It’s Official, The Pistons Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon are Detroit Pistons.

And Dyess is officially off to get his Ice in San Antonio and I wish him the best.

This season has been rough for the Detroit Pistons, but can you imagine what it would be like if Antonio McDyess wasn’t playing the way he has all season long?  Dyess plays with unbelievable heart and goes after every block, steal, rebound and loose ball like it was game 7 in San Antionio.  If everyone had half the heart as Antonio McDyess, the world would be a better place.

When Antonio McDyess puts up 21 points and a career high 22 rebounds, the man deserves a victory. With Rasheed Wallace out, McDyess has Detroit’s first 20-20 game in over 11 years, but it just wasn’t enough for the man who gives his all night in and night out.   A foul by Rip Hamilton on Larry Hughes sent him to the line for three free throws with 10 seconds left on the game clock that tied it up, and sent Detroit into overtime. An overtime in which they were outscored 15-10 for a tough 116-111 loss to the Knicks.

Key Points:

• Someone please wake up Antonio McDyess from his nightmare. If there was an award for heart, it would be named after Antonio.
• Antonio McDyess – 21 points, 22 boards, 2 assists a steal and a blocked shot. The man was the epitome of “stepping up,” but then again hasn’t he done it all season long?
• This is about the point in my recap that I would put up a very special Antonio McDyess highlight reel of the first Piston 20-20 game since Bison Dele. Sad news about that Pistons fans….. FOX Sports put the kibosh on me and my videos for you. You may have noticed that the older ones aren’t working, and don’t expect to see any more from ME on N4S. They asked me nicely to take them down and stop using them, so I’m going to have to find them for you on YouTube like everyone else. It was fun while it lasted.
• Seriously, how do you lose a game when you outrebound the other team 64-39?  Dyess says “You just have to look at all the positives you did and build off that and take it into the next game. It is really disappointing for us as players to come up short like we did because it was right for us to win it.” Via The Detroit Free Press
• I love ya Amir….but you let little Nate beat you on a jump ball.  You must redeem yourself for that one.
• Pistons squandered a 10 point lead going into the fourth quarter.
• The Pistons shot 29.2% in the fourth quarter.
• First half fire for Mr. Hamilton.  Yes, Rip led the Pistons with 22, but 8 turnovers from one player? I can’t remember a stat like that…..ever. Rip had more turnovers that the Knicks did all game. Knicks had just 3 all game long, Detroit 15 total. The last one by Stuckey to close out regulation was a killer. A chance for the last shot with the game tied….ugh.

Photo/Getty Images

• Hamilton was a board away from a double-double.
• Lets put it this way…the Pistons gave this one away. Detroit led by as much as 12, the Knicks’ biggest lead was 5.  Now look at the final score.
• Four Pistons starters put up more than 20 points.
• Arron Afflalo could use more than .08 seconds on the floor. That’s all I’m saying. At least Curry’s utilizing Walter and Will.
• I still think Jack Nies has a vendetta against Detroit.
• NBA.com Highlights of the Game.
• Is it just me or is Jason Maxiell way more productive coming off the bench? Three points, 2 boards and a turnover in 26 minutes.
• Class act, Pistons lower season ticket prices.
• Why not to be an ESPN fan, no love for Maxiell.
• A double-double for Tayshaun Prince with 25 points and 10 boards.

Photo/Getty Images

• The Pistons Feed The Children Telethon was a rousing success, Pistons raised more than $440,221 thanks to generous Pistons fans.
• Never much cared for Quentin Richardson (his 3 point horn antics always got under my skin) but the fact that mid game he pulled a donation envelope and dropped 1000 dollars in it redeemed him….until he knocked down that three late in the game.
• 58 paint points for NY
• Got Milk?
• Rodney Stuckey scored 23 on 9 for 20 shooting with 8 assists and a steal in 41 minutes.
• The McDyess stat line was huge, but the shot he knocked down with 23 seconds left in regulation to put Detroit up 99-96 should have been the dagger.
• “We played hard and just came up short,” McDyess said. “I think we shouldn’t have put ourselves in that situation in overtime. I think we kind of ran out of gas. We couldn’t get shots and we were missing shots, but the effort was there.” Via The Detroit Free Press
• 21-22

AP Photo/Duane Burleson

Antonio McDyess had 21 points and 22 rebounds (10 offensive). Detroit’s first 20-point, 20-rebound game since Bison Dele on Dec. 5, 1997.

Ice for Dyess….

“We don’t have that one guy that steps in, get on a person for doing something wrong,” McDyess said. “We have certain nights where one person would say something, and another would, but we need that one person who will be there, and we know that they got our back and that they’ll get on us when we do wrong and direct us when we’re going wrong. We don’t have that.” Via MLive

That quote comes from a piece in MLive in which A. Sherrod Blakely paints a grim picture of the Pistons discontent.

“In the past couple weeks, players have dropped not-so-subtle hints blaming the team’s poor play on roster changes that began with the Nov. 3 trade of Chauncey Billups to Denver for Allen Iverson. Curry, in not-so-subtle terms, has said players need to play with more fight if they want to turn things around.

There appears to be an increasing disconnect between Curry and his players, the kind of issues a team leader would work to hash out before things become worse.

Things are getting progressively worse, and there are no signs from within the Pistons roster that anyone is ready, let alone willing, to stand up and be accountable for this team’s success moving forward.”

We can all sit here and point fingers, we do it all the time, but imagine what’s going on inside that locker room and how hard it is for those players to believe in the Coach, Joe Dumars or each other.

When a guy like McDyess can’t muster up the courage to take control of that locker room, things must be worse than we ever imagine.

Ben Wallace even chimed in…

“It’s tough to go out and be a leader when you’re not certain about the style that you’re playing,” said Wallace, who now plays for Cleveland. “Once they find their identity, everybody will be on the same page and a leader will emerge. Until then, it’s going to be some uncertainty; you don’t know whose coat-tail you need to pull; who you need to get in line because you don’t know for sure what’s going on.” MLive

Feel free to love this man even more after his latest 24 Seconds episode.  Here is 24 Seconds with Antonio McDyess, the educate the children addition.

McDyess made sure his homecoming was one to remember, especially after his standing ovation right before the tip. The Pistons organization made such a great welcome home video for McDyess that was played on the big screen before the game started that it had me, as well as other Pistons, fans teary eyed. (They didn’t broadcast the video during the game so I don’t have it. I’m told they are going to have it on Pistons.com.)

UPDATE: Here’s a video taken from the stands – thanks to altan in the comments.

Dyess didn’t disappoint in the Pistons’ 114-110 win over the Pacers.

He even recreated “the block.” It wasn’t on the most famous Pacer Reggie Miller, but it was impressive nonetheless. (more…)

No need for this, Antonio’s agent says he’ll be back on Dec 3rd.

“McDyess will re-sign with the Pistons on Dec. 3, after a league-mandated 30-day waiting period expires. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2008-09 season.

“It was a very difficult decision for him. He was weighing good offers financially, along with other variables he thought were important,” agent Andy Miller told ESPN.com. “But going into the year he had a team goal set, and to not finish up with it, he didn’t want to do that. He wants to finish the year, finish what he started in Detroit, then reevaluate after the season is over.” Via Chris Sheridan ESPN

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We know the McDyess situation. Antonio left a ton of money on the table when he was bought out by the Nuggets.

To be exact, no NBA player has ever left so much money on the table in a contract buyout.

SI’s Ian Thomsen:

“League sources believe the three bidders to be Cleveland, San Antonio and Boston. The team offering the most money to McDyess is the Cavaliers, according to one league source. They could offer McDyess multiple years starting at more than $5 million this season.”

I think like many of you, if McDyess goes to the Cavs that would be a huge blow. Please come home Antonio!

It’s very clear that Detroit wants and needs Antonio McDyess back. Dyess can’t sign with Detroit until December 7th, but what could happen in the meantime has plenty of Pistons fans waiting anxiously.

While ‘Dyess may have his heart with this team it may be hard for him to turn down the many offers that are coming his way. The good thing is we know McDyess stated he would rather retire than be “a ring chaser” but putting that aside it’s hard for Antonio not to look at other offers that would bring more money and a chance a title. And he would be losing a bit of money if he comes back to Michigan.

So I was searching Amazon.com doing some early holiday shopping when I came across an old Charlie Brown classic and was shocked to see that it’s been remade for Antonio’s return.

Who cares about Snoopy…..McDyess Come HOME!

Now can anyone get a copy of this to Antonio so he knows how much we want him back?

This has got to be one of my favorite experiences interacting with one of The Pistons. I took my nephew to the Pistons season ticket holders crew party last season with video camera in hand. You know how Amir responded when I asked for a Need4Sheed shout out, but the experience I had with Antonio McDyess makes me smile to this day.

Keep in mind that Dyess is my nephew Joe’s favorite Piston, as you can tell by his declaration while shaking his hand, but what comes next will make anyone a Dyess fan.

Seems Antonio and Maxiell feel just about the same about Sheed.

I can’t believe I forgot I had this one in the vault.