After loosing this series, and having seen the coming of age of the Cavs, I can't help but think that the Pistons will follow the Pacers down their road of failures and rebuilding in the years to come..

What a difference a week makes...

The goal was always to win now. Unfortunately, drafting William Bedford Mark II, a less than aggressive policy in free agency, complacency and coaching instability have derailed that to a great degree.

All those folks who worried about the future will see it faster than they could have hoped. Detroit will still be competitive, the roster needs some work, and Flip (or whoever is coaching 2 years down the road) needs to establish a strong presence from the sidelines.

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Nov 13 LW Milan Lucic had an active night. He scored his first goal in eight games since his Oct. 25 hat trick and also pounded Michael Komisarek in a third-period fight. Lucic cut his hand in a fight with Michael Komisarek. "I'll be fine," he said. "(X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before you can't really tell."

What's your definition of competitive? Do you think that Joe will see that this team continues to be contenders ?

There is just too much talent (and trade value) on this team for us to completely fall into oblivion.

Of course it doesn't feel like it right now, but maybe this will end up being the best thing for this franchise. Everyone, from Joe D. to the players to us as fans, have become a bit too complacent with our recent success. While other teams have been getting hungrier and nastier, we've been getting more and more house trained.

The team isn't old by any stretch, but we aren't getting any younger either, and the older players' contracts are starting to come up for renewal, so maybe this is the perfect opportunity to start going in a different direction.

I don't think we'll see a complete house cleaning (nor should we), but maybe having the longest serving starting 5 in the NBA is starting to become a negative?

Joe D has proven that he isn't afraid to pull the trigger to make his team better. He fired 2 winning coaches, traded for Sheed, signed an injury prone Dice, traded Darko, etc.

Like I said before, its going to be a LONG offseason, but it should also be interesting. Hopefully, it will be for the right reasons...

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JO said the same thing on TNT.. I was pissed because I thought he was just venting his own frustrations, but now I see it unfolding right in front of me.

First or second place division finishes.

Everyone who qualifies in the top 4 seeds in a conference is a contender.

Do I think that Joe will see that we aren't contenders? I dunno. How does one make that call? If I had a crystal ball, I would be researching lottery #s, not our 2007 draft pick.

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Nov 13 LW Milan Lucic had an active night. He scored his first goal in eight games since his Oct. 25 hat trick and also pounded Michael Komisarek in a third-period fight. Lucic cut his hand in a fight with Michael Komisarek. "I'll be fine," he said. "(X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before you can't really tell."

OK, forget the crystal ball and seeding. By contending I meant a team that has favorable odds that they will be truly contending for a title. Given what we know today, I wouldn't hesitate to say that the Mavs and Spurs will still be in the mix next season barring any major changes or injuries. The Kings as another example will more than likely not be a team that are serious threat to win it all. Where do you think the Pistons will stand once the off-season begins. Will Joe making the needed changes?

So much gloom and doom. The Pistons have played like crap over the last two weeks after pretty much blowing off everyones doors since November. The fat lady isn't singing, she may be gurgling a bit, but she isn't warbling like a canary. Sometimes you have to roll with the punches, you have to absorb some body blows.

There has been some horrible officiating that has gone both ways. Though yesterday it all shook out at the Pistons expense. The 3rd qtr Wade "flying through the air" call where he landed on McDyess who had both feet planted outside the arc - was about as obvious as it gets. But the Pistons have whined their way into the 'sky is falling' category all by their lonesomes.

I don't think they're dead. I don't think they'll go quietly into the night. I think it's only just beginning. Now cinch up your jockstraps and put away the crying towels. For christ sakes you're Detroiters not Lakers fans..

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"Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on your way down"...Jimmy Durante

Like I just posted in another thread, the Pistons we've come to know and love could come back from being down 3-1, but I don't know about the team we're seeing right now.

And besides that, by being optimistic, aren't we just playing into the Pistons "we have to have our backs against the wall before we actually give a crap" mindset?

I'm starting to think that I WANT the Pistons to lose game 5. I'm starting to think that I'm willing to sacrifice this season (with is already about 99% from being lost anyway), to hopefully wake this team, and the entire organization up from its deep sleep.

If we were to come back and win this series, do you really think that it would wake the team up permenantly, or would we just be back in the same boat in the finals?????

This team's MO for FAR too long has been to let inferior teams hang around and to come out flat against equal or superior teams.

Well, I for one am officially sick of it.

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