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.

• A beautiful day in Michigan, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and Orlando took down Cleveland at home.
• Terrance Williams works out with Detroit and Matt Watson of Detroit Bad Boys interviews the possible Piston.
• Our good friend Matt Dery of WXYT is reporting that the Pistons are working out Gonzaga’s Jeremy Pargo.
• How many Mock Drafts can you really read? SI thinks Detroit will use their #15 pick to snatch Ohio State Center B.J. Mullens. All for a big man, but is Mullens proven after just one year in college?
• Possibly a PG with the pick?
• I wouldn’t mind TY Lawson.
• Will Rodney Stuckey have a breakout season?
• I’m so close it hurts.
• I need Pistons fans help with this one! I got an email from an Old Schooler like myself who needed a hand with some Bad Boys Pistons trivia. “There is a song from back in the day when the bad boys won the 89-90.  It is not One Mission, but it was a Rap song that had Laimbeer, Thomas, Mahorn’s name in it.” Now I remember the song vaguely but for the life of me I couldn’t tell you who did it or what the name of it was. Here is where you guys help us out if you can.  It’s going to bother me until we get the answer!
• Don’t forget about the Kimmel Show Friday night…someone has to win the limited edition EMINEM shirt.
• FYI, I added a feature in the comment section of the site. You can now directly reply to a specific comment in the section and it will appear right below it.
• Great YouTube Tribute to Daddy Rich.

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.

If you don’t know of the legacy that Chuck Daly left us I suggest you read the glowing peace by Krista Jahnke of the Free Press.

“That changed in May 1983 when the Pistons hired Daly to coach a team that had never posted back-to-back winning seasons.

He stayed nine seasons, making the playoffs each year. His team posted five straight seasons with 50 or more victories and went to the Eastern Conference finals each year from 1987 to 1991.

They won the NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. In ’89, with Finals MVP Joe Dumars leading the way, they swept a Los Angeles Lakers team that went 11-0 in its first three playoffs rounds. They returned to the Finals in 1990, beating the Portland Trail Blazers in five games.

Daly once referred to himself as a second banana. He never won NBA coach of the year but was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1997, the Pistons retired the No. 2 jersey to the rafters, in honor of Daly’s two championships.

His NBA coaching record — including one season in Cleveland before coming to Detroit, and two seasons each in New Jersey and Orlando after the Pistons — was 638-437 (.593). His record with the Pistons: 467-271 (.633), plus 71-42 in the playoffs.

The identity still attached to the Pistons franchise was born under Daly’s influence.

His teams played hard. They won with defense. They were physical — so rough and tumble that the nickname Bad Boys quickly stuck.”

And why they called him Daddy Rich:

“Daly, affectionately called “Daddy Rich” by his Pistons players for his dapper suits, compiled a 638-437 record in 14 seasons as an NBA head coach and holds the Pistons’ record for most wins — 467, in nine seasons — in franchise history.” Via NBA.com

He will be missed.

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

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.

This is the surely a time when Detroit has to buckle down for a more desirable spot come April.

Rasheed is doubtful for tonight’s game and the Pistons will know more about the status of Allen Iverson in a week or so.

“I’m in no rush,” Wallace said a few minutes ago prior to Detroit’s morning shootaround. “I’m taking it day to day.” Via MLive

With the game Dyess played on Wednesday….he deserves more than this tribute mix, but that’s all I have for you right now.

The Good/Bad and More

• Toronto has lost six straight, a slide during which Chris Bosh has averaged 25.5.
• Toronto has the East’s second-worst record.
• The Pistons close the season with a favorable schedule.
• Maxiell with start again for Rasheed.
• The Bench brings the energy.
• Juiced Sports Blog talks to Bill Laimbeer.
• Doug Collins on his deep admiration for Daddy Rich.
• You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone -- Blaha on Sheed

Tip off is at 7:00 PM and will be locally broadcast on FSN. If you can’t watch it you can listen in locally on 1130 AM WDFN, or follow the game with a live feed on NBA.com.

Keep and eye and ear out for the abundance of Pistons fans in the crowd in Toronto. The comments are yours…

Things are looking up in Motown

“It’s a good time for us to make a run now,” Hamilton said. “We pretty much know we can’t get the one, two or three seed, we’re so far behind. But we can definitely shoot for the fourth.” Via NBA.com

Not so much in Hotlanta.

“Guys aren’t serious about what’s at hand,” said coach Mike Woodson, who saw his team’s lead over fifth-place Miami shrink to a half-game. “And what’s at hand is us winning this fourth spot and holding it down. So we’ve got to go home now and see what we’re made of.” Via NBA.com

We may not even see Josh Smith tonight after he had a heated incident with his coach on court.

Josh Smith didn’t play in the second half Friday after he got into a heated exchange with Woodson at halftime that could be heard in the hallway outside the locker room. Smith, who had 13 points in the first two quarters, spent the second half sitting in the middle of the bench with a towel draped over his back.

“I don’t want to talk about that right now,” Smith said when asked about the benching.

Woodson wouldn’t say whether the team’s third-leading scorer would play Saturday.

“We’ll determine that tomorrow,” he said. Via NBA.com

Sad really, as good as Smith is, I think his immaturity has plagued him his entire (though short) career.

Tip off is at 7:00 PM and will be locally broadcast on FSN PLUS. If you can’t catch the broadcast you can tune into 1130 AM WDFN. If you can’t do either, follow the game live or listen to the stream over at NBA.com.

Leave them in the Comments.

And remember Daddy Rich in your thoughts and prayers.

Just have one thing to say about this one…..Maxiell was spectacular.
Detroit is looking for their fourth straight win tonight against the Golden State Warriors at The Palace of Auburn Hills tonight.

“It’s just sad to see we’re 30-29,” the Pistons’ Richard Hamilton said. Via NBA.com

The game however takes an unfortunate backseat to the news that former beloved Piston head coach Chuck Daly is fighting Pancreatic Cancer.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Daly and his family right now. Get well Daddy Rich.

Tip off is at 8:00 PM at the Palace of Auburn Hill and will be locally broadcast on FSN. If you can’t catch the broadcast you can tune into 1130 AM WDFN. If you can’t do either, follow the game live or listen to the stream over at NBA.com. Leave them in the Comments.