Detroit Pistons: Buyer Beware

Warning: I’m about to go there. Like it or not, ready or not, it’s time for some DEEETROIIIT BASKETBALLLL!! Somewhere in Auburn Hills, Mason is buttering up his vocal chords with that piston red, blue, and white tonight, while George Blaha is rearing up to “count that baby and a foul!” Meanwhile, Austin Daye and Tayshaun Prince are working on their Siamese twin costume, and John Kuester is trying to convince the world that the clipboard and suit is not his Halloween costume; he is actually a head coach. Rodney Stuckey is prepared to masquerade himself as a point guard, and rumor has it that Ben Wallace and Tracy McGrady are in serious pursuit of Kurt Cameron and The DeLorean so they can travel “back to the future”. I’m still not sure if Charlie Villanueva has figured out his planet of origin yet.    Yes ladies and gentleman, it’s that time of the year! Halloween is right around the corner and it seems like the Detroit Pistons are taking it upon themselves to capture the spirit. It’s time for another season.  I started writing that paragraph with about four minutes left in the Pistons first game of the season. At that time, the Pistons had a seven or eight point lead and their starters on the bench. I’m not sure if the Pistons stepped off the gas or the Nets realized that they were in a winnable game. Either way the Nets ended up making a few big shots, and the Pistons threw away their first win of the season.   Now, I know that most of you are just yearning for an extensive breakdown of this year’s roster. I also know that most of you understand the concept of sarcasm, so let’s shoot that down before we get carried away. There was a time in my life, and I think in the lives of many Detroit sports fans, when the Pistons dominated my attention. Year after year they were making long playoff runs, and finally culminated it all with those two Finals appearances.  I remember intently watching the progress of the team under Rick Carlisle. Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups were becoming stars before our very eyes, and that obnoxiously sweet gong would ring throughout the Palace anytime Ben Wallace would touch his ‘fro. Than came the Larry Brown years and the Championship in 04. That was truly an epic season. One single season possessed such events as the “Palace Brawl” and Tayshaun Prince’s “block heard round the world”. It was great! It seemed like the whole city of Detroit was captivated by the Pistons, and we had great reason. We finally possessed a Championship caliber basketball team. They won with grit, hard-nosed defense, and teamwork. We drank it in like it was liquid gold. Then it all went sour.  San Antonio. Robert Horry.  Michael Curry. LeBron James. Joe Dumars. Chauncey Billups. Trade. Allen Iverson. Rasheed Wallace. John Kuester. Random. Mr. D. Dead. Ben Gordon. Injury. Charlie Villanueva. Stupid. Lose. Owner?  That right there is a rough line graph of the downward spiral the Detroit Pistons organization has taken since that last minute game seven loss in the 2005 Finals. It has been anything but pretty. We have had two rookie head coaches, traded away a franchise player, picked up questionable free agents, and lost an owner. The Pistons have gone from one of the most respected teams in the league, to a petting zoo filled with misfit players and underachievers. Joe Dumars has essentially run this team into the ground, and somehow still has a chance to build them back up.  This is going to be a season of many questions. Is Tracy McGrady really the big free agent signing that this team needed? Is a team able to win games without a legitimate post threat? Will Rip and Tayshaun finally be traded, and more importantly will we get anybody worthwhile in return? Who is going to end up owning the Pistons organization? Will they even stay in Detroit?!!  Unfortunately, I’m not sure if we are going to get the answers we are hoping for.  Ok, so there you have it; my little Pistons teaser. To be honest im not exactly ready to jump into it right away. The NBA has somewhat of a disadvantage in the early going having to compete with the NFL and the World Series. If you don’t believe me just turn on your TV. I probably caught about 10 total minutes of the Pistons game tonight. I had it on and I was watching, but the allure of World Series baseball was just too much at times. With Football still fresh in the air and baseball on its greatest stage, its going to be tough for basketball to squeeze its way onto our plates. Soon enough though, the NBA will get its center stage and Detroit will once again start turning its eyes to Auburn Hills. Beware though: You might not like what you see.

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