Strange: Bradshaw's value never in question

Over his career, he hasn't scored at all more times (18) than he's scored in double figures (12).

As for that yardstick of hoops potency called the double-double, well, he's got three in 118 games.

He's a step slow to guard the quick guys on the perimeter. Consigned to the paint, he's a relative smurf wrestling with ogres.

For his first two years on campus, he was The Guy UT Signed Instead of Lee Humphrey.

As soon as he sets foot in any gym in the SEC, he's a lightning rod for hecklers. He was once booed in his hometown by Mrs. John Calipari.

But in Thompson-Boling Arena tonight, Dane Bradshaw will get a heartfelt hero's farewell.

It's Senior Night for Tennessee. With Major Wingate posting up in Turkey, the stage belongs to Bradshaw.

"It'll be a nice honor at the beginning of the game,'' Bradshaw said Monday. "But after that, it's back to screening for Chris Lofton.''

And finding JaJuan Smith for jumpers. And feeding Wayne Chism for a dunk.

And diving on the floor to tie up Al Horford. And anticipating a pass to Joakim Noah.

And, who knows, maybe coming out of nowhere to make the basket in the final seconds to upset Florida.

Been there, done that.

Twice.

Opposing fans love to ride Bradshaw. All rabbit ears, he feeds on the dialogue.

"Just another one of those things on my career resume,'' said Bradshaw. "I think it's easier for your average college student in the stands to make fun of me rather than Duke Crews.

"I think they relate to me more and they feel comfortable making fun of me. That's not a racial thing. That's just how it is.''

His teammates appreciate and admire him. They know he'll find them with the assist. They know he'll bust his butt to make any play.

The coaches he plays against would like to have him on their team.

"Ever since he's been at Tennessee,'' said Florida's Billy Donovan, "I've respected how hard he plays, his passion for the game, his enthusiasm for the game.''

As for Bruce Pearl, he's gone from not knowing what to make of Bradshaw to digging in his pocket to pay a lasting tribute.

Tonight UT will announce that Bruce and Kim Pearl plan to endow a scholarship in Bradshaw's name. Pearl gets emotional just thinking about saying good-bye to the ultimate role player.

"Dane is the glue,'' Pearl said. "He's the captain of the all-glue team.''

The reference was to the honor Sports Illustrated's Web site gave Bradshaw last week.

Pearl arrived in midstream of Bradshaw's career.

"I didn't know where to play him,'' said Pearl. "I couldn't decide.''

Some at the point. A little at small forward. Mostly at power forward, never mind that he's 6-foot-4.

"Clearly, there isn't a smaller power forward in the country,'' said Pearl. "That tells you how special he is.

"And the pounding he takes is unbelievable.''

Bradshaw hasn't lifted a weight in more than a year, and not because he's a slacker.

He played the last half of his junior season with a wrist injury then had surgery.

His senior year has been another test of pain management due to tendinitis in his shoulders.

He still got an arm raised to tip in the winning basket to beat Oklahoma State in December.

His proudest moment came last March when UT was announced as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament bracket.

The establishment was acknowledging the dramatic turn-around in Tennessee's basketball posture since Bradshaw arrived.

He had come out of Memphis, a suburban kid who disdained the private schools to play in the tough city league.

"I've been called the Jackie Robinson of my high school,'' he said with a laugh. "I was pretty much the only white kid in the city league.

"By my senior year we had five or six. It was almost as if I gave 'em the courage to actually try out.''

After helping White Station win back-to-back state titles, he was rewarded with an MVP trophy. Had UT not offered, he probably would have ended up at Clemson.

His degree completed in three years, Bradshaw is a grad student pondering an uncertain future. Coaching? Maybe eventually.

However, there's a team that still needs some glue and a few games still to be won.

Which, above all, is what makes him stick, er, tick.

"There's been a lot of times,'' he said, "when somebody can stop you from scoring or stop you from penetrating.

"But the bottom line is, did they stop you from winning?''

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.