mtsu
03.28.2018 Vol.93 No.2
SIDELINES The Southern Edition
The Southern Edition 05 06
MTSU Professor Kent Syler discusses voting traditions, voting in the South ‘What did y’all just say’: A guide to understanding southern slang
09
A tradition a deep as its roots: Local meat-and-threes flood the South
10
A Canadian high school basketball player finds a home in the Southeast U.S.
11 13
Tennessee’s second ‘Music City’: How Bonnaroo impacts Manchester
16 17
Bill Wilson is ‘Mr. Murfreesboro’
Sports in the South: What makes them better?
Guide to 2018’s southern summer music festivals
A Note from the Editor Let’s face it: sometimes the South gets a bad rap. Many of those who live here, though, recognize that the southern states have a good bit to offer in ways of food, music festivals and more. In this edition, you can find everything you need to know about the South. For music lovers, we break down the top southern music festivals you don’t want to miss this summer and talk about Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, the event that put Manchester, Tennessee, on the map. It’s not only country music down here, folks. For southern transplants, getting the lingo down can be tough, so Assistant Lifestyles Editor Wendy Anderson shares her handy list of “Southernisms” so that way you can know what someone really means when they say, “bless your heart.” Chances are, it’s meant as sweet as the tea is up north. Politics in the South are shifting, and Assistant News Editor Caleb Revill examines the changes happening here, both locally and regionally. Thanks for reading. Brinley Hineman Editor-in-Chief, Sidelines
Meet the Crew
Editor-in-Chief Brinley Hineman
Managing Editor Marissa Gaston
Lifestyle Editor Tayhlor Stephenson
Sports Editor Rusty Ellis
Design Editor Abigail Potter
Assistant Sports Editor David Chamberlain
Assistant News Editor Caleb Revill
Student Adviser Leon Aligood
News Editor Andrew Wigdor
Music Editor Hayden Goodridge
Assistant Lifestyle Editor Wendy Anderson
03.28.18 /04
mtsusidelines.com
Hey! Write for us! We meet every Friday at 2 p.m. in the Center for Innovation in Media.We are looking for designers, writers, photographers and videographers. Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@mtsusidelines.com or managingeditor@mtsusidelines.com
Find us on Social Media
@mtsusidelines
editor@mtsusidelines.com
mtsusidelines.com
MTSU Sidelines
By: Caleb Revil / Assistant News Editor
MTSU professor Kent Syler discusses voting traditions, changes in the South At the dawn of the “Reagan era,” southern politics changed. Middle Tennessee State University political science professor Kent Syler experienced this shift in Tennessee politics firsthand while working as the campaign manager for Bart Gordon, who served as representative for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District from 1985 to 2010. “I think working in politics and government has given me a greater appreciation for all the things government does and the impact it has on our lives,” Syler said. Syler explained that for most of U.S. history, Tennessee had primarily been comprised of southern Democrats until the Reagan era changed how many Tennesseans voted. “The way Tennesseans voted, when I first started working in politics, went back to their allegiance in the civil war,” Syler said. “If you were in an area of Tennessee that sided with the Union, like East Tennessee, you were Republican. If you were in Middle or West Tennessee, you were a Democrat.” According to Syler, the Reagan era, which started in 1981 with the presidential election of Ronald Reagan, had a profound impact on voters in the South. “The national party was never incredibly popular in the South,” Syler said. “I think as the Democratic party became more of a national brand, it started to turn off some rural Democrats. Social issues (like) abortion (and) samesex marriage certainly sent some away. Some of these rural areas became somewhat more evangelical.”
Syler noted that the Civil Rights movement had an impact on southern Democrats at the time. “The civil rights movement also separated some Democrats,” Syler said. “I think there’s a perception in some of the areas of the South that there’s a ‘limited pie,’ and that if a party is trying to help Latinos or trying to help African-Americans, then that means they’re not trying to help rural white workers who have seen their jobs disappear due to global trade and a variety of other things.” Syler reflected on what he felt was the largest attitude change of his time involved in politics during the 1994 U.S. midterm elections. During this time, Newt Gingrich ran as a representative for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. Gingrich was elected and served as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. “Newt Gingrich brought in a kind of revolution, and it was one of those where he took no prisoners,” Syler said. “It introduced a lot more negativity and a lot more hostility into politics, and it’s only gotten worse from there.” Negativity wasn’t the only thing increasing in politics. Syler said that campaign funding increased exponentially. “The other real problem is the amount of money out there now,” Syler said. “Bart mortgaged his house (when campaigning). We spent $600,000 or so, and in those days you didn’t necessarily have to worry about huge amounts of money coming in.” Syler referred to the recent 2018 Pennsylvania Special Election where, according to Bloomberg Government, $17.5 million in total was spent on campaigning by election eve.
“This outside money, which comes in generally on negative ads, has really made it tougher to serve,” Syler said. “I think it hurts Congress as an institution with the public. It is less desirable to serve for Congress today than when (Gordon and I) first ran.” The internet’s growing impact can also be felt by politicians. Syler said that with the access to the seemingly limitless information provided via the internet, there’s an equally large access to misinformation. Towards the end of Gordon’s time serving in 2010, Syler said that a great amount of time was spent correcting misinformation and “fake news.” “I think what has happened even more so since we left (is that) people tend to get on the internet, especially with social media, only talk to their friends (and) people who think like they think,” Syler said. “(They) absolutely lose sight that this is a big country with a lot of diverse opinions. It makes it hard. When everyone thinks they’re totally right, it’s hard to get compromise.” On the topic of compromise, Syler noted how polarizing politics has become.
“It’s tougher (to compromise) because the public has become far more polarized,” Syler said. “I don’t think we can blame the leaders, because we are so divided as a population.” Syler explained this with an example where a Democratic district with a Democratic member of Congress could decide to work with Donald Trump on something. Syler said that some other Democrat would run against the incumbent in the following primary and say “this guy’s not liberal enough. He votes with President Trump.” “If we want bipartisan government with people working together, we’re going to have to give our elected officials the ability to do that rather than vote them out of office in the primary because they’re too soft on the other side,” Syler said. Syler offered some insight to the future of Tennessee’s political stance. “The change in Tennessee from where I started to, not so much coincidentally when I quit, was that we went through a huge transformation from a solid Democratic state to a very solid Republican state,” Syler said. “I haven’t seen any real indication yet that that’s changing (but) we’ll know a lot more this fall.”
Syler referred to the upcoming Tennessee Senate race as a possible indicator of change in Tennessee partisanship. Former Governor Phil Bredesen will be running on a centrist platform. “Phil Bredesen, who is running from the center, has an ad out talking about how he’s not running against Donald Trump ... we’ve got to watch that race,” Syler said. “If Phil Bredesen can’t win running from the middle, then I think we can assume that there’s no middle left in Tennessee politics.”
mtsusidelines.com
03.28.18
/06
‘What did y’all just say’: A guide to understanding southern slang By: Wendy Anderson / Assistant Lifestyles Editor
I
n the South, there’s a very unique way people communicate with each other. It usually involves weird metaphors and obscure slang terms that seem to have been around since anyone can remember. There are some southern slang staples that are pretty self-explanatory such as “y’all,” which is how you would address or refer to a group of people. For example, if you want to know if your friends are attending a football game, you could ask, “Are y’all going to the game tonight?” However, there are plenty more that can be confusing for those not equipped with a southern vocabulary. Here’s a guide to understanding some key “Southernisms” that will help you blend right in like a true southerner.
“Bless your heart” 1. This is the pinnacle of Southernisms. Southerners are known for their hospitality and kind nature, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be rude or insult people -- it just sounds a little nicer when they do it. “Bless your heart,” when used sincerely, is a way of expressing sympathy for someone. 2. However, it’s usually used sarcastically as a way of making fun of someone straight to their face. For example, if you know someone who’s always “belly-aching,” or complaining about stupid things, you may respond to them with “Bless your heart, that’s just awful.”
“Buggy” 1. A southerner’s term for a shopping cart is “buggy.” This is typically heard from older southerners. So, the next time your grocery shopping and hear “Oh man, I forgot to grab a buggy” or “This buggy is broken,” you’ll know the store isn’t filled with a bunch of lunatics.
“Fixin’ to” 1.In southern language, “fixin’ to” is a replacement for “about to” in almost any sentence you can think of. For example, “Are y’all fixin’ to go to the store?”
“Knee-high to a grasshopper” 1. This is a phrase that’s used to describe a child. This is also something older relatives who you haven’t seen in awhile use to refer to how young you were the last time they saw you. “You were just knee-high to a grasshopper the last time I saw you.” Grandparents are usually the guilty party when it comes to using this phrase. Whenever they hear a young kid complaining about having to ride a school bus, you can pretty much guarantee you’re going to hear “When I was knee-high to a grasshopper, we had to walk to school in the snow, uphill both ways.”
“Slow as molasses” 1. Molasses are a thick, dark syrup that comes from raw sugar, and it’s used to bake. Because it’s a very viscous substance, it takes a long time for it to pour out of its jar. So, “slow as molasses” is the southern description for something incredibly slow. If your roommate is taking forever in the shower, you could say “You’re slow as molasses.”
“I don’t have a dog in that fight” 1. Southerners use this to describe a situation where the outcome doesn’t affect them, or they don’t have an opinion on the situation. For example, if your friends are arguing about what the best ice-cream flavor is and you don’t like ice-cream at all, you could say, “I don’t have a dog in that fight.”
“I’ll be a monkey’s uncle” 1. This phrase came about during the Scopes Trial as a sarcastic remark made by creationists. This is something those in the South say to express disbelief or amazement. In true southern fashion, it’s also commonly used sarcastically. So, if someone states something obvious, you could respond with “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”
“Hold your horses” 1. People say that the South seems to move at a slower pace than the rest of the world. You’ll often hear a southerner tell someone to “hold their horses,” which means to just be patient.
“Too big for his britches” 1. “Britches” is another word for pants in southern vocabulary. The phrase means that someone is taking themselves too seriously. They’re acting like their position or status is higher than it actually is. If a player were to smart off to their coach, the coach may say “You’re too big for your britches.”
“The devil is beating his wife” 1. Though this isn’t commonly heard in modern southern slang, quite a few older southerners still use this to describe a sunshower. A sunshower happens when it rains while the sun is still shining. The phrase stems from the idea that the devil is mad that God created a beautiful day, so he beats his wife out of anger and her tears cause the rain.
“Ugly” 1. While “ugly” is a part of everyone’s vocabulary, the meaning southerners put behind it isn’t. Southerners use this to refer to someone who’s being rude or has a bad attitude. For example, if a little kid is throwing a tantrum or talking-back, their mom may say “stop acting ugly” or “don’t be ugly.”
“Kiss my grits” 1. You may have gathered by now that southerners are sassy people. So, “kiss my grits” is a substitution for the similar American phrase “kiss my ass,” and it’s usually used in a joking manner. There’s definitely still a lot of unique southern terms out there, but this list will help you successfully navigate conversations with southern folk until you pick up some more down the road. Go to a local meat-and-three and try out your new set of vocabulary, or throw some polite shade at your friends.
mtsusidelines.com
03.28.18 /08
A tradition as deep as its roots: Local meat-and-threes flood the South
By Tayhlor Stephenson / Lifestyles Editor
N
othing says you’re in the South quite like stepping foot inside a local meat-and-three. There’s just something about their gravitating hospitality and down-home good cooking that’s irresistible. It’s the dinner-time classics, such as gravy-infused chicken fried steak and a slice of chocolate pie for dessert, that allow meat-and-threes to shine as the true southern staple they are.
Lucky for Murfreesboro residents, these long-time gems surround Middle Tennessee. Whether it’s a spot in the city or it’s somewhat off the grid, there are local meat-and-threes waiting to deliver their unique flair.
Bell Buckle Cafe
best to slow your busy pace and visit a local favorite that oozes with southern pride.
Bell Buckle Cafe sits in a small, historic town and serves as one of its city’s main destinations. But, even if you’ve never visited -- or heard of -- Bell Buckle, only a short 30-minute drive separates Murfreesboro residents from this local favorite.
Options such as fried chicken, catfish, meatloaf and rib tips -- accompanied by your choice of side items -- are available to satisfy your appetite. Before you leave, though, make sure you sink your teeth in Jeff ’s freshly cooked hot-water cornbread. For more information, visit Jeff ’s Family Restaurant on Facebook.
Location: 16 Railroad Sq E, Bell Buckle
As for the Bell Buckle Cafe menu, it includes made-to-order burgers, various sandwiches, BBQ and specialty items, such as the smothered pork chop. Regardless of what you order, a visit to Bell Buckle Cafe is never complete without a piece of oatmeal cake. The hot caramel sauce and chilling vanilla ice cream really set this dessert apart from its competitors. Lastly, Bell Buckle Cafe offers its guests weekly live music, primarily on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit bellbucklecafe.com.
City Cafe
Location: 113 E Main St, Murfreesboro Finding your favorite brunch spot can be difficult, but once you give City Cafe a try, your search and continuously frustrating efforts will vanish. As Rutherford County’s oldest diner, City Cafe first opened in 1900, yet they continue to effortlessly pull in customers. Why? Because of their untouchable breakfast and lunchtime menu comprised of various meat-and-three options.
Tasty Table
It’s a Murfreesboro classic located right on the city’s square. If you haven’t already, head on over to City Cafe. For more information, visit City Cafe Murfreesboro on Facebook.
Though it may seem like it, not all meat-and-threes opened long ago. In fact, Murfreesboro’s newest, Tasty Table, just opened its doors to the public in February. Even so, its owner, Laura Gossett, is no stranger to the food service business: Gossett was a longtime caterer before she actually opened a brick and mortar.
Kleer-Vu Lunchroom
Location: 810A Medical Center Parkway, Murfreesboro
Customers of Tasty Table can expect an ever-changing menu, but usuals include pizzas, sandwiches, wraps and soups, as well as heartier entrees such as a roast sirloin. For more information, visit tastytable.net.
Miller’s Grocery
Location: 7011 Main St, Christiana Since 1995, Miller’s Grocery has served its local community delectable treats in a cozy cafe decorated by a plethora of antiques. As if the southern-cooking isn’t enough reason to visit Miller’s Grocery, its atmosphere reinforces its worthiness. Speaking of the restaurant’s award-winning fare, it boasts a menu full of “chicken, catfish, meatloaf, salads, corn nuggets and much more,” according to their website. They also pride themselves on their made-from-scratch desserts that no meal could ever be complete without. For more information, visit millersgrocery.com.
Jeff’s Family Restaurant
Location: 467 S Hancock St, Murfreesboro Hidden behind the hustle and bustle of the ever-growing city of Murfreesboro is Jeff ’s Family Restaurant. But just because it doesn’t sit on a prime slice of land facing one of the city’s busiest streets doesn’t mean Jeff ’s should be overlooked; after all, sometimes it’s
Location: 226 S Highland Ave, Murfreesboro Another soul food hotspot is Kleer-Vu Lunchroom, which has been in business for over 40 years -- not quite as long as City Cafe, but plenty long enough for it to prove its value to the town. It’s cafeteria style, and everyone is welcome. It’s important to note that Kleer-Vu’s menu changes daily; for example, one day you might catch the chicken and dressing special while your next visit might land you a plate full of pulled pork and baked chicken. Regardless of which day you plan a trip to KleerVu, it will likely place itself on your list of regulars. For more information, visit Kleervu Lunchroom on Facebook. The South just wouldn’t be complete without each meat-and-three’s contribution. And since 1900, when City Cafe first opened its doors to the public, Murfreesboro and its surrounding areas have housed some of Tennessee’s finest. Additionally, prices at these restaurants tend to be very reasonable -- you can eat at all of these places for less than $10 -- so why not feed into the years-old tradition?
mtsusidelines.com
03.28.18 /10
A Canadian high school basketball player finds a home in the Southeast U.S. By: Elijah Campbell / Sports Reporter
People’s talents can take them many places in life and can give them the opportunity to explore the world in more ways than they could ever imagine. For some people, it’s acting. For some people, it’s music. For Middle Tennessee State University freshman and Canada native Therren Shelton-Szmidt, his life changing talent is basketball. Shelton-Szmidt was born in Mississauga, Canada in the summer of 1998 and always had a talent of playing basketball. He is 6-feet-5 inches tall and has an incredible ability to shoot the ball and score on the offensive end. His talents were enough to get him onto the Hamilton Heights varsity basketball team in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he averaged 17 points per game and six rebounds per game as a junior. During his crucial senior season, Shelton-Szmidt had his best season yet, posting averages of 18.6 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game and shot 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc. In one of his best high school games, he poured in a career-high 41 points against Wesley Christian as he connected on six three-pointers and shot over 50 percent from the field as well. After graduating from Hamilton Heights, he accepted a scholarship to play at the collegiate level at Middle Tennessee State University. In his first season as a Blue Raider, Shelton-Szmidt is averaging 1.4 points per game in only 5.3 minutes of action each game.
Despite the exciting opportunity of coming to America to play the game he loves, Shelton-Szmidt had some preconceived notions of the Southeast United States that he was expecting. “I haven’t really met a lot of people from here where I am from,” Shelton-Szmidt said. “We all had this mentality that everyone here (in the South) was just country and had nothing but country music, cowboys and farmland. But getting here showed me just how wrong we were and how the culture is more diverse than I thought.” While the overall culture of the South was different than he could have ever imagined, there was a pleasant similarity between southern American and Canadian sports: a passion for the game of basketball and the overall kindness of its people. “Basketball is huge here and the people are just really nice,” Shelton-Szmidt said. “There really aren’t that many similarities (between cultures) outside basketball being a big thing.” Even though there are some differences in his homeland of Canada and the state of Tennessee, Shelton-Szmidt has grown to love certain aspects of southern culture in his time here. “I like the food here, I really like the people here, I like the church here and meeting my Christian brothers and sisters.”
How Bonnaroo impacts Manchester By: Andrew Wigdor / News Editor
While Nashville, Tennessee, is known
for raising up budding musicians and being home
to historic performance sites, the small city of Manchester is known for a musical experience that has drastically changed the economic development and culture in the area: Bonnaroo. Bonnaroo was first founded in 2002 when SuperFly Productions, a group of four recent college graduates, and Ashley Capps, who founded music promotion company AC Entertainment, excitedly attempted to bring their passion for music to the world. Their initiative was a massive hit from the beginning, with the first Bonnaroo selling out in just a few weeks. According to the Superfly Productions website, Bonnaroo now includes over 180 musical acts on nine stages, the second largest comedy festival in America, a cinema that runs 24-hours per day, a giant water slide, a large ferris wheel and many other pop-up booths and experiences for attendees and Manchester residents to enjoy. In 2017, around 65,000 fans traveled to Bonnaroo, which is six times Manchester’s residential population, according to 2016 U.S. Census data. David Pennington, a Coffee County native, former county mayor and co-owner of Jiffy Burger, said that Bonnaroo has always affected the city in a positive way. “What it’s done is put Manchester and Coffee County on the map,” Pennington said. “We went to New York a couple of years ago, and we were talking to a cab driver. He knew Bonnaroo, and he knew Manchester … When you think of Manchester, everyone says Bonnaroo. Pennington also said that economic impact that Bonnaroo has when it comes to tourism is important to the people of Manchester “It’s an over $50 million economic impact,” Pennington said. “It’s generated a lot of tourism here in Manchester. Most people don’t just come for the festival. They stay a week before, and they stay afterwards, a lot of them.” Pennington said that he met Ashley Capps and Rick Farman of Superfly Productions when they first visited Manchester to begin work on the festival. “We met them in 2002,” Pennington said. “We have a friendship with the owners.” Pennington’s restaurant, Jiffy Burger, which has been operating in Coffee County for 53 years, is the only restaurant in the country that is licensed to have the Bonnaroo Burger. Pennington said that Jeff Cuellar, the vice president of strategic partnerships for Bonnaroo, invented the burger for the restaurant. “We get a lot of people during Bonnaroo to come to our restaurant, year after year,” Pennington said. “Jiffy Burger is a landmark with Bonnaroo. Jiffy Burger
has been a destination to a lot of people, and Bonnaroo helped to put us there.” Pennington also stated that Bonnaroo has created a strong partnership with the businesses and residents of the area. “They’re more than just a business that comes in every weekend,” Pennington said. “They’ve formed a partnership, and they want to see Manchester and Coffee County do good. Bottom line: Bonnaroo’s good for Manchester and Coffee County, period.” Terri Hudson, the executive director of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, also spoke to the massive impact that Bonnaroo has had on the growth of Manchester. “Obviously, you tell somebody you’re from Manchester, Tennessee, and they say, ‘Oh. That’s where Bonnaroo is.’” Hudson said. “It really has become our differential. It’s our thing … It’s a really nice thing to hang your hat on. People are in awe that such a small city can host such a huge event.”
According to Hudson, Bonnaroo has a $51 million total economic impact on the area, with $36 million of that going directly into the city of Manchester. Hudson also stated that the festival allows nonprofit organizations to gather funds by working at Bonnaroo. “They allow nonprofit organizations, like baseball leagues, churches, a chamber of commerce, whatever, to work at the festival, and usually, that means parents working in a beer tent,” Hudson said. “We run their beer tents for them, and they allow locals to do that to make some profits.” Hudson said that the Manchester Chamber of Commerce generally runs a couple of these tents and makes between $5,000 to $10,000 each year. According to data collected by the Bonnaroo Works Fund, the festival collects state sales tax on every ticket sold, with 2.75 percent of that tax going to Coffee County’s local share. In 2017, Coffee County gained over $600,000 from their share. The data also shows that Bonnaroo attendees spend, on average, $83 per day on food, beverages and merchandise. Coffee County
receives 2.75 percent of these sales as well. In 2017, Coffee County gained almost $450,000 from these sales. The Bonnaroo Works Fund has also paid out grants of over $7 million since its inception, with at least $400,000 that has gone to Coffee County recipients. The fund has built the Manchester Skate Park, retrofitted more than 200 area homes, provided free chromebooks to Coffee County Schools, provided lunch boxes to every student in Coffee County and more. “(The Bonnaroo Works Fund) has done things like paint our recreation center,” Hudson said. “They have provided uniforms for the high school band and several other projects like that.” According to a 2016 Tennessee Economic Impact report, Coffee County ranked 21st out of 95 counties in Tennessee for tourism profits. “Obviously, we have a huge portion of that to credit to Bonnaroo,” Hudson said. “We don’t have an ocean. We don’t have a Dollywood. There’s no real attraction here. So, Bonnaroo is our thing. 85 percent of attendees are from out of the state. They come from all over the world.” Despite the many ways that Bonnaroo has affected the residents and organizations in Manchester and Coffee County, Hudson said that some in the area could take better advantage of the festival. “A lot of our local business could probably take better advantage of the opportunity,” Hudson said. “There are workers here on the ground already. They’re building things. They’re spraying for bugs. They’ve been in about two weeks already. Those are people who are eating in town and shopping in town. Shops and restaurants could take better advantage of marketing to those who show up early. Even 16 years in, we feel like we could profit even more.” Hudson said that the Manchester Chamber of Commerce has also worked to dispel the idea that residents can’t leave the house when Bonnaroo is in town. “It may be a little more congested than you are used to, but you can still get into Walmart to buy a loaf of bread,” Hudson said. Besides the economic influence, Hudson stated that Bonnaroo has weaved its way into the culture of Manchester. “There are several establishments, such as Jiffy Burger who has the Bonnaroo Burger, that have really embraced it. Our office actually has the Bonnaroo slogan on our newly renovated wall. It says, ‘Radiate Positivity.’ And, we did a huge mural of a nighttime photo of the ground at the festival … We really hope that does kind of rub off on the rest of the community. Because, there are a lot of people who do claim it, year-round, and we should.”
mtsusidelines.com
03.28.18 /12
Sports in the South: What makes them better?
Story by Rusty Ellis / Sports Editor
Photo by Joi Williams / MTSU Sidelines
A
thletics. Whether it’s high school, college or professional, there’s no
couple of the teams that the rest of the state.
experiences in the United States today. While there are good pro-
Murfreesboro are not just the top team in the state, they are also the 10th-ranked
doubt that going to a sporting event is one of the most entertaining
grams and teams to watch all over the country however, sports just
feel different in the South.
Maybe they are just more intense; maybe fans are into them more, and that
added feeling of emotion gives the participants more energy and drive to perform for their supporters.
It could be the talent level, as the southern portion of the United States boasts
not only some of the best professional teams in different sports, but also one of
the best conferences in college athletics in the Southeastern Conference. The best amateur athletes in the nation flock toward schools like Tennessee, Kentucky and
Alabama for a chance to extend their careers and make it to the professional ranks.
What’s more, that is only boys basketball. The Riverdale Lady Warriors in
squad in the nation, according to Max Preps. In March, they finished off a stellar 36-1 season with their third consecutive state championship, and they currently
have three Division I commits (Brinae Alexander, Alexis Whittington and Amanda Whittington) that will be playing college ball next season.
Football is a different animal as well, as fans and parents alike pack into High
School stadiums to watch their kids play against cross-town rivals. The air is
thicker, and the energy is electric. While both teams battle in the trenches, each play could make the difference in winning and losing. This is football in the South, and there’s just nothing like it.
Middle and East Tennessee boast a combined 23 of the top 25 teams in the state,
Whatever it may be, sports are more than just better in the South; they are
including the first six in the rankings. Brentwood finished the season as the number
Let’s start at the high school level. In Tennessee alone, you have some of the
Bell Academy (Nashville) by a score of 42-38. The second-ranked team, Maryville,
bigger in every way.
nation’s best basketball teams with schools like Memphis East, Riverdale and
Beardon. Shelby County boasts 11 of the top 25 teams in the state alone according to Max Preps, while schools like Blackman, Oak Ridge and Cleveland are just a
one team in the state and won the Class AAA state championship over Montgomery finished the season with an unblemished 14-0 record and won the Class 6A championship in a dominant 42-7 win over Cane Ridge. The following three teams in
the top five (Oakland, MBA and Knoxville Catholic) combined to only lose seven
03.28.18 14
mtsusidelines.com games throughout the season.
teams that each have made their mark on their respective leagues. The Nashville
amount of talent in the South is unmatched by any other region.
they swept the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks and defeated the St. Louis Blues
So while it may not be the level of athletics people pay the big bucks to see, the College athletics is more of the same, as the SEC has dominated the sports
scene for many years now. The legend of Nick Saban and his dynasty at the Uni-
Predators made one of the most dominant playoffs runs in recent memory when and Anaheim Ducks to make their first-ever Stanley Cup Final appearance.
Before this season of futility, the Memphis Grizzlies had a seven-year stretch
versity of Alabama grew this past year when he made the decision to put in true
where they made the playoffs every year. That culminated in 2013 when they made
fellow SEC member Georgia.
ma City Thunder in six and five games, respectively.
freshman Tua Tagovailoa at halftime of the National Championship game against Despite being a little timid in his first few series, Tagovailoa completed one of
the Western Conference Finals after beating the Los Angeles Clippers and OklahoOn the complete other hand, the Titans ended a nearly 10-year drought when
the most spectacular debuts in college football history by tossing the game-winning
they made the NFL playoffs as the first wild card team in the American Football
for the Crimson Tide, as it was their 14th in school history. For Saban, it was his
the road in Kansas City. Down 21-3, they held the Chiefs scoreless in the second
touchdown to DeVonta Smith in overtime. Winning a national title is nothing new third career title and his second at Alabama.
That’s only football; college basketball is yet another sport that the SEC
continues to produce excellent teams for. In
this season’s NCAA Tournament, there are a
league-record eight teams from the conference that will be in the big dance.
Tennessee leads the way in the conference
as a three-seed, while Auburn claimed a fourseed. Kentucky, the 2018 SEC Tournament
Champions, were award the fifth-seed in the
Conference. Not only that, they managed to complete a comeback for the ages on half and scored 19 unanswered points to win by a final score of 22-21.
It’s not just Tennessee however, as teams like the Houston Astros and Kansas
“We hang our hat on hard work and defense.” -Coach Anfernee ‘Penny’ Hardaway
South region. While other teams were seeded as low as the ninth spot, they are still in position
to potentially upset a few teams and make a run to the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.
College basketball isn’t only limited to just big schools however, as smaller
teams are beginning to put their conference on the map. While Conference USA
isn’t the toughest conference, programs like Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky and Alabama-Birmingham have beaten big-time programs and made names for themselves.
MTSU owns arguably the biggest win for the league with their 90-81 victory
over powerhouse Michigan State in 2016, while WKU handed Purdue a loss early in the 2017-18 season when they played against each other in the Bahamas. UAB
made waves in 2015 as a 14-seed when they defeated Iowa State in the Round of 64
City Royals have won the World Series over
teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets in recent years. The San Antonio
Spurs are one of the most decorated teams in the NBA, as they have won five NBA Champion-
ships, six conference titles and 22 division titles. The Miami Heat dominated the league from
2011-2014, as they made the finals all four years and won the title twice.
What is the main ingredient in all of these
teams, at every level? They all play top-notch defense. While teams on the west
coast may put an emphasis on offense, the South builds and forges teams in the fire of simply being more physical and playing harder than the other side.
While you can’t win if you don’t score, one Memphis legend knows that it’s
that gritty effort and hard-nosed play on defense that makes the South stand out from every other region in the States.
“It’s a different style in the area,” said former Memphis State player and current
Memphis East Head Coach Anfernee ‘Penny’ Hardaway. “We hang our hat on hard work and defense. We focus on effort things, while other regions focus more on offense.”
The famous saying is that everything is bigger in Texas, but for athletics, it’s
by a score of 60-59.
simply bigger in the South. Period.
years that if someone overlooks them, they will beat you.
ugly games by playing defense, and the West focuses more on offense.”
While C-USA may not be a premier conference, they’ve shown in the past few Finally, we have the pro ranks. In Tennessee alone, you have three professional
Worship With Us Sundays at 2:30pm 330 Walla Ct. Murfreesboro TN 37128
www.threshing.org Our Mission
Birthing gifts. Developing disciples. Advancing the kingdom of God.
Pastor Razel & Lady Camille Jones
“The South is more about the grind,” Hardaway said. “You get through all the
®
MASSAGE AND FACIAL SPA
RESTORE INTRODUCTORY ONE-HOUR
•
RELAX
INTRODUCTORY ONE-HOUR
MASSAGE HOT STONE or FACIAL MASSAGE $ 95 95 $
49 69 *
AN $89.95 VALUE!
*
A $109.95 VALUE!
•
REFRESH
Simply Smooth all Over Buy 4 Hair Removal Services and get your 5th service
FREE
**
Choose from: Eyebrow, Lip or Chin, Underarm or Bikini
Murfreesboro | 615-913-4347 536 North Thompson Lane • Suite J
Brentwood | 615-850-4360 201 Franklin Road • Suite 170 Near Fresh Market
Franklin–Cool Springs | 615-791-0091 4091 Mallory Lane • Suite 124 Behind Whole Foods
Open 7 Days | Extended Hours | Walk-ins Welcome | handandstone.com *Introductory offers valid for first-time visit only and not valid towards gift cards. Sessions include time for consultation and dressing. Rates and services may vary by location. **Must purchase 4 of the same Waxing Series to receive 5th one FREE. Not valid for previous visits. Must use package for exact service specified in series. Redeemable only at location where purchased. Not valid for gift cards. Packages expire one year from date of purchase. Independently Owned & Operated. ©2018 Hand & Stone Corp. Franchises Available. License:4195, 4180, 4641
mtsusidelines.com
03.28.18 /16
Bill Wilson is
‘Mr.Murfreesboro’ By Caleb Revill / Assistant News Editor
Sixth generation Murfreesboro resident Bill Wilson is teaching locals that history is everywhere, you just have to look for it. Having lived in Murfreesboro all of his life, Wilson has made a visible connection with the community through his “Mr. Murfreesboro” Facebook page with over 10,000 followers. On the page, Wilson posts historical photos and captions relating to the city of Murfreesboro and its residents. Locals often send him photos and other archives with historical context so that he can share them online. “I get stuff collaborated from other sources on Facebook and people who have a passion about history,” Wilson said. “It’s just amazing to see how Murfreesboro started.” Although his creation of a Facebook page may suggest it, Wilson wasn’t the first person to have the title of Mr. Murfreesboro. The original Mr. Murfreesboro was Tommy Martin, an insurance worker whose son, Hunter McFarland, later passed on the title to Wilson. “(Martin) was really a known figure,” Wilson said. “He was known as Mr. Murfreesboro by writing notes to people, by going to ribbon cuttings (and) the births of babies. At funerals, Mr. Murfreesboro showed up.” In his research for Murfreesboro history, Wilson brought many interesting and sometimes uniquely different stories to the attention of others. One of those stories was about the “Human Fly” who, in the 1920s, tried to scale the Murfreesboro courthouse. “He went around trying to collect money,” Wilson said. “He got to the top, but when he came down it had been raining (so he) slipped and fell to his death ... apparently he was buried down at the Poplar (Grove) Cemetery down on Church Street.” Wilson was born on March 2, 1966, at the now-demolished old Rutherford County Hospital. His Father, Floyd Wilson, was the mayor of Rutherford County in the 80s. He described his mother’s family as “educated landowners.” “I had a great uncle who was Walt Disney’s attorney and negotiated all of the land deals for Walt Disney World in Orlando,” Wilson said. “My mom’s side (of the family) was pretty well off ... my dad’s family was very poor (and) they were very hardworking politicians. They never went without food or anything like that ... but they didn’t have a lot.”
Wilson grew up in Murfreesboro, where he attended school at Homer Pittard Campus School, Middle Tennessee Christian School and Riverdale High School. He would then attend Middle Tennessee State University from 1984 until his graduation in 1992. “It was eight years (until I graduated from college),” Wilson said. “I had a good time when I was in college. I knew all the deans for the wrong reasons ... My father was so glad to see me graduate. They had a degree called ‘thank you laude.’ There’s cum laude (and) magna cum laude, and that’s all about GPA. Mine was like ‘thank god he just got out of college.’” Wilson described Murfreesboro as growing up in a “Norman Rockwell Town.” “I can remember when there was 30,000 people that lived here back in the 70s, and now Murfreesboro is at (around) 130,000 (or) 140,000,” Wilson said. “This county is right around 300,000 (people) and, in the next 20 years, it’s going to be around 600,000. We’re the fastest growing county in the state.” Wilson credits the city’s diversity, jobs and the university in playing a significant role towards the major growth of the city. He also explained that the city has a significant position in geography for the U.S. “Geographically, out on Lascassas Highway there’s an obelisk where it shows the exact center. If you go out there at the center, and then drive out 500 miles and draw a circle around that area, you’re within a day’s drive of 75 percent of the U.S. population.” Wilson praised the cultural and religious diversity in Murfreesboro as well. “We have a variety of people that live here,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian, a Muslim, if you are a Hindu (or) a Buddhist ... there’s a place of worship anywhere. The buckle of the bible belt is right here. I think what makes Murfreesboro so strong is the diversity of people from all walks of life.” Wilson has always had a clear passion for history. He said that if he ever wasn’t working in real estate, his current career, he would be happy to be a park ranger at the Stones River National Battlefield. “(Whether) you live under a bridge, or you’re the president or the king of a country, everybody has a story,” Wilson said. “That’s most important.”
By: Hayden Goodridge / Music Editor
Sun-soaked melodies:
Guide to 2018’s southern summer music festivals
With the end of the semester right around the corner, it seems like summer music festival plans are on every college student’s mind as weekends of music and celebration seem to be the ideal way to celebrate the freedom that summertime affords. Though some may have ambitious plans to venture out to California or Chicago for festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza, the Southern United States has its own fair share of diverse festivals to consider instead. We’ve listed some notable festivals below for you to consider when mapping out your itinerary of shows to attend in the heat of our southern summer.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Beale Street Music Festival
Forecastle Festival
When: Thursday, June 7 – Sunday, June 10
When: Friday, May 4 – Sunday, May 6
When: Friday, July 13 – Sunday, July 15
Where: Tom Lee Park, Memphis, Tennessee
Where: Waterfront Park, Louisville, Kentucky
Ticket Prices: $55 for one-day, $125 for three-day general admission
Ticket Prices: $69.50 for one-day, 169.50 for three-day general admission
Notable Artists: Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age, Odesza, Erykah Badu, Post Malone, Logic, Incubus, Alanis Morissette, Tyler, The Creator, David Byrne, Kaleo, Ludacris, Vance Joy, Cake, D.R.A.M., The Flaming Lips, Juicy J
Notable Artists: Chris Stapleton, Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, Father John Misty, Jason Isbell, Houndmouth, The War On Drugs, Vance Joy, Courtney Barnett, Jimmy Eat World, Kurt Vile, T-Pain, Margo Price
Why You Should Go: Beale Street Festival, as part of the month-long Memphis in May celebration, offers the best bang for your buck in comparison to other southern festivals. It’s not too long of a drive to get there from Murfreesboro, and ticket prices are surprisingly low, considering its jampacked lineup. Legendary names like Jack White and Queens of the Stone Age will appeal to fans of straightforward hard-rock while modern hip-hop idols Post-Malone, Logic and Tyler, The Creator will draw swarms of college-aged students who want the chance to catch all three. While considered by some to be a smaller festival, Beale Street’s diverse, star-studded cast of artists may just make it the most underrated festival in the South.
Why You Should Go: Located a short drive north into Louisville, Kentucky, Forecastle’s 2018 lineup provides nothing short of a haven for fans of adult-alternative music. With some of alternative’s biggest names of the past decade like Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse and Father John Misty, as well as giants in Americana-country like Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell and Margo Price, Forecastle has a heavy-hitting lineup to contend with. On top of that, Forecastle’s Kentucky-based “Bourbon Lodge” is known to provide great food and drink for those of age.
Where: Great Stage Park, Manchester, Tennessee Ticket Prices: $190 for one-day, $324.50 for four-day general admission Notable Artists: Eminem, The Killers, Muse, Future, Bassnectar, Sturgill Simpson, Bon Iver, Khalid, Paramore, Alt-J, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Sylvan Esso, Rebelution, Brockhampton, Broken Social Scene, T-Pain, Thundercat, Mavis Staples, Moses Sumney, Pond Why You Should Go: Taking place just South of Murfreesboro in Manchester, Tennessee, Bonnaroo is practically in MTSU’s backyard, making it an annual favorite for students. With over ten stages and an immense lineup to boast, Bonnaroo brings music from a variety of different genres to provide big-name artists that fans of any genre can enjoy, from trap to Americana to EDM. The festival also has designated areas for camping so festivalgoers can keep their experience alive well into the night.
Shaky Knees Music Festival When: Friday, May 4 – Sunday, May 6 Where: Central Park, Atlanta, Georgia Ticket Prices: $99 for one-day, $189 for three-day general admission Notable Artists: Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age, The National, David Byrne, Tenacious D, Fleet Foxes, The War On Drugs, Vance Joy, Cake, Courtney Barnett, Lord Huron, Manchester Orchestra, Matt And Kim, Franz Ferdinand, Jimmy Eat World, All Time Low Why You Should Go: Taking place at Central Park in Downtown Atlanta, Shaky Knees is a southern epicenter for the best rock and folk artists of the world. Similar to Forecastle’s lineup, Shaky Knees is best suited for fans of straight alternative rock, with Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age and The National listed as headliners for each of the Georgia fest’s three days. Friday’s lineup also contains some great names like David Byrne, Fleet Foxes, Courtney Barnett and Japandroids.
03.28.18 /18
mtsusidelines.com Shaky Beats Music Festival When: Friday, May 11 – Sunday, May 13 Where: Central Park, Atlanta, Georgia Ticket Prices: $90 for one-day, $169 for three-day general admission Notable Artists: Kygo, Marshmello, Zedd, Excision, Dillon Francis, Ludacris, Seven Lions, Louis The Child, Playboi Carti
Why You Should Go: If you love Atlanta, but Shaky Knees’ rock-based lineup has no appeal to you, then consider its companion festival Shaky Beats. The Atlanta musical celebration, scheduled for the weekend after Shaky Knees, is primarily focused around EDM, with headliners Kygo, Marshmello and Zedd. If you’ve always had dreams of raving at the exuberant party atmosphere of Electric Daisy Carnival but don’t think the trip out to Vegas would be worth it, then Shaky Beats is a closer, comparable alternative to consider.
Hangout Music Festival
Vans Warped Tour
Carolina Country Music Festival
When: Friday, May 18 – Sunday, May 20
When: Tuesday, July 10
Where: Gulf Shores, Alabama
Where: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
When: Thursday, June 7 – Sunday, June 10
Ticket Prices: $299 for three-day general admission
Ticket Prices: $49.99 - $59.99
Notable Artists: Kendrick Lamar, The Killers, The Chainsmokers, Portugal. The Man, St. Vincent, Awolnation, Bleachers, Manchester Orchestra, Halsey, Logic, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Odesza, SZA, Foster The People, Grouplove, Slightly Stoopid
Notable Artists: Bowling For Soup, Knuckle Puck, Mayday Parade, 3OH!3, State Champs Four Year Strong, The Maine, Real Friends, Every Time I Die, Knocked Loose, We The Kings, Tonight Alive, Don Broco, Story Untold, With Confidence
Why You Should Go: If you like your live music coupled with the laid-back, sunny atmosphere of the beach, then Gulf Shores’ Hangout Festival has a lot to offer. The massive Alabama beach party boasts a number of today’s electrifying pop icons including SZA, The Chainsmokers and Halsey, but arguably its biggest appeal is its headlining spot of possibly today’s biggest artist, Kendrick Lamar. Hangout Fest is the best opportunity to see the acclaimed Compton rapper this summer, so if you’ve still got 2017’s “Humble” running through your head, this is a chance that you’ll want to jump on.
Why You Should Go: Just as all good things must come to an end, Warped Tour’s founder Kevin Lyman expressed the bittersweet emotions tied to calling it quits on Warped Tour after almost 25 years of promoting the best of pop-punk and emo for audiences. In its final crosscountry tour, Warped is making a stop in Nashville on July 10th for a day that’s filled to the brim with artists from today and yesterday. If you’re a fan looking to find all your favorite punk-based groups in one place or want to attend the last run for nostalgic reasons, then this will be your last shot to take advantage of the celebration that Warped tour has to offer.
Where: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Ticket Prices: $179 for four-day general admission Notable Artists: Luke Bryan, Toby Keith, Zac Brown Band, Cole Swindell, Old Dominion, Deana Carter, Brett Eldredge Why You Should Go: Strictly countrybased festivals in the South are a little less prevalent than you might think they’d be, but for fans that don’t want to venture outside of the genre with other festivals, the Carolina Country Music Festival brings together America’s favorite country superstars in one place. This southern party in the sandy setting of Myrtle Beach makes it an ideal vacation destination and country music hotspot.
Carolina Country Music Festival When: Thursday, June 7 – Sunday, June 10 Where: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Ticket Prices: $179 for four-day general admission Notable Artists: Luke Bryan, Toby Keith, Zac Brown Band, Cole Swindell, Old Dominion, Deana Carter, Brett Eldredge Why You Should Go: Strictly country-based festivals in the South are a little less prevalent than you might think they’d be, but for fans that don’t want to venture outside of the genre with other festivals, the Carolina Country Music Festival brings together America’s favorite country superstars in one place. This southern party in the sandy setting of Myrtle Beach makes it an ideal vacation destination and country music hotspot. We hope this list helps you narrow down your search to find the summer music festival that best suits your particular tastes, so now it’s time to start grabbing tickets and marking calendars, because the melody of this summer is so close you can almost hear it.
TAKE OUR QUIZ! DO YOU:
EXPERIENCE THE HISTORIC
(Check All That Apply)
ENJOY A FAST-PACED WORK ENVIRONMENT?
IN THE HEART OF NASHVILLE
LOVE GOOD FOOD & FUN? LIKE FLEXIBLE WORK HOURS? NEED A JOB?
APRIL 26 8:00 p.m. APRIL 29 7:30 p.m.
We’re Hiring and We Need Awesome People to Join Our Fast Growing Team! Apply Today!
APPLY IN PERSON AT ANY OF OUR RUTHERFORD COUNTY LOCATIONS
For Locations and More Info Visit MAY 2
MAY 10
8:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
special guests
A NEW MUSIC & VARIETY SHOW on the first Thursday of each month hosted by Storme Warren & Joe Denim
Joe Nichols Shenandoah JT Hodges Killer Beaz Gary Hannan
APRIL 5 7:00 p.m.
Partners
Presented by
FREE PARKING from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. in the State lots behind the Supreme Court Building
WMAROCKS.COM • 615-782-4030 @WARMEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
@WMA ROCKS
WMArocks.com is the official online source for buying tickets to War Memorial Auditorium events. Artists and schedule are subject to change without notice.
.com