Like we have talked about this a number of times, with each passing day and game the Rip Hamilton “situation” just keeps getting worse.
“Hamilton told the Free Press on Sunday morning that Kuester’s attempt to reach out to him consisted of Jerry Hendon, the team’s security head, coming to him a minute before the team was meeting to go over strategy for Saturday’s game with Phoenix to tell him Kuester wanted to talk to him.
“I felt offended that he sent Jerry instead of coming himself or sending an assistant coach,” Hamilton said. “I could tell Jerry was uncomfortable and I said no.”
He didn’t say how or when, but Kuester told the media Saturday evening that he tried to make a connection with his shooting guard. Hamilton hasn’t played in seven games since becoming the subject of trade talks with New Jersey and Denver and lost his starting position to Rodney Stuckey.
“We made overtures and one of the things that’s important is he is somebody that’s on our team now,” Kuester said before Saturday’s game. “We know that and we’ve reached out to him.” Via The Detroit Free Press
As long as the winning keeps up and the playoffs are in reach, it’s cool..haha. I still Like Rip though..He has a right to be upset but this is A team game and the name on the front of the jersey is supposed to be more important then the name on the back…or at least that’s how it used to be.
23 (24) Pistons 16-28 If they can hold Phoenix to 75 points in the midst of the daily Rip-versus-Kuester drama, don’t we have to give the Pistons more of a shot to sneak into the No. 8 spot in the East than most of these stragglers in the hunt? – ESPN Power Rankings.
RIP has NEVER been a “me first” player… you guys are trippin’
man my thoughts exactly on the jersey thing, nice job.
I hope that Kuester and Rip can talk to each other like grown men not do what Kuester did & send a non coaching staff member to say go see the coach.
I look at the comments on other sites, like espn, to this story and I hear a lot of “Fire Kuester” and “Fire Dumars” talk. Honestly, the only mistake was that Kuester did not go up to Hamilton himself. Besides that we cannot argue that Kuester is really a better coach then many give him credit. Our players who won the championship have always been such drama queens when it came to relations with coaches. They never liked any of the coaches we had for the past few years. I give Kuester credit because he is keeping his cool and having experience dealing with Lebron must have helped him deal with all this little trouble. I give Kuester credit for helping Jonas Jerebko last year become a great fit in the line up, restoring T-Mac to his best physical condition we have seen in years, and made Charlie V a great asset on the bench. Lets not forget how this new rotation is actually pretty good. I am surprised that this is such a hot story that is making news but really, I do not blame Rip for being angry but I do blame him for being a bit selfish. Look at how Jason Terry used to be a starter on the Mavs but then he was moved to the bench, or how Ginobili was also moved to the bench as they got older. They realized that they had to contribute in different roles and play less minutes because they were declining. Rip still wants to start, the only problem is that when Stuckey is playing shooting guard with T-Mac and then Gordon comes in with fire shots, he cannot simply be that guy who used to wait for Billups to give him the assist to drive to the basket. Speaking of Billups, does anyone think it is odd how he had not stated any thoughts on being reunited with his former team mate and “best friend” Rip if the trade would have happened. Billups wanted to have the Buy-out. I thought that Billups at least would have praised the idea to be back with Rip. All that aside, Rip thinks he got it so bad when he should take a note from T-Mac. T-Mac a former all-star and superstar is making less than many rookies on a contract he signed after getting very little attention during his free agency. But T-Mac has a team attitude and never complains. He does not whine like Iverson about his performance decline or his value, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to help his team. Rip should learn from T-Mac about atitude. If Rip is traded, I hope where ever he goes he will be happy but for now they should resolve differences.
Amen, man, amen
I can understand why Rip is upset, he’s in a really tough situation. That being said, Rip has reacted to adversity this season in a very poor way. What’s up with how he got tossed multiple times for being a cry baby; he should have learned after the first time. He is a good athlete but even if he was offended by how Kuester had an assistant tell him that he wanted to talk to him, he still should have sucked it up and done it.
I really liked how when Chauncey got traded, Rip said that he was just happy at the chance to go out and do what he loves every day, and that is playing basketball. He needs to prove to the fans and to himself that he still has what it takes to be a great player in the league. What he has to realize is that we as fans don’t sympathize with how he feels he’s being treated poorly when he is making over $10 million dollars a year.
If this team can not continue to put some wins together the need to let Kuester go and give Laimbeer a shot at getting this group to perform. This is about consistency, effort and attitude.
As I read these post, all everybody cares to talk about is the dollar amount in which Rip is getting paid. Did he earn that money?? HELL YEAH….ALL STAR and a CHAMPION?? HELL YEAH!!!! I am totally disgusted with the way this thing has turned out and with the media and public opinion painting Rip out to be some kind of cry baby. PISTON FANS are toxic ungrateful…I see why it took 13 years for you guys to become relevant in basketball again. You guys never appreciate anything until it’s gone…Rip’s earned the right to bitch if he want’s and if the shoe was on the other foot you would bitch too..Everybody is quick to cast the stone….A bunch of ungratefuls..It’s been downhill since “the real brains” John Hammond left the front office. Now all you got is Joe D and his “Yes man” Scott Perry…This team and organization is doomed unless changes are made from the top after new ownership..Another 13 years times 2…Good luck rip..get that buyout and come to Boston Baby..where veterans are welcome and we always take care of our own.
I think you are putting this in some sort of perspective where Rip Hamilton is a victim in so way, and I bet he feels that way too. I just don’t understand how he could let himself get ejected from multiple games this season for getting a double technical for arguing calls. Also I feel like sometimes when he’s on he plays well but other times his energy level isn’t there. And those things are in his control, so he has no one else to blame for them.
your an idiot, one the pistons were relevant before they won a championship in 04, we were making playoff runs and years before that. besides Rip is a shadow of his former self. Do you really think he wants to play for Boston where he would get 5-6 minutes a game, just to have a glimpse of another championship. Rip does not want another championship, he just wants to play. Rip is just selfish, his attitude is hurting the team. Dont disrespect Joe D, he was allstar, mvp, champion, hof, and a better player than Rip ever was. and he built the championship team like it or not. your just a bitter piston fan because you probably only care about dumb stuff like “why did we trade billups”, “why did we draft darko and not wade” “why did we sign so and so” either way Billups is worse off than Rip in decline, no way we would want him on our team now. , no one cares about what could have happen in a draft when we still won a championship. the point is to win. look we killed Orlando tonight, without Rip. We let Sheed go, why keep Rip. Rip’s attitude this year is worse than Sheed’s ever was, cause at least Sheed knew it was about giving the fans good wins and not just self glory.
Tayshaun said it best a few weeks ago. Only word to sum up the whole situation is: BUFFOONERY. Buffoonery on Rip’s part. Buffoonery on Kuester’s part. Buffoonery from top to bottom.
I agree. everyone is to blame.
who gives a shit? i dont. i want wins. we play better without rip so? we play without rip. its that simple. hes still getting paid. its not like his paycheck is on hold. hey rip, sit back, relax, get paid and wait till you get traded. no big deal.
junior, Rip’s situation is not as simple as that on a player’s perspective. NBA players are well off, they don’t just play for the money but because they love the game.
Rip was a major part of our glory days and he doesn’t deserved to be treated like this and so he has every right to complain and demand and explanation.
well if he “loves the game” so much then i guess he should have played harder, smarter, and with better defense then he wouldnt be sitting on the bench collecting his paycheck. he has no one to blame but himself. end of story.
lets stop talking about it.
Trade Rip to Boston… as much as i hate the thought, i think it would be good for him… That’s a team that embraces its veterans..
Junior, you’re an idiot. Are you 8 years old or something?
no im 29 yrs old, by the way why is that important? i know a lot of 8 year olds that would be sitting rip, and i guess they arent very smart either are they? rip is a baby thats a fact, he doesnt play defense anymore, thats a fact, and i dont care about the name on the back of the jersey being happy either, that my friend is also a fact. what i care about is the name on the front of the jersey, us getting wins, playing hard, with effort. like they always say “this is a buisiness” fuck peoples feelings do your job or someone else will.
o and by the way if you havent noticed, once Q realized he should play people who get the job done and not worry about their feelings we started winning.
This just proves that Kuester is AFI…
lol wow kevin
@Detroit89 John Hammond put together that championship team while Joe D took all the credit….And why all this hate towards Rip…..TradeRiptoacontender says it best “Ungrateful” And the teal pistons were relevant…C’mon son what type of drugs are u sniffin
Rip put himself in this situation, and just because he was on the championship team doesn’t mean everyone is supposed to kiss his ass. The truth is he’s been a problem ever since Billups was traded. He refused to come off the bench with Iverson, but truth be told those Pistons enjoyed their longest win streak that year when he was injured. Now is it any coincidence that these Pistons are enjoying success with rip out of the rotation? I’ve watched every game this season and all I’ve mostly seen out of rip is selfish play, forcing shots, and dumb turnovers. If Rip is the victim why doesn’t any other team want him? You fanboys need to face reality. I am not ungrateful, it’s just that this is not the same Richard Hamilton that helped this team win. This Richard Hamilton has become a diva and a distraction, and there is no place for that on a team that is rebuilding to make another run. Just fyi John Hammond did not single handedly build that championship team. Eventually you haters are going to have to suck it up and admit that Joe D has done a great job for this organization both on the court and in the front office. Every team has to rebuild and unfortunately the Pistons don’t have top notch free agents and trades falling in their laps like L.A., Dallas, and Miami, and Boston, oh and it looks like it may be time to add New York to that list. Yet what Dumars has done is make wise and tough decisions for the future of this club, and as much as people hate on Kuester he’s demonstrated a lot of balls, and the players who have bought into his system are succeeding, the ones who don’t, sit the pine no matter who they think are. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
well said i totlly agree with you.
RIP has carried the Pistons backs since the Billups trade… but… lets stop this shit…
Kuester knows he has a great veteran and player on his team and he’s not using him. That’s why he wants to talk with Rip and USE his talent and leadership for this playoff run…
no i think he just wants to tell rip, its been nice but we dont need you unless we get injuries,stay ready.