Dan_Miller's Blog

Gotcha!!!!  I'm guessing you were looking for your pitchforks and torches when you read the headline here.  Look I am not saying that Rod Marinelli deserves any slack for the teams abysmal showing this year.  He doesn't.  He is the head coach and he signed up for a business in which you are judged by wins and losses.  Right now we all know where that measure of his performance stands.

What I am saying is enough already with the weekly reviews of his press get togethers.  I for one think it's admirable that he stands up there, takes the blame and refuses to throw any of his players or coaches under a bus.  That is leadership.  Leaders don't publicly pass the buck to somebody else so as to clear themselves.  I think coaches that do that are garbage. 

Look, this team is bad, there is nothing he can say to change that.  Who gives a hoot what he says on Monday?  The ONLY thing that matters is what his team does on Sunday.  I've had this argument with some of my media brothers.  Some agree, some don't.  I just think it's ridiculous that we have gotten to the point where we review his performance every Monday and submit that as substance around which we can build programming or content.

If you want Rod fired because of the teams failures.  I won't argue.  Frankly I don't think he would either.  He doesn't want to go, he'd rather stay and try and turn this around but he understands what the measuring stick is for men in his position.

Ask yourself this.  If your child ever is put in a position of leadership and has to speak to the public.  Would you want him/her to say "we are failing because I haven't done my job?"  Or would you rather he/she says "hey you know I'm doing my job but employee A, B and C are slackers so blame them."

I think Rod's results have been bad.  I think his willingness to keep himself in the crosshairs and not hide from the teams shortcomings has been an example of what a stand-up person does in times of crisis.

I know we all want the team to win, short of that...What do you want him to say that's going to make anybody feel better?   

I love the trade for Allen Iverson.  That's it.  I think it was a great move on a number of fronts.

-I have always admired his game.  I think he gives you everything he has every night.  I think he is somebody that is willing to mold his game to the players around him.  I know he is known to some as a ball hog but fact is, he has been surrounded by less than top notch talent for most of his career.  In Detroit he'll have the best supporting cast he has ever played with.

-I think he will bring an element of toughness that has been missing since Ben left.  I think he will bring a measure of desire this team needs.  Look, these guys have enjoyed success for a number of years.  They do not appear to be as hungry as they were back in 04 and 05.  You've seen it, at times it manifests itself in these guys looking "too cool for school."  No more of that.  A-I needs a title for his resume and I think he will drive these guys relentlessly.  I think it's a great infusion.

-I don't think this was a championship team with Chauncey.  I think his game was slipping and more than that it was just more of the same old same old.  With Iverson, it's all new and I think the team needed to change the mix for the previously mentioned reasons.

-There is NO RISK.  With my premise being that this team wasn't going to win a title, what's the risk?  Iverson's deal is up at the end of the year and you can move on.  Chauncey had 2 years left after this.  

Joe Dumars hit a home run here.  I think his team is better in the short term and for the long term he has more flexibility than he has ever enjoyed as the Pistons top dog.

Guys, I am in the tank for A-I.  I have always loved him as a player.  He may not be 24 anymore but he still makes things happen and I can't wait to see him do it here in Detroit.

I just finished watching the Pistons opener.  I have to say, I like this team.  I love the young guys like Stuckey and Afflalo and Johnson.

The only problem is this team appears to be in the same spot it's been for a few years now, good but not great.  There is no crime there, however, in this town it's really championship or bust.  I think this team is lacking some of the key components that would allow them to beat the Celtics or Cavaliers and look out because the Magic, Raptors and Sixers are all coming.

I think the Pistons will be a fun team to watch and win more than their share of games.  I also think that we are watching the end of the line for this group as Joe Dumars moves some of his pieces sooner rather than later with an eye on more than just the Eastern Confrence finals. 

Your thoughts?  Blog away!

I'm about 3/4's of the way through Jeff Pearlmans new book "Boys Will Be Boys".  It's an account of the rise and fall of the Dallas Cowboys during the Jerry Jones era.  Now to say they fell would probably be a bit of an overstatement but nevertheless they never have gotten back to the level they played at during the mid 90's.

It is a GREAT read.  The excess that these guys enjoyed was amazing.  The world was their candy dish and nearly all of them had a sweet tooth.  You'll find some of it amazing that it actually happened (Charles Haley) but you will keep turning the page.

Further, there are some parallels to the situation the Lions are in.  When Jones took over the organization was down.  Jimmy Johnson, through his keen eye for personnel was able to bring it back up throught the draft and free agencey.  Now, the Lions don't have a Herschel Walker to trade and stockpile picks but they do have picks.  The game hasn't changed and the game plan shouldn't either.

I will repeat what I have said.  The Lions aren't dead, they're dormant.  Go ahead and tell me they have been for 50 years but the past only dictates your future if you allow it to.

This teams road back to being respectable begins and ends with the GM that runs this ship next year.  He will choose the coach and the players.  He will build his scouting staff both pro and college.  He will be the centerpiece of the organization.  The coach may be out front but the GM is the man that brings in the guys that play between the lines.  For too long, those players here have been less than championship caliber.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  The key step for this team will be hiring the right man to run the football side of the organization.

In the meantime, they have to continue the good fight for the next 12 games.  You have no choice.  The hope has to be that some of the younger players learn and show that they can be part of a brighter future.  If they don't or if they can't, I think they'll be former Lions before too long.  It has to be that way.  

Back to the book, give it a look and let me know what you think.  I'm giving it 2 thumbs up.  

Let's go:

-Matt Millen had a run of 7 years plus three games in Detroit recording a record of 31-84.  That is easily the worst record in the NFL during that time.  To say that he deserved to be fired is stating the ovbvious.  The real question is what went wrong.  The answer...Many things but first and foremost this team is in dire need of talent.  Why?  Because their drafts have not been good.  They have been bad.  In the NFL you cannot continuosly blow the draft and expect to win.  You need to draft and develop guys.  If you don't, you end up trying to catch up in free agency and that's a license to fail.  I'm not going to go back over all the drafts, that's been done.  The fact is though that they are in this spot because their talent has consistently been inferior to the teams that they are lining up against.  Talk about drills and fundamentals all you want.  Talent wins.  Now granted, you need talented guys that are hungry and not hungry in the way Shaun Rogers was.

-The Lions have reorganized their front office with Tom Lewand running the business and league side and Martin Mayhew as the GM.  I think Lewand could well still be in place when the dust settles next offseason.  He understands the business side of the sport as well as anybody.  I think it will be tough on Mayhew to survive because he is so connected to the previous regime that didn't do a good enough job evaluating talent.  I have known Martin for a long time.  He is a very smart and talented football man but the team will have a tough time convincing fans that you can get this done without a significant change in that department.  So.... 

-I believe that the team will go out and hire a new GM.  Somebody with a proven track record of evaluating talent successfully.  They have to.  Maybe Mayhew can convince the team that he is the right guy or maybe he can stay on as assistant GM.  Fact is right now we don't know.   The goal of the excercise though is to be sure that you have the right guy in the chair for the 09 draft.  This is the most important decision that Mr. Ford will make.  I think it's more important than hiring a coach or retaining the one you have.  It STARTS with talent.  The best coach in the world cannot win without it.

-I think Rod Marinelli has an uphill battle to be here next year.  He has 13 games to get this team moving in the right direction but  it won't be easy based on what I have previously discussed.  The next head coach will be chosen by the next GM.  He may feel like Rod is the guy or he may not but he will make that call.  Matt Millen did with Gary Moeller.  The fan base needs to be energized.  That will be tough for Rod to do but I know it won't be for lack of effort.  He will not let his players or coaches quit.  However their best may not be good enough to make a dent on the scoreboard from week to week.

-If they are saddled with another loss or two here in the next few weeks, they have to evalute their young talent.  Guys like Stanton, Dizon, Cherilus, Fluellen, Cohen, Alama Francis, Avril  and Ramirez have to play.  Stanton playing is a must.  You need to know what you are in the market for during the offseason. In particular at the qb position because it's the most important one in sports IMO. Overall, that's a tricky thing though, because this staff needs to win now to have a future more than it needs to find out what the future of the team is.

This isn't hopeless.  Bad teams get better with the right moves.  The Lions can get better over the next few years with the right moves.  The first move is making sure the right men are in place to lead the way.  Until those decisions are made though I'll go into each week believing that they can win if they play the right way (thanks Larry Brown).  Is that a bit of a contradiction?  Yes. I'm like that with all my teams.  I guess that's what you call being a fan. 

I also know that the future is as bright as bright as they make it.  Nobody limits what you can do in this league except the limits you bring upon yourself with the decisions that you make.

See you at Ford Field a week from Sunday.  This team has 13 games left and there is still plenty to do.

Rod Marinelli says players and teams are what they put on tape.  Right now and until we see something different what we are watching is a bad football team.  There are no quick fixes, there is no wishing it away, there is no explaining it away.  Right now this is simply a bad team.  I hate to say it because I know the coaches work hard and the players do as well,   but the end result is all that matters.  I'll say it again.  In sports you either win or you lose.  Period.  End of discussion.

The Lions defense is bad.  It has been bad and we have all been waiting for it to improve but right now it's not showing any signs of that.  In fact, you can make the case that it is headed in the opposite direction.  Over their past 5 losses dating back to the San Diego game a year ago consider these numbers.  The opposition has opened games by scoring on 19 of their 21 possesions.  The Chargers scored on their first 7  possesions, the Packers scored on their first 3, moving ahead to 08, the Falcons scored on their first 3, the Packers and Niners each scored on three of their first four.  Needless to say each of those games saw the Lions fall behind by big numbers right off the bat.  In those games they have given up an average of 39.6 points per game.  Now I realize that some of those points came courtesy of the offense throwing picks for scores but you get the point.  You have two options.  The defense doesn't work or you don't have the talent you need to make it work.  Chicago runs it and made the Super Bowl and Indy won a Super Bowl with the same system.  All the head coach can do is continue to drill his players on the system.  In the end though, drills and fundamentals are trumped by talent and they don't look like they have enough to make this work.

We'll talk offense later in the week.  We have time to chew on this for a while with the bye coming up.  Your thoughts are welcome.

No order here just free flowing thoughts.

-I don't want to hear anybody talking about the Lions comeback.  Was it fun?  Yes.  Was it exciting?  Yes?  Did it lead to a victory?  No.  In this league you win or you lose and anything else is window dressing for losers.

-This team has lost 9 of its last 10 games.  In those 9 losses Jon Kitna has thrown 18 interceptions.  Now, NOT ALL of them were his fault.  However, the fact is he has not shown an ability to make plays in crunch time.  Just the opposite, he appears to have problems when things get tight.  Simply put, if you don't have a dominant defense then you need a quarterback making plays in the 4th quarter.  Jon hasn't done that.  Can he?  The answer so far is no and that's a problem.

-Should the team make a change?  Well, fact is there are many things at play here.  If this coaching staff were assured of coming back next year, I think it would be more likely.  However, they are coaching to win and to keep their jobs.  The future may not matter to them.  If this season slips away, it would be in the best interest of the organization to play their younger guys to see what they have.  Right now, the season is still viable and Jon Kitna is still the guy.  We'll examine this as the season moves forward.

-They have got to keep Roy Williams involved.  6 catches in 2 games isn't enough.  They have two very, very good receivers and need to use them both.  

-Joe Barry does deserve some heat.  His unit has been flat bad for the better part of 18 games now.   I think Joe is a good coach and wouldn't be surprised if he were a head coach one day.  Matter of fact I think he will be.  That said, he needs to get this thing moving in the right direction UNLESS there just isn't enough talent to do so.  I'm still working my way through that one.  I'm leaning towards talent being more of an issue than Joe.

More to come.  Heck we have 14 weeks to go. 

I have no idea how long this will be because there isn't much to say after the Lions opening day debacle.

First, I never saw it coming.  I thought this team was better than that.  I thought they were competitive and ready to win somewhere between 7 and 9 games with a belief that it would be towards the higher end.

Now, I do think that they are better than the "horrific" (Rod's description of their tackling) display we saw on Sunday.  You know what though?  Who gives a &^%$ what I think?  Too often this team has sold themselves on what people think and not what they actually do.  So this is pretty simple.  Let's see what they are.  Let's see how they respond.  Let's see if they have the professional pride to bounce back and play like they want to earn their checks.  Maybe they will.  Maybe they won't.  Maybe they can't.

I don't know the answers.  Then again.  It doesn't matter if I know the answers because I don't have a thing to do with how they play.  I'm not giving up.  I believe that there is still hope.  But hope won't bring success, effort and prodcution will.  Rod always says his team has to worry about what they do and not what the opponent does.  That's a sound philosophy for winning.  Now we'll see if they can execute it and find some success.

In this league you either win or you lose.  Words don't change what you do or what you are.  So I won't waste any more here.

See you Sunday.

The sports world lost a dominant figure and a great man when Gene Upshaw passed away.  He's a man that while controversial, helped make the NFL what it is today and to me, that's the greatest sports league in the World.  Beyond that, he was a Hall of Fame player that helped form the Raiders mystique without getting arrested or acting like he needed a straight jacket.  Beyond that, Gene was a great person who touched my life and my career and without a doubt helped me attain whatever success I'm enjoying today.

When I was doing sports radio in Washington during the mid 90's, Gene was getting roasted by some of the players and many of the fans for what they saw as his misguided direction in negotiating a new contract with owners.  I would have players on for their take and of course open the lines for the fans.  Well, Gene lived in D.C. and he was listening.  One day out of the blue he called in and went on.  Then it happened again.  And again.  Then Gene wanted to come sit in studio and take calls which he did several times.  

Next thing I know, the NFLPA is starting up a radio show and I was asked to be the host.  Certainly this wouldn't have happened had Gene not thrown my name into the hat and it just so happened that the hat was his hat and what Gene wanted, he got.  The show was a blast.  I worked with Matt Millen, Craig James, Darryl Johnston and several other players over the 10 years that I did it.  The friends that I made at the NFLPA are still people I talk to from time to time today and I value their friendship.

As for Gene.  He wasn't involved in the radio show on a day to day basis but we remained in touch.  I saw him at several NFLPA functions.  I called on him from time to time for interviews when I needed his take both on radio and TV.  He was always willing to help.  We played in several charity golf outings together and you couldn't ask for a better guy to hit the course with.  He was down to earth, funny, he drove the ball mile and he cheated like nobodies business witha  smile on  his face.  We shared the same fear of snakes and he used to always stay out of the wild stuff because he was afraid of "Mr. no shoulders."  He never failed to ask for detailed information about what I was doing professionally and where my career was going.

In our lives we'll all have moments where something just leaves us cold.  When I heard that Gene had died this morning, I was just floored.  He always seemed bigger than life to me with his voice, his laugh and hell just the fact that he was a rock solid man. 

We weren't best friends.  We were acquaintances and he was somebody that took an interest in me and my career without ever asking for anything.  That's what I'll take from Gene.  Not what he did for the NFL or the Raiders but the fact that somebody who had everything took the time to help out a guy trying to find his way.  I think that's a great measure of a man, what they do without being asked and when there is nothing in it for them.        

I don't know if you had a chance to read Jerry Green's column over the weekend about Jim Leyland, but it was a good read.   It was about managers being fired.   As the TIgers stumble towards the end of a very disappointing season, there have certainly been questions about the futures of both the players and Leyland.  In fact, he was quoted by Green as saying the following....

"I'm not leaving here if that's what you're getting at," he told me the other day in the manager's office in the clubhouse at Comerica Park.

"They'll have to fire me. I'm very happy here. Let's see how that plays out. I like managing and I've got a lot of energy. So I'm strong, I feel good, I've got a lot of energy and I want to manage."

So clearly the skipper knows the questions are out there and he addressed the issue for Green.  Now here's how it works in the media.  Once something like this is out there, it will be addressed again.  Managers, players and GM's are all used to answering follow-ups to articles or columns that are written.  Other media members want the quote for their articles or radio or tv shows. 

So fast forward to yesterday after the teams latest loss.  Our reporter, Ryan Ermanni, went into Leylands office after the game and asked him to talk about his future and whether or not there was any question that he would be back.  A rehash of the article? Yes.  Common practice to get the quote again?  Yes.  Leyland was clearly in no mood to talk about it and he told Ermanni he had no idea what he was talking about and then invited Ryan to leave his office.   Leyland was calm and within his rights to react this way.  It would have been nice to hear him reaffirm his commitment to the team in light of his having walked away from three previous jobs, but he can certainly choose what questions he wants to answer and when.  

Not over yet.  A member of the Tigers media relations staff then informed Ermanni that "you don't ask that question after a loss."  Now I will leave his name out of this because he's a good guy who lost track of his job responsibilities.  Media relations staffers can inform somebody if they don't like a question but they don't dictate what the questions can or should be. Period.  Further, I will submit with great confidence that if the question had come from Mitch Albom or Wojo, said media relations worker wouldn't have said a word about this.  Ermanni is a talented guy but still working his way up the totem pole and dealing with this kind of treatment is part of the climb. 

When all is said and done, our job as a staff  is to ask questions.  Fair questions.  Questions YOU want answered.  Along the way we may not get the answers we want and we may be asked to move on to the next topic or at times to the next room.   That's ok.  That's not the crime here.  It's somebody thinking that they can dictate how we do our jobs.  Funny though, it seems when the teams we cover actually do their jobs, we never have these problems. 

OK, so my mind was moving in a few directions as I watched things unfold this weekend.  In 27 years in this business, there are three times I have felt that I was unfairly disrespected by somebody I worked with or interviewed.  One of those honored positions goes to Greg Norman.  I won't go into a bunch of details but many years ago at the Kemper Open he was beyond a jerk to me and it's a moment I've never forgotten.  At the end of the day, I could really not care less but at least it gave him a place in my life.  I'm sure he appreciates that.

Needless to say, as reporters, we're human and we root for the guys that have treated us well, because you want to see good things happen to good people.  Now, Greg Norman is considered a good person by plenty of others in our business,  so my opinion, based on a single moment in time is really pretty petty and truth be told, I'm sure he's a great guy to have a beer with.

So as I watched what could have been one of the greatest moments in the history of golf unfold, the question was did I want this guy to win?  The answer was simply, yes.  I was very wrapped up in what he was doing and rooting hard for him at the age of 53 to secure a victory that would have changed the way people view his career.  As things stand now he is seen as a great player known more for coming painfully close than actually closing the deal.  If he had won this tournament, I think it would have replaced Bob Tway from the bunker, Larry Mize from off the green and Nick Faldo's crushing comeback victory in 96.  (I must point out that Faldo's comeback was aided by Norman's puking all over the course that day)

Anyway..It would have been a great story and one that really made Tiger's absence much less significant.  In the end he didn't win but I do think he gave the week what it needed.  A story that did erase much of the Tiger talk.  Look any major without Tiger becomes a Major*.  Sorry but that's just the way it is.  I'm not saying a Shark can beat a Tiger but for a couple of days it allowed us to get out of the Woods and see that there is still a reason to watch.  So to Norman, I say  "thanks and bygones".  

Now let's hope that we can get the same type of show here at Oakland Hills in a few weeks.  

BTW, the complete Norman story and the other two guys that made my all jerk team will be released at a later date when my book comes out.  My book will come out when I am sure that anybody I offend can't kill my career.  I'm shooting for 2034.    

I hope you watched the introductions before the All Star Game the other night.  It was amazing and a reminder of how much the game and its history mean.  Look, I'm not baseball elite, but there is no doubt that it's THE sport that brings out the most significant emotions when you turn back the clock.

Seeing Aaron, Mays, Ford, Kaline, Oliva, Berra and all the others was amazing.  Some of the guys that I saw growing up and some that I have only read about.  I don't know what it is. i don't know what makes them seem bigger than life or perhaps better put, bigger than the stars of yesteryear from the other sports.  I love watching the old videos that Fox Sports and HBO do such a nice job of bringing us.  You don't get that from the old NBA films or old footage from the NFL or NHL.  Perhaps it's because the game really hasn't changed that much.  Sure, they are bigger, stronger and faster overall but it still looks very much the same.  You can't say that about the others.

The games have all evolved and every one is better today than it was 20 or 30 years ago, but for some reason baseball still looks the same whether its Mays or Hunter tracking one down in the outfield and that's pretty cool.

If you are a frequent reader of this blog or if you have seen some of my reports on tv, you know that I love golf and have a serious case of man-love for Tiger Woods.  Simply put he is one of the most charismatic sports figures in my lifetime and I would venture to say anybodys lifetime.   He is Jordan, Montana, Sanders, Magic, Ruth, Mantle, Bird, The Bird, or even Rocket or Bonds before we knew or strongly believed they were cheaters.  Like those guys he understood the moment.  More importantly he thrives in the moment. Perhaps it was a career full of moments or just a flash like a shooting star moving accross the sky.

Tiger is Edwin Moses.  Tiger is Micheal Phelps.  Tiger is the best and proves it over and over like the best have to do.  Tiger has made golf cool.  Tiger has taken the sport and helped it rise above sansabelt pants.  Tiger has let black people know that there are no limits to what they can accomplish in this sport and hopefully in life.  Tiger has let anybody regardless of color know that you don't need to be a country club baby to play the game.  Heck, if you were watching or paying attention, Arnold Palmer showed us that back in the 50's.  Tiger has shown that if you work harder than everybody else, you can be better than everybody else when it really counts.  Tiger has taken a generation of golfers and left them wondering if they will have any place in history.  A place they would certainly enjoy if they weren't playing against him.

See, that's the thing.  You hear so much about the lack of competition he faces and how Jack faced better players.  i think thats highly debatable.  Nobody has ever done what Tiger has done in such a short period of time.   Jack Nicklaus was 35 when he won his 14th major.  Tiger is 32.  Do you really think that Mickelson, Els, Furyk and Goosen wouldn't have a notable number of majors were it not for Woods?   Don't you think the fact that he is simply better, far better than his competition has made them appear less worthy?  I would submit that his advantage over the golfers he has competed against is much more significant than the advantage Nicklaus enjoyed over his peers.  That doesn't mean you should consider Tiger less worthy, it means he is more deserving.

Finally, stop with the golf isn't a sport and Tiger isn't an athlete talk.  It comes up every time he wins a tournament and once again moves to the top of the sports pages.  Think what you want but who cares.  Is that the best you've got to tear him down?  He's not an athlete?  Stupid.  Dumb.  Change the channel.  Move on.  Hey, I know, go watch the WNBA.  They're basketball players right?

I'd rather call my sons into the room and make sure they watch a once in a lifetime phenom.  I've been in this business for 27 years and been watching sports for nearly 40.  I've never seen anyone better at anything and will do my best not to miss a moment.              

kSure there are times where he loses, times where he appears human, even if just for a moment.  Tiger 

No sports here.  Just a word or two about a huge loss for the people in our business.  When Tim Russert passed away today we lost a giant.  Without a doubt he best exemplified what a journalist should be in my mind.  In a day and age where it seems so many people just want to be the loudest and most negative, he simply let the facts speak for themselves.  He didn't yell or scream like so many of the political analysts, he simply looked at the facts, formed an opinion and presented it.  I've tried to conduct myself with two principles in mind throughout my career:  Be right and be fair.  I'm still working on it.  He was a master.   

When Tim Russert was on TV, I stopped and watched.  I have for years.  I love politics and I love the science of elections.   Nobody presented it better than him.    

I can only hope on election night somebody places a dry erase board on the set over at those two other networks where he was such a powerful figure.  Many of us will be waiting for him to show us the numbers and a path to victory for one or both of the candidates, but unfortunately he won't.     

Lots to say, so let's get to it in no particular order.

-Firing Flip Saunders was a no brainer.  Stop with the "Flip was an x's and o's specialist but couldn't get the players respect."  Garbage.  Flip was an average strategist and certainly the players did not seem to respect him.  You could roll a ball out with the talent this team has and get the same results Flip had.  HOWEVER, when the chips are down in the playoffs, your coach makes a HUGE difference.  Flip was a non-factor.  Period.  Look at his career playoff record.  Done and done.  Understandable hire for Joe D. but a mistake he had to correct in the final analysis.

-I have no idea what Micheal Curry brings to the job.  Work ethic, preparation and knowledge of the game.  OK...check, check and check.  Question is how will that translate into success in the standings and more importantly in the playoffs?  I don't know.  Nobody does, we can guess but thats all it is because there is no track record here whatsoever.

-In relation to the above.  How will we know what kind of Coach Micheal Curry will be until we know what team he will have to coach?  Right now we have no clue.  This could be a major remodel or it could be that Joe finds the market is thin for his guys and he decides to come back with what he has. A team that would get more work for Stuckey, Johnson and Maxiell and revisit next summer.  Lets look at some of the key guys:

-Rasheed Wallace-Tough call.  Not because of his talent but because of the salary slot he gives you next year.  Look, in a perfect world, I would ship this guy out of here today.  He has the big name but no big game.  Look at his numbers over the past few years in the teams biggest games, game six against Boston in 08, game six against Cleveland in 07.  I understand how good this guy can be.  I also understand reality.  Part of being a great player is being dependable.  This guy is anything but.  People need to stop making excuses for him and hold him accountable.  Stop telling me about his basketball IQ and lets talk about what he's really done when the chips are down.  Now, that being said, I don't think you will get much for him.  You might be better off keeping him for another year, hope he is driven by the possibility of getting a new deal and use his salary slot next year.   The problem.  The free agent market isn't great.  Elton Brand could be there, Carlos Boozer could be there but a check of the league history will tell you that FA's don't really move that often.  Joe may need to roll the dice on this one and try to get one more year out of him, but there's no guarantee of a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.

-Chauncey Billups-I wouldn't trade him.  He is still the engine of the team.  People say that this team goes as Sheed goes.  Well yeah, because the question is really whether or not Sheed shows up.  Chauncey does.  I understand he has struggled at times because of injury or fatigue but I stil think he is an important piece of this puzzle.  You want Stuckey on the court.  Play him with Chauncey.  Bottom line:  When this team rolls, Chauncey leads the charge.

-Rip Hamilton-I'd deal him for the right price.  Again, I think you can win with Chauncey and Stuckey.  Rip is a deadly jump shooter.  He is also somebody this team can win without because his skills can be replaced.  I'm not down on him.  I think this guy is a heckuva player but if you need to shake things up and this team does, I think it's a move you can make.

-Tayshaun Prince-Another guy you can trade.  Not a bad player, but he hasn't developed into the kind of force it appeared he might be earlier in his career.  I thought he would become an instant mismatch when he reached his potential.  A guy you could use to control games in the fourth quarter.   Hasn't happened.  Further, he doesn't fare well against Lebron James or Paul Pierce.  Question...Which two guys will the pistons have to deal with over the next few years if they want to advance?  Yeah...

Stuckey, Johnson, Maxiell-Keep them unless you have a chance to get a big time player and I am talking along the lines of Garnett or Elton Brand.  They might be a part of such a package.  These guys are going to be nice players.  Stuckey perhaps an outstanding player.  They are the future on a team thats got tired legs and long teeth.

Be clear about one thing.  This team is in a tough spot.  They are very good but not good enough.  They don't have a young superstar coming up to take them to the next level and the problem is, they have leveled off.  They have good role players developing.  Joe Dumars has to find a big time player somewhere.  Boston did it, the Lakers and Spurs both have one already.  The Cavaliers have one.  I know, I know.  The Pistons went further than Cleveland.  Ask yourself this though, which team has a brighter future, the Cavs with Lebron or the Pistons as presently built?  Give me the superstar and I'll find the pieces to put around him. 

You may disagree but it's been proven, superstars win titles.  2004 is a long time ago in NBA years and much was made of the fact that Detroit did it without a superstar.  Upon further inspection it looks like they were the exception to a rule that might have been shaken but apparently not knocked out.