Philadelphia 95, Detroit 75; Eastern Quarters, 1-2
It's your legacy on the line. For the first time, I saw something from the Pistons tonight that I never thought I'd see. I've appallingly grown used to seeing them lose interest in games, disrespect their opponents and get outhustled. But I never thought I'd see what I saw tonight.
I saw them roll over and die.
Someone please alert Chauncey Billups that the playoffs have started. I'm sick of them acting like they're God's gift to basketball. Newsflash, Pistons: You are not nearly as amazing as you guys think you are. Nobody gives a shit that you won 59 games. What matters now is that you've blown one game and gotten blown out in another. Have you no fucking pride?
That's a laughable question, actually. The Pistons have plenty of pride. Plenty of ego, anyway. So goddamn cocky. Billups said Game 2 wasn't a must win. Good thing, because he hasn't shown up yet. Game 3 tonight: 2-11, 11 points, 7 of them at the free throw line. Rasheed Wallace, 1-6, 2 points.
I've invested enough emotion in this team. If they're going to posture in the newspapers and then mail it in on the court and get run out of the gym by the 7 seed, then I'm going to quickly lose interest. Before the game, ESPN showed the monkey that plays the Pistons' coach giving his pregame speech. Awe inspiring stuff, really. I think maybe one player was paying attention to that doorknob. I'm beating a dead horse here, but Larry Brown was never ignored by these players. They respected him, they followed his lead, they fought their asses off for him. For Flip Saunders, there is no emotion from this team, no fire, no nothing. Just a bunch of egos and hubris. Instead of being treated to an awesome 7-game war between Boston and Detroit, we're halfway toward the Pistons' most spectacular flameout yet. I suppose I could say there is solace to be taken in the fact that if said flameout occurs, the chances of Flop Saunders returning are about the same as the chances of the Boren family being invited to Schembechler Hall for dinner.
I'm also beginning to wonder though, what coach is out there that can reign the raging egos in? It's sad to say, Dumars may need to consider blowing this thing up. I'm not sure we're at that point yet, but the arrogance of these players is out of control, and unless the perfect coach comes along, there won't be another alternative.
I miss the days in 2004 and 2005 when I could stay up until 4 or 5 AM and sit on my porch enjoying the warm spring mornings while the sun came up, waiting for the Free Press to be delivered so I could read about the Pistons scrapping out another playoff victory. I miss the days of 69-65 wins over the Pacers to reach the NBA Finals. I was never prouder to be a Pistons fan than I was when they won Game 7 in Miami in 2005.
And right now, I couldn't be more ashamed. I could never be more ashamed than to admit I'm a fan of a team that quit in a postseason game; a fan of a team that got pounded into submission, and then rolled over.
I saw them roll over and die.
Someone please alert Chauncey Billups that the playoffs have started. I'm sick of them acting like they're God's gift to basketball. Newsflash, Pistons: You are not nearly as amazing as you guys think you are. Nobody gives a shit that you won 59 games. What matters now is that you've blown one game and gotten blown out in another. Have you no fucking pride?
That's a laughable question, actually. The Pistons have plenty of pride. Plenty of ego, anyway. So goddamn cocky. Billups said Game 2 wasn't a must win. Good thing, because he hasn't shown up yet. Game 3 tonight: 2-11, 11 points, 7 of them at the free throw line. Rasheed Wallace, 1-6, 2 points.
I've invested enough emotion in this team. If they're going to posture in the newspapers and then mail it in on the court and get run out of the gym by the 7 seed, then I'm going to quickly lose interest. Before the game, ESPN showed the monkey that plays the Pistons' coach giving his pregame speech. Awe inspiring stuff, really. I think maybe one player was paying attention to that doorknob. I'm beating a dead horse here, but Larry Brown was never ignored by these players. They respected him, they followed his lead, they fought their asses off for him. For Flip Saunders, there is no emotion from this team, no fire, no nothing. Just a bunch of egos and hubris. Instead of being treated to an awesome 7-game war between Boston and Detroit, we're halfway toward the Pistons' most spectacular flameout yet. I suppose I could say there is solace to be taken in the fact that if said flameout occurs, the chances of Flop Saunders returning are about the same as the chances of the Boren family being invited to Schembechler Hall for dinner.
I'm also beginning to wonder though, what coach is out there that can reign the raging egos in? It's sad to say, Dumars may need to consider blowing this thing up. I'm not sure we're at that point yet, but the arrogance of these players is out of control, and unless the perfect coach comes along, there won't be another alternative.
I miss the days in 2004 and 2005 when I could stay up until 4 or 5 AM and sit on my porch enjoying the warm spring mornings while the sun came up, waiting for the Free Press to be delivered so I could read about the Pistons scrapping out another playoff victory. I miss the days of 69-65 wins over the Pacers to reach the NBA Finals. I was never prouder to be a Pistons fan than I was when they won Game 7 in Miami in 2005.
And right now, I couldn't be more ashamed. I could never be more ashamed than to admit I'm a fan of a team that quit in a postseason game; a fan of a team that got pounded into submission, and then rolled over.
1 comment:
On the plus side, if we lose this series, Flip Saunders is gone.
Hey, I hear Larry Brown wants another NBA coaching job :) Or we could just take Izzo. He might not end up being a great NBA coach but it'd piss off the Sparties, so that'd be fun too.
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