John Clay’s Sidelines

A ten-spot from the Blue-White scrimmage:

• 1. This team is athletic. I know that’s obvious. But when was the last time we could truly say that about a Kentucky basketball team. Not that the Cats lacked athletes in the past few years. It’s just that they haven’t had this many athletes on one team since, when, 1996?

• 2. John Wall is ridiculous. But then you already knew that. As for the eligibility issue, John Calipari tried to play coy in the post-scrimmage press conference, answering Alan Cutler’s first question about Wall’s status as if it was another question entirely. But Wall was made available to the media afterward, where he didn’t have much to say about what was going on, or how he felt about what was going on. But at least we got the opportunity to ask.

• 3. Darnell Dodson will fill a key role on this team. The sophomore juco transfer was slighted on the publicity, what with Wall and DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe, Daniel Orton, etc., being in the newcomer class. But Dodson’s outside shot is a needed asset on this team. He made four-of-11 threes on the night, and that after looking a bit nervous in the early going

• 4. Calipari claims that Wall and Bledsoe play better together than they do apart, and that may in fact be true. I’m not going to doubt the coach. So whatever happened to all those who said, before Bledsoe signed, that the two could not co-exist in the same backcourt. I’m with Cal. There’s no reason they can’t do better than that in the same backcourt.

• 5. The best move of the night was when Calipari pulled Joe B. Hall off the front row behind the bench and had him sit on the bench with him. That got a standing ovation from the Rupp crowd of 14,060, and deservedly so. I know, Joe has said all the right things about this Wildcat Coal Lodge controversy. And I have no doubt he understands the difficulties of raising funds for facility improvements, etc. But still, it’s the only thing on campus named in his honor, a former basketball coach who won a national championship and went to three Final Fours. And you’re going to tell me there’s anyone out there who loves the program more than Joe? Mitch Barnhart said the school will find another way to honor Joe. It better.

• 6. I liked the way Josh Harrellson played. He was very active, posting a double-double in the first half with 10 points and 10 rebounds. There was some who wondered whether Harrellson could play in the DDM - that’s Dribble-Drive Motion offense for you neophytes. (We neophytes.) But Calipari obviously believes he can play in this offense, and Harrellson gave every reason to believe tonight that the coach is right.

• 7. DeMarcus Cousins said afterward that he could play harder, and he’s probably right. He ended up with 16 points and nine rebounds, but you got the feeling that he didn’t come anywhere close to the bottom of his tank.

• 8. Patrick Patterson made a pair of three-pointers, and yes, those are NBA scouts paying attention. No one may benefit more from staying in school another year that Patterson. He can play out on the floor, and he will show he can play out on the floor. Patterson took four three-pointers on the night, and made two. The crowd went nuts on both, especially the first one. Soon, they won’t be going nuts on Patterson threes, because it will be a common occurrence.

• 9. Yes, C.J. Leslie and Terrence Jones were in attendance. Meanwhile, Jeff Goodman reported that Adreian Payne will make his decision tomorrow. My guess is that the Mountaineer Maniacs convinced Payne to come to West Virginia.

• 10. You have to remember that in past years, the Blue-White scrimmage didn’t come close to filling Memorial Coliseum. It drew 14,060 to Rupp. What does that say about expectations? Joked Calipari, “They don’t have high expectations here. They just want us to win a game now and then.”