Big Tony grew up in one of East Memphis’s most notorious housing projects, Hurt Village. In 1973, his mother became a Born Again Christian and changed their lives for the better. To fulfill her dying wish that Big Tony’s son, Steven, have a Christian education, in the summer of 2002, Big Tony takes Steven to Briarcrest Christian School. Briarcrestis an almost all-white evangelical school on the “white” side of Memphis, home of “the nation’s largest private school system,” created in 1973 by white residents angry about school desegregation (38). Michael happened to be staying with Big Tony at the time, so Big Tony takes Michael with him to Briarcrest as well.

Senior coach Hugh Freeze speaks with Big Tony about the school’s financial and academic requirements. Steven is a solid student and athlete, but Michael’s transcripts are troubling—nine schools in eleven years, poor attendance, and a recorded IQ of 80. The school system passed Michael from grade to grade because “it was too much trouble to flunk” him (43). Still, Michael’s size impresses Freeze, so he pitches him to Briarcrest president Tim Hilen, who pressures principal Steve Simpson to admit Michael to Briarcrest. Simpson knew Michael was not qualified to attend Briarcrest but wanted to let him down easy.