Concourse. About 3,000 people attended. Proceeds benefited Crosstown Arts.


Michael Donahue

Memphis Tequila Festival

MIchael Donahue

Memphis Tequila Festival

Michael Donahue

Crafts & Drafts

Indie Film Fest, Grilled Cheese Fest, Adapt-A-Door and more!

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

Tigers 109, Yale 102 (2 OT)

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The games go on, as they must.

Two days after Karim Azab lost his eight-month battle with leukemia, his teammates took the floor at FedExForum and won the most scintillating game the barn has seen in years. Down 81-75 with 1:40 left to play in regulation, the Tigers clawed back to tie it on three Tyler Harris free throws with 2.9 seconds left on the clock. Down 96-91 with 48 seconds to play in the first overtime period, the Tigers clawed back to tie it with free throws from Jeremiah Martin and Kyvon Davenport (one each) with less than 10 seconds to play.

Larry Kuzniewski

Tyler Harris

In the second overtime — coach Penny Hardaway’s sport coat in the hands of an assistant — the Tiger defense stopped Yale on five consecutive possessions, taking command on field goals from Martin, Kareem Brewton (a three-pointer), and Alex Lomax. Wearing a patch with their fallen teammate’s initials on their uniforms, the Tigers improved to 2-1 despite missing 19 of an astounding 56 free throws.

“We were against the ropes,” said Martin. “But we stuck together as a team. I knew we were gonna win. No matter the situation or circumstance, we’d find a way out of it. For Karim, we wouldn’t want to lose. We were going to lay it all on the line.”

“When we got down, I thought about Karim in overtime,” added Davenport. “And he helped us get through it.”

The Tigers survived an onslaught by Bulldog guard Alex Copeland, who scored all 13 of his team’s points in the first overtime. They survived despite not hitting a three-pointer until the second half, despite Yale out-shooting them from the field and charity stripe. The Tigers won despite any player grabbing as many as 10 rebounds or handing out more than five assists.

“I’m proud of the guys for sticking with it,” said Hardaway after the game, now 2-0 at home as a head coach. “We didn’t have our best stuff. [Yale] made shots. We knew they were good, and in person they were great. We just outlasted them.”

Team strength can be measured in various ways, and it typically takes a few weeks to identify just how strong a squad might be collectively. After a tough loss at LSU last Tuesday and Azab’s death Thursday, the 2018-19 Tigers are summoning strength they may not have known they had. “I’ve learned these guys are resilient,” said Hardaway. “They’re tougher than I gave them credit for. You come back at LSU and take the lead, you’ve got a tough team.”

Harris led Memphis with 22 points and called on a higher power for the clutch free throws at the end of regulation. “That was one of the hardest moments of my life,” said the freshman from Cordova. “I prayed to God and He came through for me.”

Hardaway wasn’t sure of the Biblical proportions, but he was confident Harris would make the three free throws after missing one earlier in the second half. “That’s the way Tyler is,” said the rookie coach. “He relishes that moment, to stick the dagger in. I knew he was gonna make all three. He’s built for that.”

Larry Kuzniewski

Penny Hardaway

Martin struggled early but finished with 20 points, five assists, and three steals in 42 minutes of action. Brewton scored 12 points off the bench and Mike Parks scored 11 in a reserve role. (Parks started the first overtime.) Davenport and Isaiah Maurice each scored 10 points and Lomax added 13. Hardaway’s prize freshman recruits were integral in the win, Harris playing 39 minutes and Lomax 35.

The Coach Hardaway Era has already had heartbreak — of the most severe kind — and it’s now had a double-overtime thriller in front of more than 14,000 fans at FedExForum. The new face of a program he led so brilliantly as a player is comfortable with the emotional extremes. “I’ve had so many close games in my career [as a player and high school coach],” he said. “I’ve learned from the wins and the losses.”

The Tigers will travel to Orlando for three games at the Advocare Invitational Thanksgiving weekend. They tip off against Oklahoma State on Thanksgiving day at 3 p.m. They won’t return to FedExForum until December 4th, when South Dakota State comes to town.

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Tigers 28, SMU 18

The Memphis Tigers and SMU Mustangs put together Friday night football follies in Dallas, and Memphis prevailed. Behind two touchdowns each from tight end Joey Magnifico and tailback Patrick Taylor, the Tigers improved to 7-4 for the season and 4-3 in the American Athletic Conference. The victory sets up what amounts to an AAC semifinal game against Houston next Friday at the Liberty Bowl, the winner advancing to the league championship game on December 1st.

The win can best be described as awkward. In the first half alone, one team botched a fake punt (SMU) while the other missed a 21-yard field goal attempt (Memphis kicker Riley Patterson). Tiger quarterback Brady White managed to complete a pass, via deflection, to himself. Taylor was taken down in the end zone for a safety. Memphis suffered more than 100 yards in penalties . . . and led at the break (7-5) courtesy of a White-to-Magnifico touchdown pass.

Taylor scored on a 9-yard run early in the third quarter to extend the Memphis lead to 14-5. SMU tightened things with a touchdown pass from Ben Hicks to James Proche for 31 yards late in the third, but Memphis responded on its ensuing possession, White again finding Magnifico in the end zone to make the score 21-12. Taylor all but clinched the win with his second touchdown run, a two-yard sprint midway through the fourth quarter.

Taylor finished the game with 112 yards on 20 carries while his backfield partner, Darrell Henderson, ran for 75 yards on 16 attempts. (Henderson surpassed 1,500 rushing yards for the season, only the second Tiger in history to do so.) White completed 18 of 31 passes for 226 yards, with the two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Sophomore wideout Damonte Coxie caught two passes for 90 yards (the first a 62-yarder on the Tigers’ opening possession). Coxie became just the third Memphis receiver to top 1,000 yards in a season but missed the second half with a leg injury.

SMU drops to 5-6 (4-3) with the loss. Memphis owns any three- or four-way tiebreaker (with Tulane and Houston also in the mix), so a win next week over the Cougars would mean a second straight trip to the AAC championship game.

The victory clinches a fifth straight winning season for the Tigers, a streak unmatched since 1973-77.