Pistons Game Day-Detroit@Miami 7:30 EST on FSD

The Pistons will be shorthanded for this one.  Stuckey, Rip, and Wallace will not play tonight.  Stuckey's shoulder still is bothering him some bit, Rip still claims he has the flu, and Wallace is dealing with family matters.  That leaves Detroit with only 10 healthy guys for a tough game.  Miami has been bitten by the injury bug also though.  Chris Bosh is dealing with a sprained ankle and will not play tonight either.  Dwayne Wade returned to the lineup for the Heat last night after missing some time with migraines.  Not many times can the Pistons take advantage of there size against teams.  But tonight is a night they can.  LeBron James played power forward for the Heat last night, and was abused and lost on offense.  Thing is though last night he had a true SF that plays PF guarding him.  Tonight, either Chris Wilcox or Greg Monroe will have to guard him if they run the same lineup and that could be a nightmare.  These projected starting lineups I'm gonna give you could switch up some.  If LeBron is the starting PF tonight, expect to see a change for the starters tonight.  They may move Tayshaun to PF for the night and Start Daye at the 3.  But this is what they should look like.

Detroit Pistons
1.McGrady
2.Gordon
3.Prince
4.Wilcox
5.Monroe

Miami Heat
1.Chalmers
2.Wade
3.James
4.Anthony
5.Ilgauskas

UPDATE: Eric Lefkofsky says no interest in buying Pistons

  It was rumored Michigan man Eric Lefkofsky would be interested in buying the team if Gores didn't he quickly shot that down and said he has no interest.With only 9 days left of the 30 days Tom Gores was giving to negotiate the buying of the Detroit Pistons there is no new information with Gores.  Gores does in fact have lawyers in Detroit as we speak and he also flew to New York last week to meet with NBA officials.  This week the value of the Pistons came out by Forbes.  Karen Davidson was quickly bombarded with questions.  Her answer may of been the dumbest one.  "I didn't even know what the value of this team was", was her answer.  Shes the current owner of the team and she was the one that put a price on the team for buyers to see a range to bid in.  Mike Illitch who also owns the redwings and Tigers was very interested in buying the team.  It was rumored he offered 400 million, 40 million more then what the franchise was worth, Davidson rejected.  The reason why the value of the Pistons came out this week is because Gores brought his lawyers in to do everything to prove to Davidson and show her what the value is.  Problem is, if the franchise is valued at 360 million, and Karen Davidson thought 400 million was to low of a offer from Illitch, how in the heck is she ever gonna sell this team.  Karen Davidson is 100% to blame for the 119 million decrease from last year to this year in the teams value.  She has been greedy.  Greed has cost her almost 120 million and greed is costing the entire Pistons franchise to go from one of the best in the NBA to middle of the pack.  Boy do we ever miss Mr. D or what?

Wolverines and Zack Novak Upset the Spartans 61-57

For the first time in just over 3 years Michigan has beaten Michigan State in either basketball or football and they did it in a hostile Breslin Center.  The Wolverines pretty much controlled the entire game.  But a late spurt by the Spartans made the game interesting.  Kalin Lucas had 27 points for the Spartans and Durrell Summers had 13.  But there wasn't a player over double figures after them two.  The Spartans faced some tough times this week with the Lucious drama that unfolded and it showed.  They only had 2 bench points for the entire game.

The Wolverines were red hot from downtown shooting 10-21 47% and 6 of them came from Zack Novak.  Novak was shown on the bench screaming and yelling at players trying to be the leader he needs to be.  They listened to him.  Darious Morris had 18 points to go along with 8 assists and 4 rebounds.  Tim Hardaway Jr. also had 10 points with 8 rebounds.  For at least in tell the end of the year Michigan has made Michigan State there little brother in basketball for the first time in a long time.

Michigan State you can say they have been a bust all year long.  Starting the season as the #2 ranked team in the country, and they have not lived up to what they were suppose to be.  In fact there has been chatter they were in trouble to not win the Big Ten championship.  Now they may be in trouble to make the tournament.  The Spartans just don't have the depth, or any production don't in the pain for them to be contenders in the Big Ten, and there just not shooting the ball well at all this year.  Either way if they make the tournament expect a Tom Izzo team to go deep.

Michigan despite being 2-6 in the Big Ten have been some what a surprise this year.  They have been in close games to Kansas, Ohio State, and Syracuse.  They have also played teams like Wisconson on the road tough also.  For 3 freshman, 1 sophmore, and 1 junior to compete the way they are against the power houses of college basketball is more then impressive.  It makes a Michigan fan smile knowing that there isn't 1 senior on the team and they have competed the way they have.  Michigan will not get to the big dance this year but with the youth on this team, the future is very bright.  GO BLUE!

Detroit Lions Zach Follet not expected to play football again.

just days after Follet took shots at Stafford on the radio, he admits he will probably never play football again.  Follet hurt his neck early in the season and was carted off the field.  Little did he know that would be his last game ever.  Follet was more known for his popular tactics off the field then his on field play.

Pistons Value has decreased 119 Million from last year to this year

Forbes magazine reported that the value of the Detroit Pistons and palace sports entertainment is now at 360 Million dollars when last year it was at 479 million.  This is what happens when you have someone running the team like Karen Davidson.  She tied Joe Dumars hands so he can't make moves or spend any money.  It's now resulting in no fans showing up to games.  The end result is a 119 million dollar decrease in value.  What makes me even more worried is that it's rumored she turned down 400 million from Mike Illitch to buy the team, which is 40 million more then what it's worth.  We better all hope and pray she stops being so greedy and just sells this team.  Otherwise this team is gonna go even farther downhill and she is gonna be stupid if she lets it go longer then 2 more weeks cause it's only gonna keep going down while shes running this team.

Billups, Nuggets down Pistons 109-100

Well you look at the box score for the Pistons and you see some pretty good numbers all around.  Problem was they couldn't stop Chauncey Billups and Aaron Afflalo.  Remember them two guys Joe Dumars?  The Pistons got off to a lighting quick start going on a 9-0 run to start the game.  After that Denver pretty much put it in cruise control.  The Pistons would get close and then Billups would hit dagger, after dagger.  The Pistons problems were not on the offensive end tonight but on the defensive end.  Denver shot 47% from the field and 41% from downtown 11-27.  The Pistons cut the lead down to 3 in the 4th and Will Bynum ended up scoring 18 of the 26 Pistons points in the quarter.  But poor defense ended up costing the Pistons the game in the end.  Rodney Stuckey left the game do to an injured shoulder.  X rays were negative.

Well I'll stick to what I said in the pre game blog.  I stated if Kuester messed around with the rotations to much it would wind up costing the Pistons this game.  Come to find out that's exactly what he did.  He ran the same lineup out there 2 times in the game and that lineup kept digging the Pistons a whole.  He ran out the lineup of Bynum, Gordon, Daye, Charlie V, and Ben Wallace in the second quarter only to dig themselves at 13 point deficit and then he ran the same lineup out in the end of the 3rd and to start the 4th.  Bad news was Kuester wasn't smart enough to understand that lineup just wasn't working together.  I'm fine with all them guys playing.  But you can't run out 5 bench players at the same time and expect them to do much.  I love Ben Wallace to death, but tonight Monroe was doing everything, and there was no reason for Monroe not to get 30+ minutes.  That remains the problem with this team.  There is no set rotation what so ever.  One night there is 9 guys playing the next there is 11.  Kuester seems to be really relying more on getting everyone playing time then putting players on the court to win a game.

Rip was a no show to the game, because he has the flu again.  Yeahh right Rip, Stop faking!  Who gets the flu twice in 1 month?  Karen Davidson I spotted in the audience while she should be home trying to sell the team to Tom Gores.  All in all the Pistons got beat by the better team.  A little defense can go a long way.  Also not trading your all star point guard for Allen Iverson and trading a good young SG for a 2nd round pick can go a long way also.  Billups and Afflalo really stuck it to the Pistons tonight and seeing them to laughing together at the end of the game really hurt me as a fan.

OT:2011 NFL Mock Draft 1.26.11

1. Carolina Panthers-Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson


2. Denver Broncos-Patrick Petersen, CB, LSU


3. Buffalo Bills- Nick Fairley, DT/DE, Aubrun


4. Cincinnati Bengals- A.J. Green WR, Georgia


5. Arizona Cardinals-Blaine Gabbert QB, Missouri 


6. Cleveland Browns- Robert Quinn DE/LB, North Carolina


7. San Fransisco 49ers- Marcell Dareus DE/DT, Alabama


8. Tennessee Titans-Cameron Jordan DE, Cal


9. Dallas Cowboys-Aldon Smith DE/LB, Missouri


10. Washington Redskins-Von Miller DE/LB, Texas A & M


11. Houstons Texans- Prince Amukamara CB, Nebraska


12. Minnesota Vikings- Cam Newton QB, Aubrun


13. Detroit Lions- Akeem Ayers LB, UCLA


14. St. Louis Rams- Julio Jones WR, Alabama


15. Miami Dolphins-Mark Ingram RB, Alabama


I'll do the rest of the 1st round and tweak this one after the senior bowl.  If I get enough ad clicks and followers in the next week I'll do all 7 rounds!  So click away and follow me!  I'll bring new news and rumors everyday!

UPDATE On Sale Of The Pistons

On January 7th it was reported that Karen Davidson gave Tom Gores a 30 day period to negotiate and buy the Pistons.  Well it's now January 26th and we don't have a lot of information.  There was a report that Tom Gores was interested in a partnership with his brother Alec Gores to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Tom Gores the next day quickly shot down them rumors and stating that the Pistons were the only team he is interested in buying.  It was reported on Pistonsworld that there wasn't a lot of information to give but they felt like the sale of the Pistons to Gores is close to complete.  There is now only 11 days left of the 30 days he was given.  Expect to here some new information within the next week or so and I will let all you guys know right away.

Bringing Bonderman back is a smart idea? Umm No it's not!

Look Bondo was the man back in the day.  Problem is he is a "China Doll" like Zach Follet of the Detroit Lions would say.  Bondo was damn near awful last year with a 5.53 ERA.  Once in a while he pitched good, but it was clear he just don't have the stuff anymore.  I had to go over to Mlive and read some articles over there and it reminded me on why I started this blog.  Because some people that write about sports are just flat out delusional.  Ian Casselbarry of Mlive wrote that it would be a smart move to bring Bondo back because after the 5 set in stone in the rotation now there is nothing.  Really, Ian?  Did he forget about Jacob Turner?  Maybe Andrew Oliver?  Oh wait he also forgot about Charles Furbush.  Look them young guys have some promise.  Lets hope Dave Dombrowski don't go sign some veterans and let it take away from our prospects chances.  We've held onto Turner and Oliver for a reason and turned down just about every offer we've gotten for them.  I expect Turner to be up in the bigs sometime this year, at one time or another.  Furbush is a little raw yet he has some work to do, and Oliver has the tools just needs the control.  No thank you to bringing back Bondo.  Say thanks for the good years he gave us and say "good luck elsewhere".

Zach Follet....Why are you talking?

You know this really got under my skin.  I actually really like Follet but to go on the radio and call Matthew Stafford a "China Doll" is low weather it was a joke or not.  Look if it's Calvin Johnson saying this, or Ndamakung Suh I can understand because there the leaders of the team.  But Follet gets a couple games at starting linebacker and he thinks he has the right to run his mouth on the air?  Give me a break.  You know I can kinda compare him to Domic Raiola now.  Raiola is never to quick to run his mouth after a Lions win.  Little does he understand that some of them games he played awful and the Lions fans can't stand Raiola.  Like I said before who is he to talk?  I don't think Follet meant it the way everybody has taken it at all.  But the problem is he shouldn't even be commenting on anything to do with how many games Stafford has played in or how his shoulders are weak.  It may be the truth, but Follet has no room to talk.  The guy is a 2nd year player also who has only played in 17 games and the majority of them on special teams.  Weren't you out for the year to Follet in the 5th game?  Maybe his back and neck is made like a China Doll also.

Spartans Guard Korie Lucious dismissed from team by Tom Izzo.

Some people will say they seen something like this coming, only because Lucious just hasn't been himself this year.  Weather it's drugs or alcohol we will probably never know.  After seeing Lucious last year in the tournament most thought he would be among 1 of the leaders on this team.  But the sad thing is the high thought of prospect has not been near what he is suppose to be.  But for Spartan fans it could be a blessing in disguise.  No Lucious means more minutes and touches for the talented freshman Keith Appling.  Appling has been a great thing for the Spartans this year and he will only continue to be better.  He's a great shooter and defender and under Tom Izzo he will mature fast. My advice to Spartan fans is calm down a bit.  If this team gets in the tournament they will do much damage.  There too talented not to.

Michigan V.S. Michigan State Thursday 7:00 PM EST on ESPN

Pistons Game Day:Denver@Detroit 7:30 EST on FSD+

Well, It's another welcome back game for Chauncey Billups with his return to the Palace of Auburn Hills again.  The 26-18 Denver Nuggets take on the 17-28 Detroit Pistons.  With both teams on 2 game win streaks and playing good basketball as of late this is shaped out to be a very good game.  Kuester needs to stick to the rotations he has been using as of late.  When he does the Pistons play well.  If he makes any bone headed roster moves like he was early in the season pistons fans better expect a loss because of poor coaching again.  We've seen before Austin Daye play great to only get benched the next game.  You can't punish a kid like that who has a game like he did against a very good Magic team.  Heres the projected Starting lineups.

Denver Nuggets

PG-Chauncey Billups
SG-Aaron Afflalo
SF-Carmelo Anthony
PF-Kenyon Martin
C-Nene

Detroit Pistons

PG-Tracey McGrady
SG-Rodney Stuckey
SF-Tayshaun Prince
PF-Chris Wilcox
C-Greg Monroe

Without Rip, The Pistons keep on rolling and eye playoffs.

  You can really see how much better this team is without Rip Hamilton.  They play as a team and part of that is because they don't have to run a play for Rip for about 30 minutes a night when he's out there.  Some fans believe that it wouldn't matter who is benched, weather it's Stuckey, Rip, or Gordon.  I personally think those fans are in denial and still holding onto the past way to much.  Maybe those are the fans that were chanting "We want Rip"  "We want Rip" the other night.  Before us fans didn't wanna see Rip on the court, now we don't even wanna see Rip on the bench.  I love what the guy did for this team but let's face the facts his 24 million due over the next 2 years is just to much.  The Pistons may be winning as of late but Rip being on this team is causing drama, and eventually will hurt the morale of the team if they can't move Rip soon.  Him and Kuester are now taking blows at one another in the media and it's actually quite entertaining, but sickening at the same time.  The funny part is, there is a good possibility neither one are part of this team next year.

  In the middle of everything, fans went from talking about the lotto to the playoffs.  T-Mac has been well more than what most expected and it's coming from the point guard position.  Tayshaun is playing some of his best basketball of his career.  Then Greg Monroe has improved dramatically since the start of the season giving us all a little hope for a bright future.  The Pistons now have 17 wins closing in on the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.  The next 3 games isn't where the Pistons are gonna make up a lot of ground when they play Denver in Detroit, and both the Knicks and Heat on the road.  But after that Knicks game on Sunday the Pistons got a nice easy stretch of games where they can climb into the 8th seed and even possibly the 7th seed.  The next 16 games after Sunday the Pistons play 11 teams who have losing records and only 5 teams with winning records.  Those 5 teams with winning records are all at home.  Which team are we gonna see, the one that played Boston tough on the road and the one that beat Orlando on the road?  Or are we gonna see the team that played the way they did against the Nets on the road?  They can decide there future, and decide it in a nice easy stretch.

But is playoffs what the fans want?  Do fans wanna see a lotto pick washed away and settle for 7th or 8th seed and a 1st round sweep to Boston or Miami?  Some fans believe playoffs will only make the younger guys better and grow more mature.  But then there is another group of fans that believe making the playoffs and getting beat in the 1st round and losing out on a lotto pick is putting the future in trouble.  I was one of those fans that wanted the pick.  But after watching the last couple weeks this team and young players keep growing and gaining chemistry.  A taste of the playoffs and the scene will only make guys like Monroe, Daye, and Jerebko more hungry.  If this draft was loaded with can't miss prospects, I'd be all for the pick.  But thats not the case with this draft.  It's not as bad as people think because it's deeper.  You may get a more talented player at pick 15 then pick 5.  So my advice to Pistons fans that want the lotto pick, sit back and enjoy the wins when they come.  Stay excited for the draft. I will keep you all updated on some mid first round picks who I think will be stars in the NBA.  Playoffs will only make these young players grow as a team.  If this team is sold to Tom Gores before the deadline, Dumars will give us all something to look forward to this year and the future.  Go Pistons!