Need4Sheed Guest Writer:Rashid S. Umar
As the 2009 playoffs get underway, it seems as if no one is giving the Pistons any chance of competing with the mighty (at least record wise) Cleveland Cavaliers. Whether the series plays out to be as predicted, or if the boys from the “D” pull off the monumental upset, we need to show passionate support.
The one thing that I’ve enjoyed as a sports fan is proudly proclaiming that I am Pistons Fan. No matter how great the team has performed or how terrible, being a Pistons fan has been a joy and privilege for the last 25 years and counting.
It’s more than just being a fan of the team, for me it’s being a fan of the HOME team. Growing up in the inner city of Detroit, a place that has never had a great reputation for as long as I was there, team championships helped put us on the map. When the Pistons made their first finals appearance in 1988, the city felt electric. I neglect to mention, that years earlier that the Tigers won the ’84 World Series, but this was different—at least for me. The summer of ’88 felt like uncharted waters, with a team that had never been to the mountaintop. Seeing CBS Sports trucks and nationwide coverage in our city was exciting. Winning the title in 1989 and again in 1990 made me feel proud to not just be a fan of the red, white, and blue; but also a proud Detroiter. I also learned that sports could unite a community a lot better than tragedy.
Even through the lean years, the erosion of the post- bad boy era, the dreaded Sean Elliot 62-loss season, and the mediocre “horse-head teal” days, I held my head up high despite what seemed like everyone else jumped ship to root for the Bulls (I’m still bitter about that) I was proud to have MY team.
My point is that although the team posted its worse season in eight years, I’m not jumping ship. Even if the series goes as predicted, I’ll still be here with my Pistons jersey rooting for the good guys. I’ll still be hardcore with mine because that’s what we do!
I’ve read message boards sites (and I hate reading message boards) of opposing fans that are extremely joyful about this Pistons season, even some of our so-called fans who’d rather complain than rally. I know it’s not what we’re used to but come on gang!
It’s the playoffs! Let’s get behind these guys for support! If not to beat Cleveland, than to celebrate eight straight playoff appearances or that they are one of only two teams in American professional sports to win at least one title in each of the last three decades — bet you didn’t realize that huh? Well that’s why I’m here.
Let’s go Pistons Nation! I implore you join me in showing the world we can be the best fans under any circumstance!
anon!
Amazing piece, Rashid. I’m on board with you. Let’s go get ’em!
Your not saying anything that I havnt been preaching already on this site all year. I’ve referred numerous times about the GS/Dallas series a couple years back. I’ve been with this team thru everything. Good point but all your doing is re-harshing what I’ve said all year on this site.
Nice article. I completely agree with you, this needs all of our support if they wanna win.
Im watchin espn first take right now and I absolutley want to punch jay crawford in the face. I hope we beat these bitches so we shut them and their stupid fans up.
Well said Rashid! I gotta admit, I’m sick of hearing all these fake Pistons fans around me. Too many of them are willing to jump ship when things turn bad and the same ones will eventually jump back when things turn well. Too many fakers and posers! I hope to see the true fans rise up and support the boys come game time. Go…Deeeeeeeeetroit!
No one is giving us a chance. Everyone thinks it gonna be a sweep. If this doesn’t get them going, I don’t know what will. They’ve always said they like their backs up against the wall, we’ll for the first time, they truly are.
Much respect for this article. A lot of die-hard Pistons fans would be better to stop bitchin’ all the time and support your team no matter what. The Pistons nation. Blue collar and hard work. Never give up without a fight.
Yup good article! Lets go Piston players and fans give you best and put up a Fight! Let’s prove the so-called experts wrong! Do it for Mr.D,Chuck Daly,Dice and the City of DETROIT!!! We can Beat them!!!
they gone give they best and beat the cavs and lebron and after that they going to bring the championship to detroit
Great article!
I had to leave the metro Detroit area behind for business reasons in early 2005. Saying goodbye to friends, late-night Meijer’s trips, and Devil’s Night was hard, but I simply couldn’t say goodbye to the Pistons. I’ll always be a Pistons fan, whether they’re the favorites or “competing” for the #1 draft pick. I’ll watch some other teams, especially young teams to see how they are building and developing, but the Pistons always come first.
If they go down 3-0, I’ll still believe they can win against the Cavs. I won’t stop believing until they loose, and IF that happens… I’ll start looking forward to next season. We’ve got four draft picks, even if the draft is said to be weak. The 15th should net a high-risk project or a quality role-player, if not a starter-grade player. The 36th, 39th, and 45th picks can be used to gamble on talent and need… guys like Danny Green, Goran Suton, and even Psycho T could fall that far. We have Trent Plaisted off in Spain, recovering from an injury. And we have a good deal of cap space in a year when everyone is trying to save for 2010.
While there are drawbacks to nearly all the free agents, a healthy Carlos Boozer, Paul Milsap, Tyson Chandler, or Chris Kaman (Michigan native) would certainly improve the Pistons next season. Yeah, I’d love to see Bosh on the Pistons, but what team wouldn’t want Bosh?
Anyway, there is always something to cheer about, weather you’re on the top or bottom. I have faith that Dumars will continue to learn and improve the team.
every one thats going for detroit knows its going to come down to the big three rip tay and most impotantly sheedddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd
Awesome article! I’m behind our guys 100%. The Pistons are the BEST team in the league!
Well written Rashid. It is very evident that you are a true fan of not only sports, but the city and culture of Detroit.
i have never put the pistons down in my life. COME ON GUYS LETS BRING THE CHAMPIONSHIP WERE IT BELONGS IT DETROIT. AND DONT FORGET…,. DEEEEEEEEEETROOOOOOOOOOITTTTTTT BBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAASSSKKKKEEEEETTTTBBBBAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL
it is just EXACTLY how I feel.
no matter what, I’m proud to be a Pistons fan in the good times, and in the old times as well.
great article, good job!
Detroit Pistons 313! We are back on track to attack people! The Pistons are like Will Bynum, we may be small, we may not be popular, but we sure as hell going to be relentless and powerful! Detroit Piston fan 4 life, my dorm room door is filled with Pistons attire and a No LeBron picture I made. GO PISTONS!
As with most things it comes to balance. I’ll always support this team weather we’re the 8th seed against the 1st seed, down 3 games to 0, or the #1 team in the NBA up 3 games to 0 in the finals.
However, as invested fans, we have every right to question the decisions of the players, coaches and management of the team that we invest our time and money to watch and support. We take emotional and fiscal stock in this team, and have rights to complain if we feel that poor decisions were made. As Americans, we reserve the rights to debate those complaints in wonderful places like this of free expression.
Looking on the bright side, the last time I heard professional analysts all over the country say that we were going to be swept in a series was in 2004 when they ended up beating the Lakers 4-1.
EVERYONE HERE ARE PREPPY ASS N*GGAZ
YOU DONT KNOW HOOW IT IS TO LIVE IN DETROIT
MOST OF YOU PEOPLE LIVE IN AUBURN HILLZ OR SOME OTHER SAFE CITY
THIS IS THE DETROIT PISTONS
COME LIVE IN THE HOOD AND THEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO TALK SHIT ABOUT PISTONS BITCH!
MATT SELKE
YOU DONT LIVE IN THE 313 SO STOP!!!!!!!!
AND EVERYBODY ELSE
DETROIT 313 48209!!! IS WHERE I STAY !
Great article that’s pretty much how i feel. I really wanna hear fans go crazy during the playoffs. Even though I don’t have cable anymore, I’m definately going to find a way to watch. Win or lose
Wow 313 that makes no sense what so ever… That has nothin to do with the Pistons at all… The DETROIT PISTONS aren’t even in DETROIT last time I checked bud. So I’m really not sure how livin in the D has anything to do with rooting for the Pistons. And let’s face it NO place is safe now-a-days…It all has to do with how you wanna live and what you wanna do to make the most of it. My cousins, my aunt, uncle, and grandpa live down there and I visit all the time, it ain’t no thing unless your in the wrong part at the wrong time. I don’t think comin on a Pistons site and bashing people is the way to go, everyone has there right to an opinion whether we think it’s valid or not doesn’t really change that.
Futhermore,
As for the comments I love to see us Pistons fans holding our heads up in times of despair! They need us fans to keep them alive. I read an article that proclaimed that if the fans at the palace are in full force, even LBJ might get rattled and not be able to handle the pressure. I really and truly hope that Sheed can make the right choice and be 100% behind this team and give 110% on the floor to spark them. He hasn’t played very well thus far this season (even in a contract year) and I hope he doesn’t feel that he is bored and tired of this team, wanting to go elsewhere…
ANYWAYS GO PISTONS, let’s take it one game at a time!
In my emotional heart, of course I want the Pistons to win. They’re my team, have been since I was sitting in the upper deck of Cobo in the 70’s.
But after watching this fractured team with a beyond struggling rookie head coach stumble thru a losing season, my very logical mind tells me the Pistons have 2 chances at beating the Cavs, slim and none.
This doesn’t make me any less a fan of Detroit. It just makes me a realistic one.
Great Post! I agree 100%.
Yes the Cavs are about 100x better, yes this is our worst team in years, yes we haven’t put it together all year….
No we didn’t like the trade, no we’re not thrilled by the thought of turning our team around behind Paul Millsap, Ben Gordon, Carlos Boozer, CB4, etc, no Curry is not our best (or 2nd or 3rd or 4th…) coach we’ve had….
But this is the Playoffs! (Insert Jim Mora line here) We have to forget all that; we have all off-season to complain about cap space, Curry, and Chauncey. We need to do what we can for this team.
Plus on top of that, how many good times have we had watching Rip, Tay, Dice, and Sheed together? Well this is it! The likelihood that all four (or even three) of them will all be wearing the Pistons red, white, and blue is slim to none. We need to enjoy watching these guys making one last stand together. And of course we probably won’t win the series. But we can put up a fight, maybe (somehow) take a game in Cleveland, and then who knows what could happen.
I, like many on here, am just sick and tired of the negativity with Pistons fans this days.
Stons in 7! Will Bynum explodes for 46 in the 4th in Game 1.
U got me hyped. No need for me to say much, I’ll point as my haters to your post. I’m in Brooklyn, Ny and I’m ready for the upset.
Well said!
As a fan that loves this team, I want to see them play as long as they possibly can in the playoffs. I think when fans get angry or rant on message boards, the majority of the time it’s because they know this team is better than their record, better than this season has been. As fans, we’re invested in the day to day operations of the Pistons because we want them to WIN. But, you’re right, the time for all of that has passed. It’s time to support the Detroit Pistons!
Lets get it on on Saturday. Dethrone the “king”
DEEEEETROIT BASKETBAAAAAL!
beautifully written rash. I also feel like that. we all want to enjoy the pistons going to the playoffs no matter what happpens.
313 you´re an ass!! I live in the other side of the world and I´a Piston fan for 20 years now. Maybe more years than you have of age, cretainly more than you have of brain growth. i llove my Pistons and I´m behind them 100%. But let´s face it this is not the season we expected. Even after the dreadful trade JoeD made, I was expecting more out of these guys!
Nevertheless GO PISTONS! Let´s make everyone in Cleveland a WITNESS of a first round elimination of an MVP!
the pistons will put up a good fight. i believe they can win this series, but the NEED game 1!!!
my only worry is that the nba wants lebron in the finals, so the pistons cant leave the games to the final posession or we’ll have a repeat of the miami game last month
Great article!
Got me hyped for the game against Cavs!
The Pistons will hopefully oppose them as a threat and surprise them.
It really feels good to be a Piston fan
Go pistons!! but i have a feeling david stern does not want lebron going out in the first round. nba is fake people!! itz entertainment just like rasheed said in one of his post game interviews when he was pissed.
Wow, I’m so happy about this article. You don’t know how mad I am that I’m surrounded by “Witness” posters and freaking white Cleveland jerseys in local stores. I live in Ohio and that’s all I see is “23 James” on backs of jerseys. I’m getting sick of it.
I always put on my red “54 Maxiell” jersey and red, white and blue shoes to show how much of a Piston fan.
And like how people say, if we go down in a sweep or do the, so called, ‘unachievable’ and defeat the Cleveland LeBron’s and move on to the next round; I’m always in that Red, Blue and White Tonight! (And every other night)
This was an amazing and a very inspirational article and other thing is Pistons fans should know is that we have the cavs whole fanchise in our hoands if we beat them LeBron isnt staying there there is no way in the world and if we lose they are gonna have a huge contract with him and they will be good for years to come. So we are changing the Cavs franchise and if its for better or for worse i too will always and forever be a fan of the Detroit Pistons and all who are joined in helping this team
Salaam-
great piece!
By John Hollinger (from Espn.com)
“Cleveland (91%) vs. Detroit (9%): Let’s not waste everybody’s time.
My prediction: Cavs in 4”
The guy writes a page preview for every series and this is all he has to write about us. Cant wait to see what he writes after pistons win!!!
One thing I do see that will probably bring us down in the series is the fact that the games will all probably be referee decided games, seeing the way the last games we played where wade and lebron got every damn call in the last 2 minutes.
Damn these ESPN guys are some serious Haters lets hope everybody on the Team has read Hollinger’s BS it should give our guys a huge motivation Boost! And yeah we not only play against the Bron Crabs we play against Stern and the ref’s 2! So LETS GO PISTONS SHUT THEM HATERS UP!!!
so we playing against the Refs too? so what can we as pistons fans do if the refs decide the game?
pistons nation rise…to mr. d!
I agree with Richie. I’m still a fan, I still run around TX wearing Pistons swag, however being supportive of a team isn’t just about going, “ooo I love you guys!” no matter what they do. Support takes many forms and being constructively critical is also showing support. I don’t think there’s anything wrong about speaking up when you see someone or something you care about tanking, that does not make people “fair weather” fans.
Realistically the chips are stacked against us but at the same time I’m hoping for an out of the ordinary, exception to the rule if you know what I mean. Not counting on it but am hoping for it.
pistons nation rise
my boys(detroit)always play the cavs really good. I believe they can pull this out. we just gotta finish games when we have the lead! And SHEED! Get in the POSTS! pumpfake and go around the defender n throw it down big guy. 4 u Tay….make lebron go left everytime….not as effective. Very good article…..PEACE!
amen
FOLK LOVE GD ALL DAY! 7400
DEEEEEEEE-TROIT BAS-KET-BAAAAALLLLLL!!!! 🙂
to mr. d!
to chuck daly!
to joe dumars!
to stack! to ghill! to the body! to chauncey! to lindsay!
to allen F’IN iverson!!!
and yes, even to DARKO!!!!
People are crazy. How can anybody say that the Pistons will get swept? Yeah, we are the underdogs, but so where the Hawks last year and they took Boston to a game 7. They don’t think we can win one game at least? C’mon, you are better than this…
So we will shock the world if we win one game? Are they serious?
The playoffs are totally different than the regular season as we all know. If we had a great defensive strategist instead of Curry we would make the Cavaliers work hard for every point…yeah, they are a better team, but still not good enough to win without LeBron doing everything…
pistons nation rise!
to yellowjackets and prospectors! to spartans and wolverines! to red wings, tigers, and lions! pistons nation rise!
to rodney pete to andre ware to erik kramer to joey harrington to matt stafford…pistons nation rise!
tear down that wall! pistons nation rise!
to mateen cleaves to rodney white to Andreas Gliniadakis to the Serbian Gangsta to delfino to ricky paulding to sammy meijia to deron washington and dj white…pistons nation rise!
to the smelters…pistons nation rise!
to generalmotorsfordchrysler…pistons nation rise!
You’re dam right Rashid and I’m sick that people don’t believe me when I tell them that the Pistons might suprise a lot of people in these playoffs. So screw all the infidels , DEEEEEEEETROIIIT BASKETBALL!!!
amen AMEN
i’m just a single mom who loves my boys. pistons nation rise!
THANK GOD!FINALLY a sensible article…..WE BELIEVE…..GOOOOOO PISTONS!!!!
I love my pistons and I have faith that they will play hard and give the cavaliers a series. whoever said the pistons will get blown out by 20 points or more is crazy, the pistins will not go out as any scared punks.
Nobody thought we could do it in 04 either. it’s on again. Deeeeeeetroit Baaaaasketball!!
As a Cavs fan, I just want to say….enjoy the a$$ beating.
no way for piston to win,,MC still there… sorry.
Behold! The great Willamino! Let me look into my crystal balls…
ah, yes! Pistons/Cavs… A monumental clash of titans!
great crystal balls, how will this series unfold in favor of the Pistons?
(my crystal balls rumble and shake, and a series of images appear. Stuckey to the hoop. Rip is on fire. Sheed is dancing. Tay is soaring. Dyess rises!)
Then game by game, my crystal balls reveal the truth:
game #:
1) Detroit punches Cleveland in the mouth for a victory and shocks the conventional world.
2) Pistons/Cavs scrap and claw to a close finish.
3) Inspired by loud love from fans the Pistons rise to challenge.
4) Cleveland feels a seed of doubt, but Detroit shelves the fear.
5) Detroit seizes the opportunity.
6) The Pistons believe.
7) Which way does the basketball bounce?
today, we shall see if my crystal balls are true…
I live in Germany (lived in Detroit) and I always try to defend My Pistons. I hold my head high whenever others think the Pistons are one of the worst teams. I even get mad, and want to punch them in the face (I normaly never feel that way).
Even if the Pistons would be at 1-81 and make the playoffs, I would still be rooting for them, thinking they can go all the way.
My point is, wheter or not they’re playing well or bad, I’ll always be proud, to say that I’m a fan of this team.
We all know how good this team can be, let’s just hope they do, too.