Morning in Memphis

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

From the Principal Toyota Studios, it's Morning in Memphis with Todd Starnes.

Frank Colvett (0:08)

Good morning, Memphis. You don't need coffee with us. You don't need coffee, you just basically need to tune in to the Principal Toyota Studios. It is Wednesday, September 30th, 34 days to victory, 34 days to the midterm elections. I am Frank Colvett, proud Memphian, and sitting with me is Kristen New, still bringing her own gasoline to everything she runs into. On the board is Helen this morning, our favorite Jen Zier. We got a lot to cover today, a lot to cover. So let's jump right into it. If you have any thoughts, give us a shout, 260-5926.

For your weather, real quick, it's going to be in the low 90s. It's going to be highs in the low 90s and lows in the low 70s. And there's going to be that interesting thing, Kristen, towards the end of the week.

Kristen New (1:02)

Rain.

Frank Colvett (1:03)

It's called rain.

Kristen New (1:03)

The gods are going to rain down on us.

Frank Colvett (1:05)

It's going to rain. We haven't seen that in a long, long time, but I enjoy the 955-degree temperatures today again.

In baseball, the Cubs, Nats, Phillies, Dodgers, and Astros won their playoff games. I'm sorry to report that our Atlanta Braves came up just a bit short in other sports news. It was announced yesterday that Memphis University School, Christian Brothers High School, you know them as MUS and CBHS, they have backed out specifically of the football TSSAA classification. Now, to shed light on this, because a lot of people were asking about this, what's basically happening in high school sports, Kristen, and you're a teacher at Hutchison.

Kristen New (1:55)

No, coach.

Brent Taylor (1:57)

I'm a coach at Hutchison.

Frank Colvett (1:59)

Well, what's happening is you have a lot of Division II private schools, and they have student housing. Well, what they've done the last 10 years is win the football state championship by recruiting that 300-pound five-star lineman from Vermont, housing them in their school. Well, when they come to play, you know, it's almost no contest. So I salute MUS and Christian Brothers for putting academics first, putting those kids first, and teaching them love of the game, but focusing also, and more importantly, on academics.

The University of Briercrest, State University, and Lausanne, they've decided to stay, and I get it. Briercrest is 6-0, and they've got an incredible team this year. So I salute the right decisions, but also to our listeners, this is normal. Look, guys, 15, 20 years ago, the private leagues were created in TSSAA because groups like Brentwood were openly recruiting, even though it was illegal.

They found parity. So I think for a while, it's going to be a shakeup in the high school football landscape. But at the same time, guys, it's all about our kids.

Kristen New (3:23)

People are getting tired of that, too. They're getting tired of these people that are recruiting these kids in, and they're taking, actually, the space away from some of the kids are there for non-reasons. And then they're taking spots on the team because they have basically been purchased to go play for these high school teams. And it's the same argument I had against the NIL, is that it ruins the sports and it ruins the essence of what it's supposed to be. And what we are teaching these kids is that that is okay, that it is okay to just throw money at it, buy your players.

Frank Colvett (3:56)

Education be damned.

Kristen New (3:58)

Yes, you go sit on the sidelines here. Normally, you would be able to play, but you can't play now because we've had bought basically a kid to take your spot.

Frank Colvett (4:07)

We bought a kid to take your spot. Well, Kristen, you know, interestingly enough, following up on our conversations last several days, the House, the United States House of Representatives doesn't look like they're going to move forward on the NIL bill that the Senate passed. So unfortunately, it looks like the guard rails that we've talked about these last few days doesn't look like we're going to get any action on that.

As we're getting really into the news, it is Wednesday, September 30th.

Today, Tennessee, in just a few hours, is going to execute Krista Pike, the first female in 200 years. And I know our listeners out there, several of them has stopped me and just told me, you know, yeah, I'd throw the switch. I'd throw the switch. Look, we're going to execute a very, very, very bad person in all the makeup and how they do her hair and present her as this victim. And look, Kristen, this lady tried to kill somebody in prison not five years ago. But what I'd like you to do, dear listeners, don't remember this person's name. Remember Colleen Slemmer. That's the victim today. And I'm not going to get emotional, not going to get emotional. Her parents are flying in from Florida. This 31-year nightmare of making sure the legal system got it right. Well, I want you to say prayers for Colleen Slemmer's family, and that this chapter is over for them, and hopefully they can continue and find some peace. Moving forward, though, we've got an action-packed show for you today. We're going to start this conversation in the time we have.