Seattle Sportsnet

Observations from the Huskies 68-48 thrashing of Washington State on Saturday afternoon (in chronological order):

• Lenny Wilkens is the man. How many Hall of Fame coaches do you know who would make the trek to a rural outpost like Pullman to call a Pac-10 basketball game in the middle of winter for a network that is barely above amateur status (as evidenced by their broadcast feed that was slightly better than Public Access of 1992)? One, Lenny Wilkens, that’s it. That’s why Lenny is the man.

• I love Kevin Calabro. No Brian Davis sightings, no Barry Tompkins, no Steve Physioc…it’s fantastic! Just pure old-fashioned goodness in the form of K.C.

• WSU can still play good defense. They may not be as powerful offensively as they once were, but they have the ability to slow the game down and control the tempo in their favor. A single-digit scoring output from both teams by the 10:00 mark of the first half is evidence of this.

• Did Taylor Rochestie discover the fountain of youth? The dude looks like he lost five years in the offseason. Maybe it’s the doofus haircut. How does he get what amounts to a buzz cut to stay matted down on his head? That’s skill.

• Aron Baynes runs like a fairy. He flicks his wrists out and forms little circles with his pointer fingers and thumbs. His arms are straight down by his waist as he does this, hence it looks like he’s prancing up and down court like a spriteful little pixie. He also looks confused…always. Like he doesn’t understand life.

• There’s a midget sitting behind the Huskies basket (first half) in an Atlanta Braves cap. Worth noting.

• Quincy is playing like the Cougars just broke into his home and euthanized his puppy, Marley and Me style, with a five-minute Super Slo-Mo death scene. No one should see that movie, it will rip your heart out. Ask Quincy, he knows what I’m talking about.

• Venoy commits a lot of turnovers, but he’s pretty much a G. So far in this game he’s a) looked directly in the camera and gave it a “Pssh” reaction when the entire WSU home crowd was clamoring for a foul call b) talked a lot of smack, which is highly underrated in college sports and c) broke down the Cougar defense by attacking the rim and forcing them to rethink their strategy (despite limited results on the finish).

• Is there any school in the nation that pumps in more recorded music during timeouts than Washington State? Does their band even know how to play instruments?

• Justin Dentmon used to have an ugly, inconsistent outside shot. This year, he’s Ryan Appleby without the happy trigger finger. We have a zonebuster.

• Klay Thompson is ridiculously overrated. The kid has zero poise, doesn’t know when or when not to shoot, and rushes ill-advised shots on a regular basis. At this rate, his best-case scenario is Malik Hairston.

• The off-the-backboard alleyoop from Dentmon to Pondexter may very well be the play of the season. Ignited by a steal which started a two-on-none fastbreak, J.D. had enough time to turn around and have a conversation with Quincy before laying the ball off the glass for a thunderous two-hand finish. This was a statement play. Already up by double digits at this point, the Huskies wanted to leave no doubt who the better team was. More athletic, more consistent, more disciplined. We can look back at this game and this play and view both as the turning points in the resurgence of the Husky basketball team.

• The Huskies possess a toughness that has been lacking for the past three years. They talk, they swagger, they yell. WSU fans labeled them “thugs” after the game and they’re right–this is a team of thugs. This team sent a message Saturday that they won’t be messed with. For a program that has struggled on the road, to go into the den of their archrival who has beaten them seven straight times and lay a 20-point spanking on a team that has found a way to beat them in each of the past three years, that speaks volumes to the heart and grit and talent of this Husky ballclub. If you’re a Husky fan, look forward to a great 2009.