Apparently, two camps have broken out in Tiger nation following Memphis’ 62-58 overtime victory over USC. You can pretty much sum them up this way:

Camp A: Sure, the Tigers are 7-0 and ranked No. 2 in the country, but something just doesn’t seem to be quite right about this team. It’s hard to exactly put your finger on it, but they haven’t come close to playing a complete game yet (and how good are Connecticut and USC anyway?), and several players individually are not performing close to their potential.

and

Camp B: Winning is all that matters. They’re undefeated, they’re ranked No. 2, and they just played as bad as they can possibly play offensively and still beat a very good team. This game shows you just how good they are. Every team has tough games, and you take the win and move on.

If you’re in Camp A, you accuse the Camp B-ers of burying their heads in the sand and ignoring obvious problems that need to be addressed. If you’re in Camp B, you say that the Camp A-ers are being “Miserables” and expecting too much too early from a team that is guaranteed to get better in December. That’s pretty much how it goes, and the debate can get downright nasty.

The reality is, both sides are exactly right, up to a point. But here’s the funny thing. Let’s imagine USC guard Daniel Hackett had made that one little free throw with five seconds left to give USC the win. How different would the conversation be? How much would the analysis change? Would anybody be talking about Memphis’ grit or its defense or its will to win? Or would Chris Douglas-Roberts be the goat for committing a very dumb foul? Would Tiger fans be angry? Or would those defending the team’s performance be labeled as apologists and homers?

The truth about Tuesday night is that it really didn’t matter whether Memphis won or lost the game — at least, not in the big picture. It won’t matter come NCAA Tournament time. If you’re going to engage in serious analysis of a college basketball team, you have to look deeper than which side of a coin flip you came out on. Had Hackett made the free throw, my opinion of Memphis and the issues I would want addressed would be exactly the same. Talking about an issue, as it becomes a trend, doesn’t make you a “Miserable” simply because it’s negative and your team happened to win. It makes you an intelligent fan. On the other hand, don’t ignore the idea that winning a game when things didn’t go your way can be a valuable and much-needed experience.

The Grizzlies returned to practice Thursday after suffering a loss at Houston while short-handed on the front line. Darko Milicic and Stromile Swift didn’t play because of a sprained left ankle and stomach virus, respectively.

Milicic participated in the light workout Thursday, and his mobility isn’t a concern.

“It’s just a strength thing,” Griz head coach Marc Iavaroni said.

So it’s looking more likely that Milicic will play Friday against the New Orleans Hornets. Well, believe it when you see it. His status is still day-to-day. Swift, on the other hand, wasn’t at practice and is still down for the count with a stomach virus.

As for the mental health of this club …Let’s just say that today was a good day despite their record and injuries. What I don’t see is a discouraged or frustrated or disjointed group. I see a collection of guys who realize it’s early in a new era of Grizzlies basketball, and players working hard to make the necessary adjustments to improve this situation.

A quick example: On Tuesday, after the Grizzlies’ loss at home to Portland, head coach Marc Iavaroni went one-on-one with second-year (essentially, rookie) point guard Kyle Lowry on the court. Iavaroni instructed Lowry with shooting exercises designed to alleviate situations like when Portland basically left Lowry open and dared him to shoot in the fourth quarter. Iavaroni pulled Lowry, who had closed most games, in favor of Damon Stoudamire. Lowry was clearly disappointed. But Iavaroni didn’t allow the situation to fester, and instead worked with his young point guard the next day — stressing the importance of making good decisions and being a dangerous offensive weapon at all times.

“We have to keep pressing,” veteran guard Mike Miller said. “We are playing better but we have to get better defensively and play better together. We are encouraged. We just have to keep working hard.”

WE’VE GOT MAIL! (putting reader mail in its proper place)

Hey Ron:
Is it true that the Grizzlies have already decided to trade Pau to the Bulls most probably? That’s what they are saying in Spain… How come it seems like the Spanish press knows more than the local press about these movements?
Cheers!

Fernando

Answer: Fernando, all I can say is you can’t believe everything you read in Spanish. Everything seems to get lost in translation. Just ask Pau. Seriously, though, the Griz deny attempting to trade Pau and the Bulls angle appears to be nothing more than the desire of Chicago media.

Hi,

-Ryan Eisner

Answer: Iavaroni says Warrick’s playing time gets limited due to his poor defense and sometimes weak rebounding. I say Warrick should be a 10-points-per-game guy off the bench. I want my bench to score points, which is something the Griz struggle with. Warrick, if anything, is a flat-out scorer – around the basket and in pick-and-pop situations. He also plays hard.