Fennis – well, maybe he was not a household name but a really original one.

Here I go with another blast from the past.

Life was simple….mullets, acid washed jeans and florescent clothing were acceptable and the Bad Boys ran the show.

The most fabulous Old School blast from the past Pistons video. Anytime you have Fennis Dembo, Scott Hastings and Chocolate Thunder in a single video clip it’s sure to be an instant classic. Enjoy your old school Friday.

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In an effort to get myself through the NBA offseason I always tend to revert back to old videos I have collected or watch the old games I have on DVR or DVD.  While scouring my computer today I found this clip and all the sudden I was taken back to the 1990 Pistons Bulls playoff series.  I remember both the 1989 and 90 battles like they were yesterday but watching this clipped sparked a little memory I had from game 7 at the Palace in 1990.

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Video Courtesy of The Detroit Pistons

I Remember the game vividly because I was at the Palace that night. I remember Johns Salley’s performance and I distinctly remember the celebration of being the eastern conference champs getting ready to head off to the NBA Championship for the second season in a row. (Back2Back I still have that t-shirt)

I also had a memory of two player that you may or may not remember. William Bedford and the Bulls B.J. Armstrong.

Bedford turned out to be of the biggest disappointments, a 7 footer with much potential and two NBA championship rings (thanks to Detroit) who sadly squandered his talents because of a drug problem.

B.J. Armstrong was Michigan bred and went the Birmingham Brother Rice high school.  I will always remember how small he seemed to me (6″2)  on court and always amazed in the fact that he was right across the way while I attended school.

Any special moments you remember distinctly?

You know I always catch something when it has to do with Sheed, so when this popped up in the Detroit Free Press this morning it had me asking this question.

Why Does Brian Scalabrine think he’s good at Basketball?

“I’m loving Rasheed Wallace,” Celtics small forward Brian Scalabrine said last week

“I’m incredibly psyched,” Scalabrine said. “Winning championships is something I want to continue to do.” Via The Detroit Free Press

Really Brian? Really?

Not only did he contribute less than nothing to the Celtics Championship run but he looks awful in green and the dude has no sock on…come on.

Maybe it’s the same reason Robert Swift thinks he hardcore.

Put it this way Pistons fans…it’s like saying Darko Milicic saying the same thing.

A little about one of my favorite Pistons Vinnie Johnson, for no other reason that he’s awesome and I saw him twice in the past week. And FYI he’s a really nice guy, he held my cup of Starbucks Coffee for .007 seconds to warm it up for me…..he’s still got it after all these years.

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Ok, not the Big Baby rumors are old but guess who the Pistons are looking at to fill an oh so important roster spot. Big Ben….
A. Sherrod Blakely of MLive

“While there’s no deal imminent, the Pistons are going to explore the possibility of bringing one of the franchise’s greatest defenders, back to Detroit.

Detroit has about $3.5 million to use towards free agents, but would probably not use all of that to sign Wallace.

Boston’s Glen Davis remains an option, but the Pistons are reluctant to make him an offer because he’s a restricted free agent. And the Celtics have said repeatedly that any reasonable offer Davis receives – and Detroit’s offer would fall under that category – they would match.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I will forever be a fan of Ben Wallace.  I will celebrate that he brought this team back from obscurity with his work ethic and determination but……….

I just don’t think he’s got what it takes to play the game the way he used to.  His glory days are behind him and contrary to popular belief Arnie Kandor is a magician, but he doesn’t possess the fountain of youth serum in his bag of tricks.

We truly have started to rebuild so tell me how bringing Ben Wallace back makes any sense.  I’m putting it to a vote for you, but you know how I already feel.

UPDATE: Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press says the Pistons have no interest in Wallace.

“a person with knowledge of the situation said today that the Pistons are not looking at Wallace, 34, because his career appears to be on the decline.”

Not much new on the Pistons front these days, so what does a starved Piston fan do? Well I have been watching the playoff games from the 89 Championship season.

I have also been going through old footage I have saved on the hard drive.  I found possibly my favorite little clip ever.

Add some cowboy hats and a classic soundtrack and you would swear you were in the old west. Bad to the Bone…that’s what they were.

Looking back…Dumars wears the white hat, Isiah, Laimbeer and Mahorn would be donning black.

As a Pistons fan in what seems like unfamiliar territory watching this seasons’ NBA Playoffs, it took me back to a time when things changed for the Pistons. You can say as fans that we are spoiled, six consecutive ECF appearance with a two Championship showings and one NBA title.  I don’t call it spoiled, in fact I call it a bit of domination.

That team of journeymen who soared to great heights over accomplished according to NBA standards. Chauncey, Rip, Wallace X2, Prince, Memo, Elden, Corliss etc… started something that didn’t suddenly come to an end.  A little bit of that special something died when the Pistons lost to the Spurs, when it looked like they were going back to back.  A little more so when Ben Wallace bolted for Chicago and the final straw was the Chauncey Billups trade.

We should have seen right then that it was over, but that’s what we do as fans.  We root and hope and we stand by our team even though we know the ship is sinking.

I remember another sinking ship called The Bad Boys.  It first started taking on water when the Pistons lost to the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs after winning back to back championships.  The release of Vinnie Johnson started the take down, and the rest is what it was, the end on an era in Detroit Basketball history. This video will bring it all back….

As we hope NOT to repeat history of years of mediocrity, we have a common thread that may keep us afloat.  Joe Dumars was there through it all, let’s hope he will do whatever he can to right wrongs and start a new trend instead of following an old one.

We don’t have much longer to wait to see just what we as Pistons fans have to look forward to.

You may know by now that I received a trivia request for a Rap song that made mention of Isiah, Dumars, Laimbeer…ect.  Well I am not sure if this is it, but it’s a gem. Thanks to good friend and Need4Sheed reader Kevin Antcliff (a fellow Detroit blogger) who did all the dirty work for us.  He remembered the song, dug up his VHS (yes he still has it) of Pure Pistons: 1990 NBA Championship and took care of the rest.

A Motor City Classic

Pump it up Pistons

I know I said Mayor Bing was the next to get Tooned, but I just couldn’t resist doing Daddy Rich.  Here is the basic Need4Sheed cartoon head version, but I think it is fitting to put him in a nice suit to get the full effect of Coach Daly.

We are thinking of you, and we know you are putting up one heck of a fight.  Get well soon!

Now Rip, there is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to Hammer Time!

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Congrats to Bill Laimbeer and the Shock for dominating the WNBA finals in a sweep over San Antonio. We actually have a legitimate Dynasty right now in Detroit. Let’s hope The Pistons can change the sign again after the 2008-2009 season. The did get off to a good start with an 95-91 OT win over The Heat in their first pre-season game.

I have now witnessed The Shock and The Pistons win it all in person. A friend of mine thought it would be fun to head down to EMU for the game and let me tell you it was a special experience. Laimbeer and Mahorn were ecstatic, the Bad Boys brought another championship to Detroit. I pulled the video for all to enjoy. Go Shock!

Apparently my YouTube video isn’t working, I’ll have to try again later today for you.