One of the best assignments I’ve had as an outdoors writer was serving as a judge for a wild game cook-off in Barbour County, Ala.

It was a competitive situation, so the cooks really rolled out the red carpet for me and five other judges. They wowed us with some of the absolute best wild game recipes I’ve ever tasted.
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The Grizzlies’ goodwill continued Saturday with an open scrimmage for more than 500 Spanish children. What followed was a Special Olympics basketball clinic conducted by six Griz players and coaches. The team is scheduled to attend a Mayor’s reception Monday in Malaga City Hall.

Video Postcard
Brian Cardinal was among the players that visited the local children’s hospital Friday and the experience left a lasting impression.

Sneak preview
Grizzlies exit a bus after arriving to the arena Saturday for practice.

Odds and Ends

* The team finally practiced on the main court and used Spanish referees to officiate the game. Coach Marc Iavaroni often yelled “Move the ball!” and “Be aggressive!” when the team played offense.

Scrimmage Observations

* Damon Stoudamire, Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley routinely made sharp passes to teammates for easy attempts under the basket. Conley and Lowry got to the basket at will. Stoudamire often instructed Conley during stoppages. This point guard battle is heating up.

* Rudy Gay, Casey Jacobsen and Juan Carlos Navarro shot the ball well from beyond the three-point arc.

* Lowry led a strong defensive effort by a “blue team” that also started with Jacobsen, Hakim Warrick, Dontell Jefferson and Andre Brown. The “white team” began with Damon Stoudamire, Mike Miller, Rudy Gay, Pau Gasol and Darko Milicic.

“Quit being lazy white,” Stoudamire yelled early in the scrimmage.

* Milicic had good and bad moments. He missed the scrimmage’s first shot – an easy layup — and he wasn’t much of a factor on the boards. He did receive the ball in the post and scored on a nifty running hook with his left hand.

* So far, the transition defense appears worlds better than what the Griz displayed last season. How their defensive effort translates to the games will be worth watching.

Scout mission
The Grizzlies front office is mixing business with the pleasure of accompanying the team to Spain. General manager Chris Wallace, assistant GM Kenny Williamson, director of player personnel Tony Barone Sr. and European scout Marin Sedaleck were expected to attend a Div. III ACB game Saturday night to watch 19-year-old Brazilian phenom, Paulo Prestes. Unicaja Malaga owns the rights to the 6-10 big man.

And finally…
Pau Gasol planned to take the entire team (players only) out to eat and party Saturday night, showing them a fun night on the town in his native country. Undoubtedly, they will party like rock stars given Gasol’s popularity in Spain.