We heard all year long how hungry this Piston team was and we saw witnessed that they weren`t hungry at all, they just wanted to nibble.

We also heard how the lost to the Spurs made them feel violated, the championship trophy must be returned to Detroit this year, the team said, 1st and foremost.

Then came we must have HCA, to ensure winning it all, mission accomplished on the former, not this year, on the latter.

What will the teams rallying cry be next year? They have used three very good ones above. I don`t want to hear any of those again, the old saying action is better than words comes to mind here.

With that in mind we need some new SERIOUSLY hungry, motivated, veterans, that have never been to an All Star Game, or a conference title game, or The Finals, to fire up the loud mouths who remain on the team next year.

Perhaps, the remaining players can tell the new ones, "I know how you feel, JUST DON`T SAY IT"!!!!!!

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"We are going to be really good offensively and definsively, we are going to be a team that can beat you 120-110, or beat you 80-70" Coach Michael Curry on the 2008-2009 Pistons.

I just want some big time expert to say this team is **** and a fluke champion. I want nothing extra good to happen to this team (awards, allstar game, etc.) I hope this team goes under the radar again and I hope we have a stronger march-June than a November-February.

Two questions that need to be answered are: is Flip the right coach for this team and is this the right set of players for Flip. RC and LB we defensive minded coaches and this team has had a long steady identity as a shut down team. With Flip they lost their identity. This identity and ego crisis was exposed in the playoffs.

This current complement of players are not inherently a high scoring bunch. I think the Pistons are at a cross-roads as to who they want to be. Is this going to be a high/(er) powered offensive or bread and butter defense. Build up the roster accordingly. I think the CB/Flip connection gave too much leeway to CB to do whatever he wanted offensively and in running the team. This IMO has affected team chemistry.

are you guys watching the Suns/Dallas game? Both teams a still executing plays. Shots are not falling for Dallas but they are not standing around.

For Phx this is their 4th elimination game of the post-season. If they win tonight then every series they played will be a 7 gamer. Do they look tired?

Great observation Max. Should have added tired after HCA in the title of this thread........

Shaun Marion just said that they lost tonight because they were tired, just ran out of gas.

They played a good game and had a chance to win in the end.

McCosky Article Det News:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...TS08/606040327

Interesting read at the very least. Offers insight and hope that the team wasn't as fractured as it seemed.

I hope McCoskeys right because the future of this team has gotten a lot less foggy. Sure Flip didn't play the starters too much, but next season I'm hoping we have 5 guys who can perform off the bench and they get significant minutes even if they struggle early in the season. We won the championship in 04 because our bench could come in sometimes and actually outperform our starters. We need 5 guys off the bench who can give us fresh legs and they can keep rotating and running the court unlike our starters could do at the end.
Rotation:
PG: Lindsey Hunter
SG: Amir Johnson
SF: Jason Maxiell
PF: Antonio Mcdyess
C: ?

We all know Dice will be performing off the bench. We have to give Amir and Maxiell a chance. I think they can be great players and really help us Flip just has to do what he promised and give them a chance. Lindsey showed he's still got some left in him. if he still plays good thats great, but we should also give some minutes to Acker. At center there is no one we have right now who'll play that position. Dale and Cato will be gone. Joe should go look for a center who can rebound, score in the lowpost, and can give some hard fouls. Also I would love for Joe to get a quick pg who can penetrate to help out Lindsey, or if Lindsey goes it just means that if we get this kind of player he'll have more minutes.

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"That's the end, man." Rasheed Wallace

I think this year more than any shows you can't just rely on your ancient veterans. I want Dice to be the 4th big. have jmax be the first big off the bench. Delf the first guy behind Rip, and Amir the first guy behind Tay. If they flounder, so what. All that matters is if you find cohesion in the last month of the season. We have great guys on our bench, let them grow.

I'm sick of Detroit being a retirement home for the NBA. Joe probably realizes it and needs to say "PLAY THESE GUYS".