Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 at 11:00 am  |  137 responses

The Mess in Detroit is in Search of a Scapegoat

by Marcel Mutoni

For better or worse, it’s the way things work in sports. When teams fail to meet expectations, someone needs to take the fall (or at the very least, accept blame for all that ails the organization.) In Detroit, things obviously haven’t gone according to plan. So, who’s to blame? Let’s find out, shall we.

Coach Michael Curry’s job appears to be safe, one of the tenured vets says there’s a lack of leadership, and according to some, A.I. is clearly the problem, not the answer:

What they couldn’t have known was that it just wouldn’t work. And it doesn’t work, as the present six-game losing streak and the freefall back to .500 (27-27) attests. Even when Iverson plays his best, like he did against San Antonio, the rest of the players on the floor with him become statues. They stand around and watch Iverson skittering all over the floor, probing for a shot. They’ve never had to play that way. They aren’t very good at it and they don’t like it.

So down the stretch, the Spurs, like all good teams will do, forced the ball out of his hands and no other Piston could make a winning play. It’s worse on defense. The Pistons built their foundation on trust and accountability at the defensive end. They have run a lot of good players out of here (Maurice Evans and Jarvis Hayes to name two) because of their inability to hold their own defensively.

So here comes Iverson, who because of his offensive production has never been held accountable defensively. He’s a bad on-ball defender who tends to follow the flight of the ball and lose his man off the ball. Every time the opposing team needs a score, they go at Iverson with a high success rate.

Hey, when do the Lions start putting their pads on again?

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  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Eboy

    Co Co sounds like she’s tiring of cheering for a perpetual dissapointment and needs a new place to put her pretty feet up on.

  • http://trulyhoops.blogspot.com Collin

    i really miss that 2004 championship team, that was a amazing lineup

  • Str8jckn

    Somehow, Someway, AI got to get out the Hood someday! he should return to the sixers and run and gun with that team it only seems right elton brand doesnt fit at all.

  • http://coco-vents.blogspot.com Co Co

    I’m not tired of cheering for my beloved Hawks! I just don’t understand how Pistons fans can really be upset given the run that they’ve had. All most fans can hope for is a legitimate chance to win a championship. They’ve won one and had legit chances to win others. So what if they have a down year or two.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    If Melo and Bosh were leading their teams to even one chip, this would not be a debate it would be a landslide. And in reality, it already is. What exactly did the Pistons ever get out of Darko? In ANY sceanrio (LB not playing young guys, maybe have to trade them, etc..) I can’t see a way where the Pistons are better off for having taken Darko.

  • http://www.alllooksame.com Tarzan Cooper

    its obviously tmac’s fault

  • Caleb

    Yeah every team ultimately has its decline. The 00′s-era Pistons made it to the Finals twice, won once, and were intensely competitive for most of the decade. That’s way more than most teams can claim.

    It sucks to see a good team go down, but it has to happen. Of course if I was a Detroit fan I’d be always hoping to see that decline come later rather than sooner… but that’s not what seems to be happening.

    Now when will the Spurs hit the decline I wonder? Probably when Duncan retires.

  • http://www.alllooksame.com Tarzan Cooper

    tad, theyre still paying larry brown? that cant be right, he left 4 years ago

  • http://coco-vents.blogspot.com Co Co

    The Pistons won a championship so taking Darko didn’t cost them anything. They were building a team to win a ring, they did that and they’ve been competitive since then. Again, Melo and Bosh haven’t won anything yet. Wade was fortunate enough to play with Shaq. Good for him.

  • Jacob

    I blame global warming

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Eboy

    Shaq was also fortunate to have played with Dwyane.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    Ciol: The Pistons got a draft pick out of trading Darko. That draft pick? Rodney Stuckey.
    Tarzan: You may be right, they may not be paying LB anymore. I know for a fact they are paying Flip.

  • http://joeloholic.wordpress.com Joel O’s

    Hmm hindsight is 20/20, isn’t it? Dumars picked Darko in the midst of the NBA’s “Euro craze”, when every GM and their mom were trying to unearth another Dirk. The same thing happened in 2001 or so when so many teams jumped on the high schooler bandwagon, with that… Diop / Curry / Kwame draft. People make mistakes, and follow trends out of human nature… and GM’s aren’t any different.

  • BostonBaller

    CoCo was right in her earlier point about Stuckey and the pressure, maybe w/out someone to bail him out he will need more time to develope. The Pistons did have Prince & Rip and didn’t want to crowd those positions but Bosh would have been a decent fit that would have progressed with the team BUT hind sight is a mutha…Only a the true Ball fans even knew who Bosh was then so it’s easy for us to say they should have chosen him. I love college ball so I knew of him but didn’t know what kind of pro he would be. (good but not great)GO CELTICS!!!

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Wade and Bosh were never discussed as Top 3 picks. However, people were saying back theb that Joe D was crazy for passing up on a proven commodity to reach for an obscure Euro big. Well, turns out he was crazy… The thing is, it doesn’t matter that they won the chip after that. He had a choice between Melo and Darko and messed it up. Chalk it up as a loss and keep stepping.

  • Von

    Man, a lot of that is so true….But, Joe D needs to be the first one to take the blame. How in the world are u putting your hopes in Stuckey. Okay yeah he’s nice but come on; who would u want to have leading your team come play off time Billups or Stuckey? 2nd, you have to put some blame on Mike Curry, The pistons roster has a lot of personality from sheed to rip to A.I. I dont know is Curry seasoned enough to handle that as a first year coach. And in closing; AI…. He didnt ask to come to detroit. Joe D and Curry knew ahead of time that AI is a scorer. What else were they expecting, for him to become some kind of John Paxson! Man please Joe D and Curry played themselves, SUCKAS!!

  • http://PROTEGECOLLECTIONYAHOO.COM DALLAS STOKES

    THE BILLUPS MOVE WAS JUST DUMB. IF ANYTHING LET PRINCE OR HAM GO AND TRY TO GET SOME POST. A.I. IS WHAT HE IS, A TWO NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS. TRADE DEADLINES GONE SHAQ IS STILL IN PHOENIX AND THE LAKERS OR CELTS(GO CELTS!!!) WILL WIN THE CHIP. SORRY BUT DID YOU REALLY EXPECT DIFFERENT? SHOUT OUT TO THE MAGIC FOR TRYING TO BETTER THE GAME!!!

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    ALL CAPS ARE DUMB.

  • Jess

    this is ridiculous..I have been saying it for a long time now that they are using AI as a scapegoat. AI is one of the best..Sunday’s game was hard to watch – Prince, Hamilton, Sheed, Stuckey, Dumars, Curry…there are a lot of people who can share in this blame – give AI a break. And Ben is right, this trade was made for cap space, and if it worked great, but if it didnt hey have big money coming off the books. AI has never hurt a team, I think his coach and teammates have to step up and take some of the blame for the disappointing season.

  • James Sam

    I AGREE THAT IS SO UNFAIR TO USE A.I. AS A SCAPEGOAT. THE GAME AGAINST THE SPURS HE CARRIED THE TEAM AS HE ONLY KNOWS HOW AND THE STILL LOST. THE TEAM SHOT HORRIBLE THE WHOLE GAME NOT JUST AT THE END. HE BROUGHT THEM BACK GOT THEM CLOSE AND RASHEED WHO WAS ICE COLD AFTER THE 1ST QUARTER SHOOTS THE LAST SHOT? FUNNY BUT BLAME THE A.I. RIGHT. NOOOO, BLAME THE COACH THAT TEAM IS TO TALENTED TO BE LOOSING LIKE THAT. NEED BETTER LEADERSHIP. THATS THE BOTTOM LINE. THERE AINT ANOTHER PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE WITH A BIGGER HEART THAN A.I. A GUY WHO ONLY WANTS TO WIN BUT BECAUSE THEIR LOOSING NOW BLAM HIM?? OTC

  • donlaker

    it started before a.i. ,so you cant blame him.
    just like the mavs a few years back detroit, assumed teams would just roll over at the site of them , and they took a year off as a defensive team
    big ben’s fro was gone, sheed was still mad at officials(refs) ,mcdyesse got injured
    and chauncey was the defensive glue who thought he was the franchise… and one coach later they are still the same team but older. a.i. is what he is a productive point maker but he has never been a defensive stopper.. and at this point he is just being rented by the pistons
    denver got the better of that deal

  • http://slamonline.com Russ Bengtson

    I wonder whether the fact that AI And Sheed are—at best—marginal practice players plays into things at all? When the Pistons won their chip, Sheed was forced to toe the line (somewhat) by Larry Brown and Billups. Now you’ve got AI and Sheed doing more or less whatever they want, and Rip—a key guy from the championship year—relegated to the bench. And you wonder whether some of the young guys believe their own hype too much. Chauncey was the leader of that team. AI’s not going to fill that role because a) he just got there, and b) he’s probably gone this summer. Rip can’t really fill that role because he’s not a starter. And Sheed just doesn’t give a f*ck. It’s a mess.

  • donlaker

    memo to dumars: you cant blame isiah, or the detroit shock/bill lambeer or even starbury
    you need to check the mirror , and do the right thing , quit as g.m. and open a bowling alley.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    When exactly has Dumars placed blame on anyone else?

  • http://PROTEGECOLLECTIONYAHOO.COM DALLAS STOKES

    AT THE END F THE DAY YOU CAN POINT FINGERS AT SHEED, R.I.P, WHOEVER BUT BESIDE STUCK ONLY ONE OF THOSE GUYS DONT HAVE A RING AND THATS THE GUY BRINGING THE BALL UP THE COURT. IF YOU WANT IT BAD ENOUGH YOU WILL BECOME A LEADER.IN THE END A .500 PISTON TEAM IS AS INSULTING AS CLARK KENT GETTING NATE ROBINSOWNED FOR YOUR TITLE.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Good point on getting the pick that became Stuckey, TAD. Thats the closest thing to a legitimate justififcation I’ve read on here.I understand that the Pistons won a ring that season, but how often does a legit contender pick up a 2nd overall pick? Almost never. Dumars squandered an almsot unprecedented opportunity to really develop a Dynasty in detroit by going for the high risk player about whom almost nothing was known.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ SPANOULIS

    50,50,50!!!yeap the magic number is 50!!!! …when the A.I trade took place i was wondering how many games do we need until the pistons go from 100% to 50% (at the same time the kids were dreaming of actual basketball success for a team featuring our cute answer)….now we got our “IVERSON!!!!” (answer) to our question….once more: IVERSON is the worst player to ever be considered great. If we had enough time for him to go through two-three more teams (ANY teams,trust me….) we could avoid the ridiculization of the hall of fame…(Bill Russell at the same place with A.I…..)

  • Wayne

    AI is already a HOF player, sorry Spanoulis. He’s the best small gaurd to ever play the game.

  • http://jamescleaton.ning.com jaymes

    Aren’t the Pistons in rebuild mode anyway? Surely we have figured out by now that AI for Billups was made for the future success of the club. So they’re rebuilding while still making the playoffs, whats the big problem? We all know the pistons unit (with Billups) wouldn’t have won a ‘chip anyway..Personally i would’ve traded Sheed and not Chauncey but anyone with a brain knew someone was gonna go..

  • ab_40

    let him come off the bench AI that is so they can broaden the bench to 9 players

  • http://blogs.myspace.com/theoriginadro Witness

    I think Darko is to blame. Joe Dumars’ only bad move has come back to haunt him which led to another bad move.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com BETCATS

    #
    “BETCATS Posted: Feb.24 at 11:51 am
    next year, the bobcats Okafor-Rasheed-GForce-Iverson-Raymond Felton lineup will win the whole damm thing.”
    #
    “TADOne Posted: Feb.24 at 11:52 am
    Um, so where does that leave Augustin, Diaw, and Bell?”

    6th, 7th and 8th man giving us one of the best bench’s in the leauge

  • GOAT

    Curry is one of the worst players in Toronto Raptors history

  • Peach Basket Dreams

    Damn. I hate to see AI take the fall for this one but the bottom line is that he will, especially because he was traded for Chauncey Billups.

    The blame HAS to fall on Curry. At first, I was eager to blame the players who have been lackluster at best. But I blame Curry because the players aren’t buying into his system. None of them are remotely motivated to play for him.

  • CP34MVP

    Exactly why i live in Detroit but im a fan of the Cavaliers. After 2007. The pistons are buttcrack. And the mess is up to Superman Allen Iverson to fix. @BETCATS Bobcats would come pretty close to taking down the Celts if they are still performing the way they are (If that even Happens(Most likely not))

  • http://www.kicksonfire.com Anton

    Change the team name to Pissed Ons for the rest of the season.

  • http://nba.com tealish

    Spanoulis: If by “worse player to ever be considered great” you mean “player whose game least resembles European ball to ever be considered great”, you’ve got a legitimate point there. But you don’t.
    Good thing you guys got the best basketball in the world over there so you don’t have to follow the obviously lesser cartoon-filled league called the NBA!

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ SPANOULIS

    @tealish….:it is not pure coincidence the fact that the 2 best players of this decade (Duncan & Kobe) grew up and learned the basics of this game outside the U.S. but i won’t get into this….

  • MJ is the real 23

    Someone said, “How can you respect a coach that was a bum as a player?” Phil Jackson and Pat Riley were (semi)bums as players, but two of the greatest coaches in NBA history. Conversely, Isiah Thomas was a great player but a terrible coach. In summary, I don’t think someone needs to be a “great” player to be a good coach. Oh yeah, and AI is not to blame.

  • http://fdklsf.com Jukai

    SPANOULIS: Duncan did it in the virgin islands… which is technically part of the US… but are you suggesting that the Virgin Islands have superior basketball to the USA?

  • http://fdklsf.com Jukai

    Also, AI IS to blame (at least 65%) but it’s not HIS fault. Does that make sense? Iverson simply can’t change his game to the way Detroit needs him to succeed. Sure, coaching is a bum and the players aren’t motivated, but AI is mostly to blame for the slump. That being said, Iverson didn’t place himself in Detroit. He wasn’t a free agent, he was traded. Can’t blame him now.

  • ktokyo

    HAAHAAAAA! I TOLD YOU SO!!!!! Iverson destroys teams. Face it all of you Iverson fanboys. He should NOT go to the Hall of Fame. He got a lot of marketing in the post-Jordan era that made him seem better than he really is. It’s just a street/hip hop image that advertisers were looking for (sorry SLAM) – just like Steph. The game was in a period of transition and at the height of selfish one-on-one ball that caused the US to lose the gold medal. It’s all being revealed now. Just admit it.

  • rikson

    ^ thats absolute true!

  • rikson

    except the “destroys teams” part…

  • http://fdklf.com Jukai

    Look, I’m not the biggest Iverson apologist… More to the point, I’m the exact opposite (just as Ciolkstar, Allenp… hell, anyone here!)… but this Iverson-doesn’t-deserve-the-HOF thing has to stop. It shows how incredibly little you know about basketball.
    Iverson was thrown without any prior pre-camp or pre-season training into an offense he had never remotely played in. He was sent with a group of people who KNEW who their leader was (he was with Denver right now) and a coach who could not possibly gel them together. He was thrown into a guard dominated team with the star two-guard playing a totally opposing style of offense, yet was forced to co-exist with him. He was forced to try and motivate a team that all had their rings and wanted to just go out and play ball.
    This Iverson, with no time to adjust, cannot coexist into Detroit’s offense. He’s at a low point in his career. A career which took him to the NBA-Finals, which awarded him with ten All-Star appearances, six all-nba nods, and a freakin’ MVP. Doesn’t deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Sergei Belov is in the hall of fame! Max Friedman is in the hall of fame! Pete Maravich, the EMBODIMENT of a no-win, no-defense show boat is in the Hall of Fame!
    Iverson deserves to be in the hall of fame five times over.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ SPANOULIS

    @ktokyo….:simple as that….although i honestly thank A.I. for the positive impact he had business-wise to the prosperity of my favorite league….i just believe that he could have had the same positive impact if he actually cared to learn how to play basketball…for this he didn’t have to lose the rows, the tatoo’s and whatever kids like, all he had to do is to love this game a little bit…
    @Jukai….: i am suggesting that the different set of values that societies around the world have ,is normal to impact the ideals of athletes that grow up in the respected societies.. Some of them put in first place becoming complete players (Duncan & Kobe,Manu,Novitski,Gasol) and others to become super rich (Lebron& A.I ,Starbury etc). Of course that doesn’t mean that the next greatest player in the world (after Kobe loses his athletisism in 2 years)will come from Italy or China. (it will propably be Durant,or so i wish….)

  • http://fdklf.com Jukai

    You think Nowitzki wants to become a complete player? Does complete not have anything to do with defense? Manu Ginobli could work on not turning the ball over on every possession, or maybe slowing down his game a bit so he can keep it in his damn hands.
    Lebron just wants to become super rich? Can you think of a superstar that has improved the bad aspects of his game as much as Lebron has? Sure, his shooter has improved only MARGINALLY… but what about his other three knocks? The dude is now constantly backing down smaller 3s and mismatched into the post and he has been ABUSING that area, something we have never seen from him. Lebron is creating for his team inside the paint, before Lebron would only do that if he was running pick-and-rolls. Most notably, Lebron is ACTUALLY PLAYING GREAT DEFENSE.
    So, either Lebron is just SO SUPERIOR TO NOWITZKI AND GASOL that he improved VASTLY over the two without trying, or maybe.. man, maybe you just don’t watch American basketball, son.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ SPANOULIS

    Belov is voted the greatest player ever and if you see him at the 1972 final you will find out why….the guy was 20 years ahead of his time. Maravich was a showman but at least he was a pioneer…anyway, A.I. will propably make it in the hall and every kid will be happy….at the same time,at least to me, his contribution business-wise is extremely important so,propably, i would also put him in the hall just for this…

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ SPANOULIS

    Jukai….:i definitely do not watch American basketball as you do (i am bored to see whole games in general, it has to do with age although you won’t experience such a problem in the future…)so i take your word for Lebron’s improvements although the most important aspect for a perimeter player to me is his outside shooting and not to post-up 3′s (although this is also a plus..)but having seen Ginobili and Novitski since their teenage years i can guarantee you that they have done much more to improve their game than what A.I. or Lebron have…man,maybe you just don’t watch world basketball, son.

  • http://fdklf.com Jukai

    … voted by who? Dude played in the Euroleague when Europeans were regularly being schooled by college kids, and he played twenty years before a 40-year-old Bob McAdoo tore up the Euroleague by himself. C’mon, don’t give me that SPANOULIS.
    You don’t consider Iverson a pioneer? Do you know what the NBA is?

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