The Pistons and their fans had a difficult year so many respects. We as fans watched a special team of our favorite players fall short for the past few season and when things got shook up, it turned out far worse than we could have ever imagined.

As we watch the Playoffs from a different angle this post season we can only hope that our old friend Mr. Big Shot keeps doing what he’s doing.

We said goodbye to two great men in Pistons owner Bill Davidson and Bad Boy legend Coach Chuck Daly. Which is not just sad for everyone who knew and loved these great men, but it reminds us of their legacy.

I started on the Pistons bandwagon at a very young age (pre Bad Boys). Now I didn’t follow the team the way I do know in the early stages, come the time Trader Jack drafted Joe Dumars I was completely hooked. Isiah and Tripuka may have sparked my basketball love, but The Bad Boys birthed my addiction.

So when I was thinking of the loss of Davidson and Daly instead of mourning, I looked back at the good times they gave us. Two true innovators that cemented what we know now as Detroit Basketball. I was looking though old Pistons specials I had taped (since it’s May and I not used to not seeing the Pistons play) and I came across some good times.

Good Times, and more to come.

It was a sad day at the Palace.  The Detroit Pistons played their first game after the loss of beloved owner William Davidson.  The Pistons honored him in many ways Sunday afternoon, but none fitting as much as the rose and his picture that adorned his regular courtside seat at The Palace he built.

Rip Hamilton made it known in more ways than one.

The Detroit Pistons Remember Mr. D

The Pistons once again let a fourth quarter lead slip away that led to a too-easy Calderon layup that sent the game into overtime. Detroit pulled away with a 9-0 run to begin OT, but Marion’s free throw pulled Toronto within 97-94 with 52 seconds left. Rodney Stuckey turned the ball over on the other end, but with Antonio McDyess on the bench after fouling out…Jason Maxiell saved the day.

Final Score -- Pistons 99-95 OT

Key Points:

• Turnovers! A miserable 18 for Detroit on the night.
• When Sheed is out, plenty of paint points are given up. Toronto scored 48 down low.
• How about Arron Afflalo who twice hit HUGE (3 point) shots to help the Pistons in this one. After a Pistons timeout, Hamilton found Arron Afflalo for a three pointer from the corner, giving Detroit an 88-84 lead.  From virtually no playing time, to solid go-to guy.
• I just like saying Pops Mensah-Bonsu.  In fact I think I may just start using it as a part of my everyday vocabulary.  Now I just have to think of the meaning to give to it.
• Detroit shot 49% on the night to Toronto’s 40%.
• Detroit caught a break when recently hot Raptors center Andrea Bargnani left in the first quarter with flu-like symptoms and did not return.
• Did Rip and Rodney just switch positions? Another career night for Rip Hamilton with 16 assists.

Photo/Getty Images

• “I just told myself to keep trying to make plays, not just for yourself but for your teammates, and I thought guys did an excellent job of knocking down shots,” Hamilton said. Via The Detroit Free Press
• Rip did lead the Pistons with 24 but he had an awful shooting night going just 8-for-26. He did have another career assist night, but 6 turnovers and 8 against the Knicks, that has to stop.
• Hoops Addict was in the locker room post game with Detroit. Though Ryan touched on something we have been talking about for what seems forever, he did mention to me that he caught Mr. Blaha in the bathroom making sure his locks look perfect on the air.
• Rip did start to get hot in OT and jump started the team to a 9-0 run.
• Another DD for Antionio McDyess who quite frankly is the MVP of the season for Detroit.  Dyess put up 16 with 13 boards and was probably robbed on the Tayshaun putback that may have won the game for Detroit.  Looked close but off the cylinder it was if you ask me.

Photo/Getty Images

• NBA TV Highlights of the Game.
• Do you realize Rip has been putting up career numbers since he was put back in the starting lineup? 30 assists in two games….move over Isiah.
• Jason Maxiell 16 points on 8-for-9 shooting, while saving the game with the block and the jam in OT.  I questioned him starting, but he did more than fine. He added 6 boards, a steal and 2 blocks on the night. A +14 for the game for the Baby Eater!
• “I thought Max’s energy was off the charts,” Curry said. “I thought our guys didn’t have their legs tonight (second straight overtime game), but Max and Arron Afflalo really gave us a lift.” Via The Detroit News
• Stuckey scored 17 in 40 minutes with 4 assists, 5 boards and 3 turnovers.  I know he’s learning, but is it just me or do the turnovers he does pick up come at the worst times?
• Tayshaun Prince, 11 points on 5-14 shooting with 8 boards, 4 assists, a blocked shot and a takeaway.
• Antonio McDyess has played 89 minutes the last two games.
• We are mourning the passing of a great man so I did my best to show that we miss him here at N4S with the ribbon at the top of the page. He was a class act and a Champion of a man that left one heck of a mark on the World.   Mr. Davidson will be missed.
• A very fitting and touching comment that holds true for me from Benjo in the comments “One of my only wishes in my lifetime is to be able to make the world a better place than it would have been without me. I know you don’t like accolades but YOU ARE MY HERO, Mr. D. Rest in Peace and God bless you and your family.” Indeed, he did leave the world a better place.

UPDATE “All details are not known, but it’s safe to say that Bill Davidson’s wife, Karen, will succeed him as owner of the Pistons, according to Palace Sports and Entertainment president Tom Wilson” Via The Detroit Free Press

Pistons owner Bill Davidson’s Speech at the Hall Of Fame.

It’s long, which makes it a large file so be patient.

Mitch Album did a Q&A with Pistons Owner Bill Davidson before his Hall of Fame Induction. The whole piece is quite interesting, but Albom asked the question that most fans want to know the real answer to.

“Q: OK. Who’s the best player?

A: I’d say the best player we ever drafted was Isiah Thomas.

Q: Can you say anything – and I recognize it’s been a complex relationship over the years — about the falling out you two had at the end of his playing career?

A: Well, I was very, very close to Isiah, and there were times he was almost like a son. But, because of his background, um …I told him he had to change — you know, coming from where he came from. I said, “You’ve got it made now. Don’t keep doing those things that you’ve been doing.” I won’t tell you what they are. But he couldn’t change. “

Q: And that’s why he didn’t have a future with the Pistons?

A: Right.

Q: Had he been able to change, would you have envisioned him having a lifelong career in the front office?

A: Yeah, certainly.

Q: Had you discussed that at one point with him?

A: I wouldn’t go that far.

Q: But in your mind you had considered that a possibility?

A: If you know the relationship was like a son — I was trying to counsel him — the subject of his future relationship and what his job would be never came up. Because he had to change first.

Q: To use your metaphor — he didn’t take his father’s counsel?

A: No.

Q: What’s your relationship with him at this point?

A: We’re the best of friends.

Q: How did it heal?

A: One day I decided — this was about five years ago — that there’s only one guy that I’m really not friendly with. So I called Isiah up, and I said Isiah (chuckling) –before I go to my grave–you know, whenever I do–I want you and I to be friends.

Q: Interesting.

A: So we hug each other now — and you know we just had the reunion. We’re the best of friends today.

Via The Detroit Free Press

There is plenty more about Joe D, Larry Brown, the fact he wanted to buy the Lions before he purchased the Pistons and that some NBA Refs aren’t on the up and up.

Q: What do you think of the whole Tim Donaghy scandal?

A: That’s the tip of the iceberg with referees.

Frank and candid while still remaining classy. Mr. Davidson is in a class by himself.

Don’t forget the HOF Ceremonies will be televised Today (Friday) at 7:30 PM on NBATV and ESPN Classic.

Like many Pistons fans already know Joe Dumars runs the team but owner Bill Davidson pulls the strings. Keith Langlois talked to Davidson about his Hall of Fame induction and got a little insight into how he felt about the Pistons elimination by Boston.

“Absolutely,” Pistons owner William Davidson told me Wednesday morning. “No question in my mind. And I encouraged Joe to sever the relationship with Flip Saunders.”

He’s also on board with the Curry hire.

“I love Michael Curry, Michael worked for us. He comes in at 6 in the morning. The nice thing is when he was a player here, he established a home. He’s kept that home, so his identification with the area and the team is 100 percent. I have great, great confidence that Michael is going to do a tremendous job.”

I’m a big fan of what Mr. D has done for this team and how he’s made the team, that Palace and the way he runs the team a model for what’s right in sports ownership. It’s nice to know that he’s being honored by the Hall and it seem as though he’s quite pleased about it.

“When I got the reactions, I was even more pleased that I did get elected. It was just announced a day or two before, so all those players who I had close associations with all said how pleased they were and we had a few hugs. The timing of the announcement was very, very propitious for me.”

Tuesday night The Detroit Pistons honored their All-Time Team in a ceremony before the Pistons-Knicks game at The Palace.

As someone who had been waiting for quite some time for this night to fall on the schedule, let me say that the night exceeded my expectations 110%.

I franticly made my way to The Palace at 6:45, so not to miss a thing. As I walked in the building I was treated with a replica 1989-90 Championship hat, the same one I have tucked away in a zip locked bag at home. I smiled. As I got closer to getting to my seats I passed The Palace locker room store, when I looked into the window I saw something that made me stop in my tracks. I walk in and immediately picked up the original Detroit Bad Boys black t-shirt, skull and all. I wore my original one to shreds and had to throw it away about 10 years ago. To my recollection they haven’t sold the shirt in the building since the actual days of “The Bad Boys.” My smile grew wider.

I got to my seat and waited for the festivities to start, camera in hand. As I watched them set up the chairs I knew that it was just a matter of time, and then out came the new Hall of Famer, Bill Davidson. They positioned Mr. D so he faced every player that walked out of the mini lighted tunnel. When George Blaha kicked things off he started by acknowledging Mr. Davidson’s accomplishments and announced his recent induction into the Hall of Fame. Let me just say that The Palace crowd gave him a very long, very loud greeting and standing ovation that seemed to go on forever.

Thank you Mr. D.

Here is a quick rendering of the video, until I can get it split up later today for easier viewing. So if you are on a slow connection you may want to wait until later to view it.
UPDATE: Here is the (high quality) Video broken up in 2 parts .

• You missed the the introduction of the panel that selected the team, but if you were watching the broadcast they did a little something to cover the selection process.
• You didn’t quite hear the boos from the crowd when Ben Wallace was announced, which I was actually surprised and a little upset by.
• You missed the disappointment from the crowd when The Worm didn’t show up.
• You missed the crowd give Rasheed a huge “SHEEEED” before he was introduced and him low 5 everyone before he got to his seat.
• You missed watching the current Pistons players sit on the sidelines and watch the history go by.
• You didn’t see or feel what the fans of Detroit did for Isiah Thomas, who despite everything will always call The Palace his home.
• Most of all you missed the genuine hug, kiss and the words Isiah spoke to Mr. Davidson after he was introduced. Isiah seemed to linger with Bill for a very long time as if he was still with the organization. In our hearts, he still is.

• You missed the fabulous videos of history during what seemed to be every break in the action during the game. So good that both benches barely payed attention to anything but what was going on, on the big screen.
• You missed the feeling it was like to be in that building with all that greatness.
• You missed a horrible game, and an unforgettable night.

I will admit I shed quite a few tears, was genuinely choked up, and had one of the best times that I can remember Tuesday night. As I watched all the history, recalled the past and looked into the future all I felt was the honor and pride.

I’m still smiling.

The Palace…..Where Amazing Happens

The Basketball Hall of Fame will be inducting a new member in September. Bill Davidson, Detroit Pistons and Shock owner, will be inducted along with former Piston Adrian Dantley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Pat Riley, Dick Vitale and Cathy Rush.

Thank You Mr. D for being the pioneer that you are, setting the standards for what an owner should be and the Five Championships you have brought to the city of Detroit.