MORE THAN A GAME
On Friday the 13th Memphians will not be scared; instead, many people will converge on the Mid-South for the 13th annual Southern Heritage Classic, where they will be happy. The SHC is apparently more than a football game; it can best be described as a weekend of entertainment, excitement, and an opportunity for family and friends to have a good time while garnering memories of a lifetime.
The weekend includes concerts, golf, tailgating, fashion show, parade, and of course the Tennessee State ( 1-1 ) vs. Jackson State ( 0-2 ) college football game. Memphian Fred Jones, a minority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies is the Founder/Producer of Southern Heritage Classic. The Flyer sat down with Jones to get his take on the 13th SHC and all of the activities which are special elements of this wonderful Memphis weekend.
Flyer: Mr. Jones Why is this SHC such a big deal for many people not just those in and from Memphis?
Fred Jones: It’s the big game the big rivalry, one of the biggest rivalries in college sports Jackson State vs. Tennessee State football game and of course the half time battle of the bands featuring two of the best bands in the country.
Flyer: What makes SHC such a great event for people of all ages and backgrounds?
Fred Jones: It’s a family reunion, it’s an alumni get-together, it’s still a football game. It’s still good fun, and that’s the beauty of what it is.
Flyer: What makes SHC so unigue when you look at this weekend as an inclusive event?
Fred Jones: You can talk about the economic side, social side, and the sports side, and that’s very difficult to do with an event and to be able to have those ingredients and to have them all at a high level.
Flyer: Why are the SHC and Memphis a good fit? There are classics all over the country, but people keep coming back to Memphis, Why is that?
Fred Jones: We got a good location, we got a great history so you’re able to talk about this football game and this event, but you also talk about the community. And this event is a part of this community, and that’s important.
Flyer: Any final comments on the SHC and why it’s so important for young people in particular when it comes to the experience of the SHC?
Fred Jones: In the classic you have a chance to be part of the tradition that parents and grandparents grew up with and was a cornerstone of their lives and were able to play that out in 2002 while giving it the authenticity and still be able to present it the way that you have to do it.
