Well this happened a lot sooner than I thought it would.  And AI fans complain that Pistons fans treated Iverson unfairly…see a pattern people?

Iverson made his debut for Memphis on Monday night returning to the court after a partial left hamstring tear, AI put up 11 points in 18 minutes in the Memphis’ 127-116 overtime loss.

“I had no problems (with the hamstring),” Iverson said afterward. “I had a problem with my butt from sitting on that bench so long. That’s the only thing I got a problem with. Yeah, I’ll be disappointed (if he’s a sub this season),” Iverson said. “I’m not a reserve basketball player. I’ve never been a reserve all my life and I’m not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. … To answer the question, ‘No, I’m not a bench player. I’m not a sixth man. Go look at my resume and that will show you I’m not a sixth man.” Via Fanhouse

Karma…AI, Karma.

I hate to post AI stuff anymore, but I love to say I told you so.
Hat Tip Detroit Bad Boys

This is what Pistons fans have been waiting for since Detroit’s early departure in the playoffs last season.  Let’s leave the mess behind us and get to the good stuff.

Detroit is in Memphis to take on the Grizzles for their season opener tonight at 8pm.  You’re opening night linup is.

• Rodney Stuckey
• Rip Hamilton
• Tayshaun Prince
• Charlie Villanueva
• Ben Wallace

Yes, Big Ben will be the Pistons starting center.

Tip off is at 8:00 PM and will be broadcast on FS Detroit with pregame festivites starting at 7PM.  Can’t watch live? Listen on the radio over at 9.71 The Ticket or follow the gamecast over at NBA.com.

I’m excited, so I’m sure you will get a few choice Tweets out of me during the game.

To an eventful and action packed season!  Leave em in the comments.

• Bynumite impressed coach Kuester “I went after him specifically to say how much I was impressed with him,” Kuester said. “He changed the complexion of the game with his energy and scoring.” This season, Kuester sees a similar role for Bynum, a “spark plug” type of player off the bench who can change the flow of a game. “A person that’s not going to sit and let the offense come to him but he’ll attack offensively and defensively,” Kuester said.
• Bynum looking to breakout in his contract year. I see good things to come from Will, who’s been such a pleasant surprise in the D.
• Kwame Brown on Ben Wallace “Anybody that can play defense like that, I’m going with the mind-set that I can learn from him and take something from his game and add it to my game.”
• More Allen Iverson Drama over at ESPN “They told me, straight up, ‘Allen we would never disrespect you or your career like that’ by making me come off the bench,” You know Allen, Pistons fans seem to recall a promise you made when you TOOK Chauncey’s spot and his number that you would do whatever it took to win a championship in Detroit.  If that’s skipping practice, bitching about playing time, and tanking your season when things didn’t go your way…..good luck to you in Memphis, you’re dead to us in Motown.
• Laimbeer getting used to being an NBA Coach. “It’s a good feeling to see the guys respond to what I’m saying,” Laimbeer said. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do. A lot has changed since I played, but it’s still basketball, and it’s still about responsibilities.”
• Dumars latest moves fall flat according to SI. Still talking about the cap space and 2010, did any of you think these moves would put us in Championship contention without another move made? Frankly I see it as a considerable upgrade to the mess last season.
• Kuester starts camp in the D with D.
• Daye, Summers and Jerebko fighting for playing time.
• Does anyone else get the feeling Rip is not happy to still be wearing a Pistons uni?  Did you see his face in the Media Day photo’s? That’s not a happy camper. Plus I have update his toon with the new fauhawk.

Photo/Getty Images

• Regardless, he took the time out to speak to Detroit area High School Students.
• More long range shots from the tall fellas?
• Great interview with Amir Johnson (audio) over at HoopsAddict.
• For those of us who remember him fondly…..A Fennis Dembo update.

• I didn’t want to touch it anymore, but Matt over at DBB’s couldn’t have said it better about Allen Iverson’s sour grapes.
• A heartfelt letter to Memphis fans from ESPN’s Jemele Hill (a Pistons fan).
• Forget M.J. (as most Pistons fans do)  the Admiral was the one to reflect on (my guest post over at Project Spurs) in this year’s Hall of Fame class. Plus the video’s are a great blast from the past.
• Top 10 Pistons Dunkers over at Life on Dumars.
• Super Dupe in UTAH!
• Good news -- Fox Sports Detroit to air all but 4 Pistons games. Download it here!
• A little Charlie V at Pistons.com.
• Training Camp questions.
• Jonas Jerebko nearly a John Beilein protégé.
• Will they be in the Rafters or not?
• Any suggestions on who should don the first month of the Need4Sheed Pistons Schedule Wallpaper?
• Ben Gordon speaks…

Different uniform but same game. Ben Gordon YouTube Mix

• Defending the D….Literally.

The Pistons can finally (per NBA regulations) remove Allen Iverson from their roster.

From Adrian Wojnarowski at Yahoo! Sports

“Allen Iverson has agreed to terms with the Memphis Grizzlies and will sign a one-year deal by week’s end, a league source told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday.

He’s expected to sign a $3.5 million contract, with incentives to make more based on performance.

“God chose Memphis as the place that I will continue my career,” Iverson wrote on his Twitter page on Wednesday morning. “I met with [owner Mike Heisley], [GM] Chris Wallace and my next head coach, Lionel Hollins.”

Iverson, 34, met with team officials on Monday in Atlanta, where they discussed his potential role with the team.

“I feel that they are committed to developing a winner and I know that I can help them to accomplish that,” Iverson wrote on Twitter. “I feel that I can trust them.”

After a turbulent season with the Detroit Pistons, Iverson attracted marginal interest around the NBA this summer. Several teams, including the Los Angeles Clippers and Charlotte Bobcats, made inquiries, but only Memphis presented a serious bid.

No contending teams bothered to court the 10-time All-Star after he seemed unable to accept a complementary role.”

I was asked today on Twitter by a follower “does this give you closure”…my answer: If he comes off the bench for the Grizz.

That would be the definition of closure “Bad Boy” style.

Literally…

I don’t know if you remember Sheed taking us on a tour of The Pistons newly renovated practice facility last season, here is the video just in case you missed it.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

One thing Rasheed failed to mention before the tour started was that you needed to leave your guns at the door. Lucky I left my glock at home that day or else I wouldn’t have been able to get inside the building. As I passed the sign the first thing I thought in my head was….was this here before Allen Iverson was? If you click on the picture to enlarge it….you can see the fine print at the bottom of the sign. Do they really need to have the sign…probably.  My guess is things got heated one day after a friendly game of H-O-R-S-E.

As we wait for something, significant to happen with the roster there are many things to ponder as Pistons fans. Me, I’m going for the “thanks for the memories” sentiment as I watch what is unfolding during the post season while my Pistons are painfully missing in action.

Team Need4Sheed member Richie Halas turned his thoughts about this season into video.

“We all know that the moves made this year were poor short term decisions, and may or may not be wise long term decisions. This year we’ve blamed Chauncey, Joe D, Iverson, Curry, Lebron, the officials and whatever else we could think of. Perhaps it’s time that we blame ourselves for coveting platinum while spitting on the gold we had. We might as well blame it on the rain.”

While Richie wants to move on, The Fresh Prince of The Blog shows how he (and many other Pistons fans) feels about Cavs fans being invited to the Palace in his video rant.

There are a handfull of teams vying for Sheed and McDyess’s services next season and Joe Dumars is probably on the phone as you are reading this trying to secure some kingd of deal. Its going to be an eventful summer Pistons fans, you may not like change but it’s coming regardless.

With the Piston down two games to the Cavaliers in the first round and showing no fight whatsoever, what do Pistons fans do?  For one we admit to ourselves that the team we once knew is only a shell of its former self.  We may lay blame on Joe, Tayshaun, Curry, Rip, Sheed, AI or the lack of leadership.  But honestly what does that get us other than frustrated?  Sure it’s been a good run, but with the talent on this team it shouldn’t end like this.

I’m not claiming it’s over, but it’s hard to stay positive when you have watched this team go through the motions all season long. When you look back at the ‘08-’09 Season can you think of one positve thing about it?

Let’s see…..

• We lost our leader to Denver
• We in turn received a Superstar that said all the right things when he got here, but didn’t make good on a single one.
• We had a season with a new coach that was clearly over his head, especially after Joe D’s “BIG” trade
• Dyess shipped and thankfully returned
• A non existent rotation.
• Sixth man beef!
• Small ball
• Defense disappearance
• Offensive difficulties
• Rodney Stuckey wall
• Kwame Brown
• Arron Afflalo, despite decent play getting buried.
• Cap space
• Hooper doing something….
• A losing season
• An end to a Sellout Streak
• The disappearance of Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell
• Barley making it to the post season
• Chuck Daly’s fight with Cancer
• The loss of a Great Man, Pistons owner Bill Davidson.

Should I go on?

The only bright spot I can think of right now is guy like Will Bynum making a name for himself after a long road to try to live his dream in the NBA. And helping Detroit along the way.

The Pistons compiled a video with a few bright spots, but does it take away the negative?

Now it’s your turn, vent in the comments.

As Pistons fans it’s hard to image that a late season game with the Charlotte Bobcats would weigh so heavily on Detroit’s future, but it does. The Pistons host the Bobcats today at the Palace of Auburn Hills and as much as this game means to a struggling Detroit, Charlotte will be fighting for a win to help them reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

If the Detroit cannot beat the Bobcats today, Charlotte will pull within a game of the eighth place Pistons with just five games to play left this season. The (34-42) Bobcats have won six of eight to get themselves back in the playoff race.

Yes it’s that big, and don’t think for one minute that Larry Brown wouldn’t be more than happy to serve Detroit a loss tonight.

And yes…an early evening Sunday game just adds to the way things have gone for Detroit this season.

Tip off is at 6:00 PM and will be locally broadcast on FSN. If you can’t watch it, listen live on WDFN 1130 AM or follow the game through your computer at NBA.com.

UPDATE:

BYNUMITE!

Bynum scored a franchise record 26 points in the fourth quarter to lead Detroit to a 104-97 win over the Bobcats. Will scored the final 13 points for the Pistons and finished with a career high 32 points.

With the Allen Iverson news still fresh, the Pistons are in Philadelphia to play an early matinee with the Sixers today. The Pistons have dropped eight of 11 to fall into seventh place, a half-game ahead of Chicago.

All remaining games are important for Detroit, especially the game against the Bobcats tomorrow night at the Palace, so a victory in Philly would do wonders for this team right now. The Sixers (39-35) are close to clinching a spot in the postseason, but they’re still battling for position. Detroit should take advantage of the fact that the Sixers young star Thaddeus Young (ankle) won’t play in Saturday’s game.

Rodney knows what’s at stake.

“We have seven games left and hopefully, we can do it,” second-year guard Rodney Stuckey said after the loss to the Nets. “I really don’t know how to explain this. We just have to find ourselves. Either we want to go to the playoffs or we want to go home.” Via NBA.com

Tip off is at 3:00 PM and will be Nationally televised on ESPN. If you can’t catch the game on television you can listen live locally on WDFN 1130 AM or follow the game at NBA.com.

Can’t say I didn’t see this coming.

“Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that guard Allen Iverson will miss the remainder of the season. The all-star guard missed 16 games between February 27 and March 28 after exiting a game at New Orleans with a sore back on February 25.

“After talking with Allen and our medical staff, we feel that resting Allen for the remainder of the season is the best course of action at this time,” said Dumars. “While he has played in our last three games, he is still feeling some discomfort and getting him physically ready to compete at the level he is accustomed to playing this late in the season does not seem possible at this point.”

Iverson returned to action on March 29 versus Philadelphia and scored eight points with two assists and two rebounds in 21 minutes. In his three games back since the initial injury, he has averaged 7.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 18.7 minutes per game.

Acquired by the Pistons from Denver on November 3, the 6-foot-0 guard has appeared in 54 games this season (50 starts) averaging 17.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 36.5 minutes per game.” Via Pistons.com

Personally I thought Allen wasn’t going to return on his own after the injury, so when he did I was surprised.  I was even a bit more surprised when the Pistons made mention of Iverson’s post game comments after the Sixers game, so the fact that he’s been shut down after his retirement comments is no shock.  Say what you will, but my money is not on a medical issue being the reason for AI sitting out the rest of the season.

What the situation has done to what’s left of this season remains to be seen.  Everyone has their own AI opinions, but with what has been going on, this might be the best for the team right now.

Hard to argue with today’s Daily Dime on this one.

WEDNESDAY’S WORST
Allen Iverson, Pistons: I guess this coming off the bench thing isn’t working out too well for Iverson, huh? He went 1-for-8 from the floor, finishing with four points in just 17 minutes of action in Detroit’s 111-98 loss to the Nets.

And I’ve got to hand it to Adande for this paragraph of gold:

The Pistons have asked Iverson to come off the bench for the three games since he returned from a back injury that kept him out for a month. He’s reacting about as well as if they’d asked him to come in early for practice.

If it’s any consolation, there’s only seven games left in the regular season… and we’ve only got to win six of them to finish above .500!