The Pistons win a tight one last night in Milwaukee 95-93 (Box Score). If you take a look at the box score Detroit’s rotation was probably close to what we are going to see on Wednesday when the season begins.
Austin Daye started again for the injured Tayshaun Prince with Ben Wallace at center and Charlie Villanueva as the PF.
Highlights of the Game

Wednesday can’t come soon enough, but I’m a little more excited to see just how this new team gets the crowd going at the Palace on Friday night. What kind of reception will Ben Wallace get, how will Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva respond and what does coach Kuester have in store for us.

A season of questions and if the defense doesn’t pick up we know what will be on top of that list.

Jamie Samuelsen,Jamie Samuelsen,

• “Deron is just tipping his talent in regards to how good he can become,” coach John Kuester said.” Deron Washington has potential.
• My Pistons X-Factor pick for the season Chris Wilcox is excited with the new atmosphere.
• Yahoo  previews the Pistons over at Ball Don’t Lie. A little preview (Prediction: 40-42)
• Great first Start for Austin Daye.
• Dallas -- Pistons Highlights

• Chris Bosh is a hero off court for a number of NBA players including Tayshaun Prince and Charlie Villanueva.
• “Here’s what I don’t like so far: the guard play. I still just don’t see how John Kuester is going to balance this thing out and find the right combinations.” Jamie Samuelsen at the Free Press in his article: Backcourt gives reasons for hope and worry.
• Jerebko learned to be a “Bad Boy” in Sweden.
• Kwame Brown is looking good and Stuckey was impressive in Dallas.
• Another non televised game tonight (Saturday)  in Memphis.  Good news, Charlie Villanueva is slotted to take the court  possibly with the (toe) slightly still  injured Tayshaun Prince .  Bad news, we won’t see it.
• You will see this from CV-TV.. A great piece on who Charlie is and what he had to overcome to be what he is today.

Here is a great YouTube video of Charlie Villanuava’s Top 10 plays of the 2008-2009 Season.

What prompted the @CV31 video?  This tweet he posted last night of this delightful video

“For those of ya that listen to reggaeton, check me out doing the Pepe dance: http://bit.ly/Lcfzt — LOL too funny!!!”

and ….it’s a hint to what the Sheedburgler is giving away over on my twitter accout.

New contestant -- Detroit Pistons own Charlie Villanueva

He hasn’t even stepped on the court yet for the Pistons and he’s already a fan favorite.

Get to know Charlie Villanueva through our favorite NBA Correspondent Elie Seckbach.

Seems like Charlie has the right attitude for Detroit and my guess is he’s going to be a fan favotite.  Get your Charlie V Jersey right now before the Palace Locker Room sells out.

Follow Charlie if you aren’t already on Twitter.

Make sure you are following Elie on twitter too…he’s the king of NBA Video. Best of all Elie made sure he shared a little personal wisdom with me about Charle.

“CV is awesome, once the city of Detroit gets to know him they will love him -- he’ll be the new Sheed”

Charlie V = Sheed 2.0?

• Michael Curry and Rip Hamilton beef.
• Resigning Antonio McDyess may be difficult. Personally I would like Dyess to go to a contender and get his Ice. If he’s not a stand up guy who gave his all to do what he had to do to win, I don’t know who is.
• George Blaha on the Pistons retooling.
• Free Press Draft Grades.
• The Magic among the many that want Sheed.
• Daye care.
• Former Pistons playground up for auction.
• Need4Sheed Mock GM league at PASPN ready for players…and as always I’m giving away a T-Shirt to the winner.
• Daye may help but more depth is needed.
• 18 to 20 million in cap room could help Dumars land a quality FA.
• Austin Daye YoTube Videos and some from the Pistons second round pick Jonas Jerebko.
• If you still aren’t following me via Twitter, you should be…I’m pretty quick on the Tweet.

Joe Dumars speaks to Pistons fans and media immediately after Dumars selected Austin Daye as the Pistons #15 pick in the draft.  He talks about Austin, and the state of the team.

Best line….

“Yes, he’s skinnier than Tayshaun, so we definitely have to put some weight on him.”

Please note….the “no more drama” quote.  Sounds liked Dumars had enough of the current and not so current Pistons players and their “issues.”  Take it however you like but Joe sounds like he’s cleaning house.

Think Iverson sent him over the edge?

Thanks go out to the entire Pistons Organization (DW) who let me Live Blog the Event.

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

Did you know Sheed wears football helmets during practice? Me neither, but thanks to a Tweet from my favorite  NBA correspondent Elie Seckbach we do now!

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.

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.