AUBURN HILLS -- If you were to trim a couple inches off Nazr Mohammed's 6-foot-10 frame, and throw an Afro wig on his head, then maybe, just maybe, he would remind you of Ben Wallace, the former Detroit Pistons center now with the Chicago Bulls.

Mlive article from Blakely (http://www.mlive.com/sports/statewide/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1159654211230110.xml&coll=1)

On Tuesday, the Pistons will open training camp in a familiar and favorite position -- as the underdogs.
That's probably not a bad thing.
KRISTA JAHNKE Free Press (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061001/SPORTS03/610010659)

Reserve forward Carlos Delfino tried to set the record straight. Again, there were several stories in the foreign press over the summer in which Delfino was quoted as saying he wasn't happy in Detroit and that he would like to be traded.
He didn't actually refute the stories, but he tried to put his sentiments into perspective. The bottom line being, he just wants to play -- if not for the Pistons then for somebody else.
"If somebody talked about a trade rumor, sometimes it's because I don't care if I play for the Pistons or for my house (team)," he said. "I love basketball. I want to be a basketball player. I feel like my time to play is here and when I don't play, I am losing time. That's why I cry.

Media Day (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061003/SPORTS0102/610030350/1127)

Agreed.

Miami Herald

Pistons say they're ready for another run at a championship (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/15663326.htm)

"A lot of people don't think we're going to be as successful as we've been in the past, but we're ready to roll," Pistons forward Richard Hamilton said Monday.

From Mlive: (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1159841402157570.xml&coll=1)
"I'm real interested to see how it pans out," said captain Chauncey Billups. "I know there's a lot of things Flip had in his playbook that we just didn't do last season. I don't know if that's because Ben was out there or not, but I know there's a lot of things he held back. We'll see."

Geezus. Ben's going to have a monster game his first time back. He's been taking it like a man all summer, and he'll be ready to have his say.

Ben? Have a monster game. "NOT IN OUR HOUSE-NOT ON OUR BLOCK" (quote by Gus from sugar hill) :ninja:

That's great generic bravado and all, but we know how Ben is when he wants it. 22 boards after the Orlando game. He and Flip had their exchange of shots in July, and Ben's let it go. Hasn't said much since. Flip, meantime, has taken a little dig at Ben every time he's opened his mouth. We know Ben's gonna come into the Palace ready to show us all what we're missing. Flip and others now seem intent on reminding him of why he's in that postion.

That's great generic bravado and all, but we know how Ben is when he wants it. 22 boards after the Orlando game. He and Flip had their exchange of shots in July, and Ben's let it go. Hasn't said much since. Flip, meantime, has taken a little dig at Ben every time he's opened his mouth. We know Ben's gonna come into the Palace ready to show us all what we're missing. Flip and others now seem intent on reminding him of why he's in that postion.

I agree with you Hack. Flip and these media folks who are seemingly in pocket with the Pistons Public Relations office have surprised me with this attack on Ben. Its very dissapointing and in my opinion unwarranted. It almost seems as though they are trying to rally the home crowd to boo the hell out of Ben when he returns. I hope they are unsuccessful as that would be very unfortunate considering how much he has done for this organization. Ben for 20+ rebounds, but I hope we win by 30. :)

Particularly disappointed in Chauncey. Players shouldn't do that to each other.

Particularly disappointed in Chauncey. Players shouldn't do that to each other.

Earlier this summer Chauncey said (http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_4035153) "Honestly, I didn't take it [playoff elimination] that hard because, myself personally, I was spent." Now he jumps on the anti-Ben bandwagon and blames him for keeping poor Flip from implementing that fabulous offensive playbook.

This garbage is coming from our captain. :mad: Mr. Big Head needs to just shut up and play.

Lets see if I can emily post this up a bit...... ready? With my pinky extended.... LOYALTY---REGGIE MILLER---INDIANA PACERS---HOW MANY YEARS?---HOW MUCH MONEY? TAH! TAH!

Pistons blog get's testy... ggazoo from Connecticut? (http://info.detnews.com/pistonsblog/index.cfm)

The first group consisted of the usual four (Chauncey, Rip, Tayshaun and Sheed) with the center position featuring Antonio McDyess and at times, Dale Davis.

Folks, DO NOT, REPEAT, DO NOT READ too much into that. Nazr is still, in all likelihood, going to be the starter come opening day

Blakey talks first day of camp (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/weblog/)

It's not ggazoo, he hasn't posted much there that wasn't Detroit Shock related.

The Detroit News is clueless about blogging. Which probably explains why a professional writer like McCoskey is beefing with "persons unknown" on his blog. Juvenile even when it is done by amateurs.

Ah yes it's Murph... had to wander to the News to find out... that place is goofy as ever. lol

Inside the Pistons training camp at Auburn Hills (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/115992240238380.xml&coll=1)
Camp competition: It's still too early to declare a front-runner, but the battle for the starting job at center will be between Antonio McDyess and Nazr Mohammed.

Inside the Pistons training camp at Auburn Hills (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/115992240238380.xml&coll=1)
Camp competition: It's still too early to declare a front-runner, but the battle for the starting job at center will be between Antonio McDyess and Nazr Mohammed.

Dice pounding against Centers....I don't know if I like that.

NBA.Com/Pistons

You could make a compelling case that this season for the Pistons will come down to how much better their bench will be than they were a year ago, when they weren’t very good at all, not when it mattered, at least. (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/second_wave_061004.html)

Maxiell loses weight, gains quickness (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1160003403241570.xml&coll=1)
(http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1160003403241570.xml&coll=1)
Thursday, October 05, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- As an undersized power forward who is (generously listed) as being 6 feet 7, Jason Maxiell knows the chances of him getting taller are slim.
So what did he do this summer?
He got slimmer -- and quicker, in addition to maintaining the upper body strength that makes him one of the strongest players on the Detroit Pistons' roster.

There'll be new look to team
link: There'll be new look to team - 10/02/06 - The Detroit News Online (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061002/SPORTS0102/610020324/1127)

Wallace's absence resonates
link: Wallace's absence resonates - 10/03/06 - The Detroit News Online (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061003/SPORTS0102/610030350)

Chris McCosky / The Detroit News


Friday, October 06, 2006

Johnson is not a 7-footer, yet. But the 19-year-old is close. He was listed 6-foot-9 on draft night, 6-10 last year, and now 6-11 1/2
AUBURN HILLS -- Flip Saunders blew his whistle in the middle of a sloppy scrimmage Thursday morning and sent his players off the court and into the locker room. (http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061006/SPORTS0102/610060388/1127)

Ben rips Flip

ESPN.com - NBA/TRAININGCAMP06 - Sheridan: Ben Ben flips the script on Saunders (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/trainingcamp06/columns/story?columnist=sheridan.chris&id=2614363)

Check it out.

Flip outta consider Marty Mohrninweg's legacy before faking another tantrum in training camp.

Ben Wallace's word hang in the air at Pistons camp (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1160176205130640.xml&coll=1)

Saturday, October 07, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- Ben Wallace is gone, but his words -- many of which lately have included some not-so-nice digs at his former coach -- still have a way of resonating loudly with his former team.

Big Ben's bashing suggests parting was best (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/ripatflip_061006.html)
A Rip at Flip
By Keith Langlois

Another major burr in Big Ben’s behind: In desperate straits in the fourth quarter of Game 6 at Miami, trailing 3-2 in the series, Saunders sat Wallace for the duration, partly because of Wallace’s 27 percent playoff foul shooting and the certainty that Miami would deliberately foul him, partly because the Pistons just plain needed points.
“Let’s just put it this way,” Saunders said. “That’s the only quarter we outscored Miami. … Hey, it was tough for me to watch, too. As a competitor, you always want to be out there. I don’t fault him.”

(Hope Skiles has alot of time on his hands. :) )

Wallace Gets FT Pointers From Skiles
At 88.9 percent, Scott Skiles is the fourth-most accurate free-throw shooter in NBA history. At 41.8 percent, Ben Wallace often got pulled from Pistons games late. Sounds like a match made in improvement heaven. "I don't really want to go into it because I don't want to make an issue out of it," Skiles said. "Because I truly believe what I said at [Wallace's introductory] press conference: I don't care if he makes them or not. I don't expect anything crazy to happen where all of a sudden he's leading the league in free-throw shooting. I just want him to relax and work on a couple of things and see what happens."

ChicagoSports.com - Wallace gets FT pointers from an expert—Skiles (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-061005bulls,1,6707956.story?coll=cs-home-headlines)

Mlive Oct. 8
Blakely

Billups sees a lot of good qualities in Blalock's game, but acknowledges that it'll probably take some time.
"The rook is going to be good," Billups said. "He's very, very solid, doesn't make a lot of mistakes . . . just a real good point guard. He's going to need some seasoning, but he's going to be good."
The Pistons plan to pick up contract options before the Oct. 31 deadline on Jason Maxiell and Carlos Delfino. They can pick up the fourth year on Delfino, who was drafted under the old collective bargaining agreement. (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1160259004184670.xml&coll=1)

Once Bitten, Twice Shy (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/langlois_061008.html)
Keith Langlois

This year’s Chicago is Orlando. The Magic will have gobs of cap room. Ironically enough, they’ll have cap room largely because the contract of Grant Hill – whose departure from Detroit was supposed to be the final nail in the Pistons’ coffin – finally comes off the books.

Five Tiny Tidbits On: The Detroit Pistons (http://deadspin.com/sports/nba/five-tiny-tidbits-on-the-detroit-pistons-204809.php)

It's hard to believe, but the NBA season is just around the corner. Let us celebrate with five tiny tidbits on each team. Today we continue with the Central Division

Pistons show moxie at open practice (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061008/SPORTS03/610080649/1051/SPORTS)


October 8, 2006

BY KRISTA JAHNKE



The play varied from quick and crisp to laughably error-prone. Such is the norm at a scrimmage bright and early on a Saturday morning after a week of two-a-days.

Porter, Cowens bring teaching credentials to Pistons (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/116035080287340.xml&coll=1)



Monday, October 09, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely

AUBURN HILLS -- The Detroit Pistons added one of the NBA's career assists leaders, along with a Hall of Fame center to their bench during the off-season -- and neither will log a single minute of playing time this season

NBA champs stay the course (http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061009/SPORTS0102/610090397/1127)
Pistons think Heat made the right decision, keeping their roster from title team basically intact.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Last year at this time, Pistons players were scratching their heads at the changes the Miami Heat made to a roster which had taken them to within one game of heading to the NBA Finals in 2005.

A Piston at last (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/piston_at_last_061009.html)
By Keith Langlois

If the Pistons hadn’t faced such a dire need for a big man in the 2001-02 season, Flip Murray might have been theirs from the beginning. But with Ben Wallace and Cliff Robinson backed by the likes of Mikki Moore and Victor Alexander, the swap of a second-round pick to Toronto for Zeljko Rebraca seemed prudent at the time.

Wallace cries foul over rule (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061010/SPORTS0102/610100352/1127)
NBA has adopted a zero-tolerance policy, meaning antics directed toward officials could bring a quick technical.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- You had to know the Pistons were going to take it personally.

The NBA, in an attempt to cut down on the incessant complaining by players to officials, has instituted what amounts to a zero-tolerance rule this season.

Preseason opener a chance for Pistons to see how new players fit in (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/116043720368640.xml&coll=1)

Tuesday, October 10, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- Tonight's opening preseason game between the Miami Heat and the Detroit Pistons in Puerto Rico will have little bearing on how either team performs this season.
Still, it's a game that for at least one of the NBA's top players -- Heat guard Dwyane Wade -- is still important.
"Every time we play them, whether it's preseason or not, it's always going to be there, not just that respect but also that intensity," Wade told reporters in Miami. "Whoever takes the court has to understand that. If they're on their team and rookies, or on our team and rookies, they've got to understand it's the Heat and Pistons and we always battle when we play."

Heat's rivalry with Pistons remains even without B. Wallace (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/15719179.htm)

By Ira Winderman
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
(MCT)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Perhaps it's only fitting these teams tip off their preseasons in Puerto Rico. They have, after all, practically spent the last two seasons on an island to themselves, as the East's elite.
But after meeting in the conference finals the past two years, the Heat and Pistons enter Tuesday night's exhibition in San Juan with decidedly different looks.
This time, coming off its first NBA championship, the Heat enters with the swagger. And this time, Detroit enters without All-Star center Ben Wallace.
While Wallace's free-agent defection to Chicago has changed the dynamic of Heat-Pistons, the edge remains.

The nifty nine (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061011/SPORTS0102/610110437/1004)
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

The best starting five in basketball. An NBA-record 73 consecutive starts. The same starting lineup for 2 1/2 seasons.
The fab five had been the hallmark of the Pistons dating to Rasheed Wallace 's arrival in February 2004. But even with four-fifths of that unit returning, things are different.


PISTONS 84, HEAT 64: Pistons cool down Heat (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061011/SPORTS03/610110445/1051/SPORTS)

Newer players get experience
October 11, 2006
BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- NBA exhibition games are known for turnovers, low shooting percentages and lineups filled with unfamiliar names.


Retooled bench passes first test (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/start_061010.html)
It’s a start
By Keith Langlois

They’ve yet to hand out the Larry O’Brien Trophy in October – nor in Puerto Rico – but the Pistons took enough good signs out of their offshore preseason opener to suggest they might well be playing into June once again somewhere within the continental United States.

Not sure if this one was posted eslewhere, but here is the Miami-Herald's perpective on last nights game:

MiamiHerald.com | 10/11/2006 | Heat scores just 64 points in loss to Pistons (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/basketball/15728212.htm)

Looks like Pudge got the biggest ovation:hug:

McDyess in line for bigger role on Pistons (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/116061360647060.xml&coll=1)

Thursday, October 12, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- When Antonio McDyess arrived in Detroit two years ago, teammates and coaches often referred to him as a sixth starter.
Well, it looks like he'll finally get the kind of minutes to back that up.
Of the handful of issues left to be ironed out by Detroit during the preseason, figuring out McDyess' role isn't one of them.



Saunders focuses on empowering bench (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061012/SPORTS03/610120412)

Pistons coach wants all invested in team
October 12, 2006

BY KRISTA JAHNK

And in his opinion, that's a mentality, within the organization, the media and the fan base, that he's ready to change.
"There's a separation, and everyone has bought into that," Saunders said. "My mind-set is to try to do more to blend those guys together, so there's not as much of a separation."
Saunders has promised more bench involvement before, but rarely delivered on those words, for various reasons. This year, he said he is committed to changing the environment of the team by playing the bench more minutes and with the starting unit more often



Players learn to accept playing a zone (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061012/SPORTS0102/610120302/1127)
Prince is no fan of it, but Saunders says it plays to team's strengths, takes advantage of rules.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

In scrimmages, Saunders has empowered Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton to call the defense on each possession. More often than not, especially when they need a big stop, they are calling for a zone.
Against the Heat, Saunders had the Pistons go to the zone every time the Heat ran their 2-up play. That's the play designed to get Wade isolated at or near the top of the key -- the one that systematically destroyed the Pistons last season.

Saunders plans to assess bench (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061013/SPORTS0102/610130389/1127)
Unit contributed 43 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals in victory against the Heat.
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Pistons coach Flip Saunders will spend much of the exhibition season analyzing his bench.
With a muscled-up Antonio McDyess, injury-free Lindsey Hunter, newcomer Flip Murray and improving Carlos Delfino, Saunders should have plenty of capable reserves.

Side note... McCoskey said in his weblog that he won't be covering the Pistons this weekend so he can help out with the ALCS... this explains this article coming from Eric Lacy

Side note... McCoskey said in his weblog that he won't be covering the Pistons this weekend so he can help out with the ALCS... this explains this article coming from Eric Lacy

He should stay out in Oakland, the Lacy article was a lot better than anything McCoskey has done the past couple years.

McCoskey has a Tiger fetish. When he fills in for Bob Wojnowski on WDFN, he lights up talking about baseball, and yet his weekly Pistons updates make LB4LB sound tonally rich.

Don't forget to check out the

Pistonsforum.com News Page (http://www.pistonsforum.com/newsfeed/)

Which has all of the latest tidbits and mentions from the 'net...

I read that headline as "Flip Plants Asses to Bench" :ohwell: but only for a second.

Coincidentally, Skiles accused the Pistons last season of complaining more than any team in the league (http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=237871). On Thursday, Skiles didn’t buy the idea that the league instituted the anti-whining policy with Detroit in mind. “We just looked at the tape that the referees are going around showing to the teams and I’m trying to think if there was even one incident of the Pistons on there,” Skiles said. “It’s a league-wide phenomenon and most of the teams are guilty of it and hopefully this will stop it.”

Detroit Pistons games to air on area cable channel WNEM-DT (http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/features-0/1160751151182910.xml&coll=5)

THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Friday, October 13, 2006
By Doug Pullen
JOURNAL COLUMNIST
Saginaw's WNEM duopoly has picked up the rights to 36 pre-season and regular season games, plus possible playoff games, starting with Tuesday's exhibition season opener against the dreaded Miami Heat in Puerto Rico.
The bulk of the games will air on WNEM's new cable-only sister station, WNEM-DT, popularly known as My 5 TV (Comcast cable channel 4, Charter channel 6), part of Fox's new My Network TV system.

Former Pistons coach Daly is OK after colon surgery
link: Former Pistons coach Daly is OK after colon surgery - 10/15/06 - The Detroit News Online (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061015/SPORTS0102/610150339)

Hunter, Murray form solid backcourt off bench

Monday, October 16, 2006 By A. Sherrod Blakely

AUBURN HILLS -- Lindsey Hunter recalls how he and ex-Detroit Piston Mike James would come off the bench in 2004, and cause nothing but trouble for Pistons opponents.
When they weren't playing suffocating man-to-man defense, they would tag-team ball-handers to create turnovers. On offense, they often made teams pay for leaving them open by making shots.
Hunter hasn't had a reserve backcourt mate with those skills . . . until now. (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1160955608325510.xml&coll=1)

[Detroit News]



Pistons: Notebook
Maxiell leaping toward minutes (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061018/SPORTS0102/610180311/1127/rss13)
Saunders pleased with young power forward's consistent and sustained effort.
Joanne C. Gerstner / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Second-year Pistons power forward Jason Maxiell guarantees he won't become a diva, even if he continues to pleasantly exceed expectations in training camp.

He has Rasheed Wallace keeping him honest, critiquing Maxiell's moves with a non-stop stream of good-natured sarcasm during practice.

And Maxiell himself wants to stay humble, as he knows he still has more work to do to improve as a player.


[Detroit Free Press]



PISTONS CORNER: Pistons let Delfino play through mistakes (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061018/SPORTS03/610180382/1051)
October 18, 2006
BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

One thing was evident in Monday night's preseason win over the Utah Jazz. Carlos Delfino's shot? Not falling, not from outside, anyway.

Five times, the Argentine forward hoisted a shot from beyond the three-point line. All five times, it clanked off the rim. A glance at the box score after the Pistons' 90-85 victory showed a pretty putrid night -- 3-for-11 shooting for six points.

But that's not the whole story.

PISTONS CORNER: Johnson still growing into power forward role

Last year, the Pistons asked then-rookie Amir Johnson to learn a new position. They looked at his 6-foot-9, not-exactly-meaty frame and projected he'd develop into a small forward.
This season, with 2 1/2 more inches and 20 extra pounds on him, he's happy to hear that experiment is over. Coach Flip Saunders now wants the 19-year-old to develop into a power forward.
link:
PISTONS CORNER: Johnson still growing into power forward role (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061022/SPORTS03/610220659)

Delfino, Maxiell part of Pistons' future
link: Delfino, Maxiell part of Pistons' future (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061021/SPORTS03/610210381/1051)

[Detroit BadBoys]


Just a quick note. ESPN.com's Daily Dime solicited inputs from both Detroit Bad Boys and Need4Sheed for their Pistons Preview Edition.Big thanks to Henry from True Hoop for hooking us up. Check us out -- number 7 "Ask a blogger." The question we were asked:

What ...


Link To Original Article (http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/detroitbadboys/%7E3/41494243/)





The Pistons lost to the Grizzlies for the second time in two weeks. Do you care? Of course not -- it's the preseason.

The starters actually saw some semi-significant playing time, but it was obvious no one was really into this one -- the Pistons were leading in the third ...

Link To Original Article (http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/2006-10-26/grizzlies-maul-pistons-who-may-or-may-not-have-noticed/)





Spotted at PistonsForum.com.

Link To Original Article (http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/detroitbadboys/%7E3/41802224/)

Let me get this straight...your name (Roscoe26) is Natalie Sitto and you host a website called: need4sheed. Is this correct?

Let me get this straight...your name (Roscoe26) is Natalie Sitto and you host a website called: need4sheed. Is this correct?
No. We have no affiliation with Need4Sheed.

Joe D Gets His Guy
By Keith Langlois

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Joe Dumars liked everything he saw in the lanky kid from Kentucky who defied positional pigeon-holing. The way he anticipated plays before they unfolded. His poise amid a game’s chaotic final moments. The ability to handle the ball, and pass it, and shoot it. His willingness to defend.

Tay a future GM? (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/tprince_061026.html)

Joe D Gets His Guy
By Keith Langlois

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Joe Dumars liked everything he saw in the lanky kid from Kentucky who defied positional pigeon-holing. The way he anticipated plays before they unfolded. His poise amid a game’s chaotic final moments. The ability to handle the ball, and pass it, and shoot it. His willingness to defend.

Tay a future GM? (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/tprince_061026.html)

Great article. Makes me like Tayshaun even more!

Joe D Gets His Guy
By Keith Langlois

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Joe Dumars liked everything he saw in the lanky kid from Kentucky who defied positional pigeon-holing. The way he anticipated plays before they unfolded. His poise amid a game’s chaotic final moments. The ability to handle the ball, and pass it, and shoot it. His willingness to defend.

Tay a future GM? (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/tprince_061026.html)

It's a nice story.

Pistons: Identity Crisis
link: Pistons: Identity Crisis | HOOPSWORLD.com | NBA News and Information | powered by Basketball News Services (http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_19127.shtml)

Diamonds in the rough
Maxiell, Johnson, Murray are pleasant surprises for Pistons
link: Diamonds in the rough - 10/27/06 - The Detroit News Online (http://detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061027/SPORTS0102/610270355/1127)

No more of Big Ben no big deal for Pistons
link: South Bend Tribune (http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061028/ProSports03/610280638)

[DBB]


The Pistons blogosphere is growing
(http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/2006-10-29/the-pistons-blogosphere-is-growing/)
I've noticed a couple of new Pistons blogs sprout up this past week: Basketballr, which appears to be written by DBB reader Mike Payne, and Human Victory Cigar, a companion blog to PistonsForum.com created by DBB reader TheMicrowave.


Mason kicks off Flint radio show (http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/2006-10-27/mason-kicks-off-flint-radio-show/)

Pistons announcer John Mason, who spent decades on Detroit's airwaves before coining "Deee-troit Baaaaas-ketball!", is back in radio.

Looks like this writer isn't worried about sucking up to management.


Window closing on Pistons

Saginaw News - John Walker

Saturday, October 28, 2006
Last year, I fully expected the Detroit Pistons to steamroll the NBA in the regular season.
I also worried about new coach Flip Saunders' lack of playoff success. I predicted that the Pistons veterans would overcome any shortcomings and go all the way.
Unfortunately, the Pistons hit a brick wall in the playoffs. After dominating the NBA for 100 games, they suddenly played poorly. (http://www.mlive.com/sports/sanews/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1162030977302560.xml&coll=9&thispage=1)

Saunders takes charge
With Dumars' support, Pistons coach grows more assertive, and players climb on board.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- It was an odd thing to be asking about a coach in the second year of a four-year contract, especially one who had won a franchise-high 64 games last season. Still, given the way things ended, it seemed like a legitimate question to pose to Pistons president Joe Dumars. (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061030/SPORTS0102/610300336/1127/)

ABC12.com: Detroit Pistons ready to go to work in 2007 (http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=basketball&id=4708205)

Detroit Pistons ready to go to work in 2007
The Pistons must banish the ghost of Keith Hernandez
WJRT LeeAlan Weddel, abc12.com Web producer

AUBURN HILLS (WJRT) - (10/29/06)--Before his two episode stint as "The Boyfriend" on Seinfeld, Keith Hernandez was known as one of the best first basemen ever to play baseball. He was also known as one of the most cocky and arrogant athletes of his generation. When asked for his best pick up line, he responded, "I'm Keith Hernandez of the New York Mets." Pop culture embraced the phrase "I'm Keith Hernandez" as a way of portraying arrogance in one's own superiority.

The Detroit Pistons have been saying "I'm Keith Hernandez" for the past two years. After shocking the world by beating the Los Angeles Lakers' collection of superstars, it seems the Pistons have walked around the league with a sense of entitlement. A look back at the Pistons' key "Keith Hernandez" moments: [more] (http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=basketball&id=4708205)

ABC12.com: Detroit Pistons ready to go to work in 2007 (http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=basketball&id=4708205)

Detroit Pistons ready to go to work in 2007
The Pistons must banish the ghost of Keith Hernandez
WJRT LeeAlan Weddel, abc12.com Web producer

AUBURN HILLS (WJRT) - (10/29/06)--Before his two episode stint as "The Boyfriend" on Seinfeld, Keith Hernandez was known as one of the best first basemen ever to play baseball. He was also known as one of the most cocky and arrogant athletes of his generation. When asked for his best pick up line, he responded, "I'm Keith Hernandez of the New York Mets." Pop culture embraced the phrase "I'm Keith Hernandez" as a way of portraying arrogance in one's own superiority.

The Detroit Pistons have been saying "I'm Keith Hernandez" for the past two years. After shocking the world by beating the Los Angeles Lakers' collection of superstars, it seems the Pistons have walked around the league with a sense of entitlement. A look back at the Pistons' key "Keith Hernandez" moments: [more] (http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=basketball&id=4708205)

Can't disagree with that. Hopefully this Piston team puts the greatest effort out there. That will get some of the dissapointed fans back, and it will get this team back to truly winning games.

NBA EAST PREVIEW
It's thin at the top, but Pistons are a cut above

Saunders' in-game and game-to-game adjustments were shaky at best, as was the Pistons' bench. So he spent most of the preseason trying to develop his reserves and work Nazr Mohammed, Wallace's replacement, into the Pistons' All-Star lineup.
"This team has had the best starting lineup over the last four years and we still feel we have the best starting lineup with four guys returning and the addition of Nazr Mohammed," Saunders said in a conference call with reporters.
"We feel right now a lot of people have us under the radar. ... We feel that we are going to be a team that can compete for the NBA championship."

link: NBA EAST PREVIEW / It's thin at the top, but Pistons are a cut above (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/30/SPG5GM2EHK1.DTL&feed=rss.sports)

McCallum, Thompsen, Burns, and Mannix of si.com offer their playoffs predictions. Only one of them has the pistons making it past the first round...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/specials/preview/2006/10/30/predictions/index.html

[Hoopsworld]



Pistons: What's Left in the Tank? (http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_19187.shtml)
By Kealin M. Culbreath "The Truthsayer"
for HOOPSWORLD.com


Back in the Race

In the last edition of the Pistons’ Place, we talked about the departure of Ben Wallace and the introduction of the new starting center, Nazr Mohammed. In this edition, we will focus our attention on an important part of the this year’s team, the reserves as a whole. If we learned anything from the playoff failure of the 2005-2006 season, it was the fact that the bench must be utilized in the regular season if they are to be contributors in the post-season.

The team at Basketball News Services is very excited about the 2006-2007 Detroit Pistons. Not only does the team possess one of the best starting line-ups but they also can boast of having one of the deeper benches in the league. Last season, the Pistons, on the strength of their impeccable starting five, ran roughshod over the rest of the NBA with a record of 64-18.

Pistons expect improved bench play

Tuesday, October 31, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- The last few seasons, the Detroit Pistons had a starting five that found its strength in its collective efforts. The Pistons bench, on the other hand, was a one-man show better known as Antonio McDyess.
It worked well for most of last season, as the Pistons won a franchise-record 64 games during the regular season. But not getting enough from the other reserves in the playoffs was part of the reason the Pistons lost in the Eastern Conference finals to eventual NBA champion Miami Heat.
The development of their bench, perhaps more than anything, will determine how far the Pistons go this season (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1162134603121070.xml&coll=1).

PISTONS BASKETBALL: Flip asserts himself

He'll be all business, and Dumars agrees
October 31, 2006
BY KRISTA JAHNKE

Flip Saunders should adopt a new mantra this season -- no more Mr. Nice Guy.
The Pistons coach has turned up the intensity this October. No more allowing his veterans to run the show. No more hearing them say they'll do things the right way come game time. No more believing in flipping a switch (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061031/SPORTS03/610310380/1051)

To remain among elite, Pistons must give young players a shot

Tuesday, October 31, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- Measuring how good an NBA team is, is easy.
Take a look at their calendar, and flip ahead to the month of June.
If there are more scheduled tee times than tip-off times, well, there's the answer. (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1162138202251330.xml&coll=1&thispage=1)


Pistons out the prove their worth as a team without Ben

Tuesday, October 31, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- For years, the Detroit Pistons have been a tight-knit, Teflon-tough group of players whose harmonious play, if it were a song, would sound something like a modern-day version of "Kumbaya."
But NBA teams, like music, change with the times (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1162134606121070.xml&coll=1&thispage=1).



Mohammed confident he can give Pistons what they need at center

Tuesday, October 31, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- In one preseason game, Nazr Mohammed played more than 26 minutes without getting a single rebound. On another night, he scored 20 points and made all his free throws.
The more you watch Mohammed play, the more you get a clearer understanding of both the promise -- and the problems -- he'll have this season trying to fill the void left by the departure of Ben Wallace.
Mohammed has heard the talk about him replacing Wallace, much of it predicting the Detroit Pistons' demise without Wallace. (http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1162136403190970.xml&coll=1&thispage=1)

By LARRY LAGE AP Sports Writer
DETROIT Oct 31, 2006 (AP)— Chauncey Billups has become the face of the Detroit Pistons.
The All-Star point guard is hardly new to the team, but his status changed when Ben Wallace took his muscle and assorted hairdos to Chicago as a free agent last summer.
"I guess this kind of fell in my lap, and I'm comfortable with it," Billups said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I never chased being able to be `the face' or `the man' of a team because that's not what I'm all about, but I'm not running from this role because it's an honor. It's not going to be tough because I'm just going to be me (http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2619406&page=1)."

Pistons might not be so sweet for Rose

Heat seem interested in ex-U-M star, whose playing time would be limited in Detroit
Pistons president Joe Dumars made it clear to Rose on Monday that his role would be limited here. He would be a backup to Tayshaun Prince at small forward. Rose said he was looking for a 20-plus-minute rotation spot and Dumars said he wouldn't get that with the Pistons.
link: Pistons might not be so sweet for Rose - 11/01/06 - The Detroit News Online (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061101/SPORTS0102/611010400)