The sign in the University of Memphis student section summed up the sentiments of the throaty, almost wholly pro-Tiger and decidedly anti-Dane Bradshaw crowd:

"Memphis gang-banger hit list," it read. "No. 1: Dane."



In the end, a shiner under his left eye — the result of a Joey Dorsey elbow — was the least Tennessee's junior forward might have expected from what he knew would be a stormy homecoming.

"I had a lot of friends and family in the crowd praying for me tonight," he said.

That Bradshaw also happened to play the game of his life in the Vols' 88-79 loss to the Tigers on Wednesday night at FedExForum provided an even more compelling subtext to the former White Station High standout's return.

Bradshaw scored a career-high 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds and five steals in a losing effort, but he was more concerned afterward with clearing the air over controversial comments he made in the lead-up to the game.

"I really have always turned off the boos and the criticism, but I didn't want that in my hometown," Bradshaw said. "I couldn't wait to talk to (UofM coach John Calipari). I wanted to apologize."

The 6-4, 200-pound Bradshaw had enraged UofM fans when, in reference to the poor reception he received during a recent game at LSU, he said, "I'm not scared of a frat kid at LSU. I'm more scared of a gang-banger in Memphis in the stands."

He also provided Calipari and the Tigers with plenty of bulletin-board material when, in talking about the UofM's strong start to the season, he quipped, "The past has shown they might seem to fall apart at times, but this year they've really held it together. They made it through the first semester of school, and everybody's still there."

Bradshaw said in the first case that he was referring not to UofM fans, but instead to a death threat he once received before a high school game.

In regard to his comments about the Tigers, Bradshaw said he was joking in what he thought was an off-the-record remark.

Still, Bradshaw didn't quite grasp how much of an uproar he had caused until he looked in the direction of Ellen Calipari, John's wife.

"When I saw Mrs. Calipari boo me, I thought, 'Man, this is kind of bad,'" Bradshaw said. "I felt the need to really try to go above and beyond."

The Tiger coach was impressed.

"How about that?" Calipari said. "He goes over and tells my wife, 'Miss Cal, I apologize.'"

Evangelical Christian coach Terry Tippett, who won three Class AAA state championships as White Station coach with Bradshaw in his backcourt, knew his former star's first appearance at FedExForum would be anything but sweetness and light.

"He regrets all this happening," Tippett said before the game. "I know he's gonna be a marked man ... It's gonna be wild."

Bradshaw's father, Mike, stood on the floor half an hour before game time and anticipated the reception his son would receive.

"Dane didn't want to come back to his hometown with that type of feeling," Mike Bradshaw said.

"Cal's a friend of mine, and he's been very good to my kid. When Dane signed with UT, before he went up to Knoxville, Cal asked Dane to come over and he said, 'There's one thing you need to know. The Finch Center is open to you (anytime) to come practice with my team.'"