superblytrife
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Yeah, I talk to a lot of other Pistons fan both online, and in person (Pistons are BIG throughout Lower and Mid Michigan, people LOVE that we have had a good team for going on 5 years now), and generally, with the people who actually know basketball and think logically (this is not me saying "those who share my opinion", just saying people who I know that actually KNOW what they are talking about) the consensus is that everyone is a little tired of this act.
Lets think about it
-04' We win the championship with a team that give ALL OUT EFFORT for 48 minutes. These are guys who feel disrespected by prior coaches (Rip, Chaunce), teams (Tay wears 22 for the 22 teams that passed him in the draft) or the majority of the nation (Sheed.... nough said). We had a chip on our shoulder, and to a certain extent, we "shocked the world" taking down that Lakers team (I'm sure you remember Ska
-05' Same group more or less, and we take a great Spurs team to 7 games a couple points away from winning 2 straight, a rare feat indeed. That was the last time this team played with full out passion.
-06' Enter Miami. Enter D-Whistle (but moreso, his amazing play). Now in the Miami series we played our hearts out and got beat by an equal/better team. One might look at this and say "good try, just bad luck" but the truth of it was that we were tired. We were tired cause he didn't take the Cavs serious the round before, and let them come back from an 0-2 series deficit to stretch it to 7 very long grueling games. Miami handled their business in 4-5. They were rested, they were focused, we were flustered from almost having become the laughing stock of the postseason, and our lack of focus (and lack of good coaching) almost cost us the chance to play the team we were waiting for the whole time. The general consensus around here was had we not been so damn tired from Cleaveland, we would have taken that Miami series.
-07' Once again we dicked around in the conference semis. We BLEW OUT the bulls the first two games, and then let them stretch it into 6 games by not playing much defense, not hustling, and not showing any urgency or passion. On top of this, Flip is not a good enough coach to right a ship thats lost some steam, and his fear of making many subs really wore out the starters. So we finally get to face the Cavs, and then Lebron just happens all over our face. Part of that was him just being superhuman, but another part was any number of silly plays where "Big Shot Billups" figured ANY 3 ball would drop in the 4th (he is Mr. Big Shot, right? .... circa 04') Sheed refused to believe Ilgauskus could outplay him, and anyone gaurding Danny Gibson seemed to say "He's bound to miss THIS one". Guys just stopped hustling again, and for the 2nd year straight, a team that most experts called "The best team in the East" blew a chance to face the West.
And now were here. And the same things happened on Sunday, and as "shocked" as some people were, a lot of Pistons fans simply said "here we go again". The sentence of yours I highlighted says it all Ska, this team was made of a bunch of "underdogs" that won it all in 04'. They kept that "keep doubting us" thing going a couple years while they told themselves they were better than everyone said, and it seems like they said it so much, they believe it now. This is a team that is KNOWN to coast.... and I don't see that in Boston, or in Utah, or in NO, or the Lakers, or SA, or PHX. Those teams aren't known for taking games off, and like I said to a friend of mine yesterday "This team is as good as its been since 04', but its the wrong year for us to peak again, cause the whole league peaked this year, there are at least 5 teams I would be scared to call us better than, and of those 5, none of them get as lackadaisical as us".
So thats what I see. If we refocus, and end up losing to Boston in 7 games in the ECF, then no problem, keep this group together and give them another shot. But if we do the same silly BS we have done the last couple years, and get swept by Bos, or outed by the Cavs in 5, or god forbid.... Philly takes us down now, of course break this team apart, cause they lost their killer instinct, so why keep waiting for them to find it again. And thats hard to say, cause I, and most fans, absolutely LOVE the guys on this team, they are high character, talented, non egotistical, overall, really good guys. But this is a business, it isn't personal, Joe D's job is to bring championships, period. So..
- Move Rip cause hes the most valuable and easiest to replace. Suns would KILL to have him coming off screens, and we can find another 15 ppg somewhere.
- Move Sheed, cause as smart and as talented and as funny as he is.... part of the "lack-of-effort" shown by this team comes from him rubbing off on people. He plays hard when he feels like it, and you can't have that.
- Keep Tay, Max, Stuckey, Aaron, Amir, Chaunce, and Antonio. Add a few pieces, try again, and if it doesn't work in two more years, package one of the starters and a young for some All-Star talent.
So there you go Ska, oh, and how does it feel to read another Essay on NT not written by you
I applaud you. As a Detroit fan, I feel the EXACT same way. And I know a gang of other fans who do, too. As you said, it really wasn't a huge shockthat they lost Game 1. I figured they'd lose at least one of the first two games. That's just how they get down. But, that isn't a good look. Istill say they'll pull this series out. Hopefully the Game 1 loss can be a wakeup call though. And SMH at the Cavs fans in here crying about this threadbeing open. Pretty much sums you guys up.
