A Fab Five Update

Since I am a Spartan, I’m pretty agnostic on the fallout of whatever it was that Chris Weber did to the U of M basketball program. Even though I was a fan of the Fab Five while it was happening and liked the fact that the team always came to play come tournament time, the scorched earth they left behind for the Michigan basketball program was a plus for Michigan State (about the time Tom Izzo and Mateen Cleaves make their stage entrances.)

I know some bad shit went down and Weber was busted for lying to a grand jury but these are things I pay little attention too. I just want to see some ball out on the court. Plus, it wasn’t like he was a thug. And, really, if somebody is going to give you thousands of dollars, chances are you are going to take it. It’s easy for the ink stained wretches to get bent out of shape about that, but the truth is, U of M and the NCAA was doing a lot of action with Weber and the boys, and that whole subject is probably a much longer post that probably is best read somewhere else, but it’s all a bit hypocritical. With my mind firmly concentrated on the here and this season, I’ve got no problems with Weber being back home again.

Also, and this goes for any sport, but mostly hockey and basketball, I am a big fan of the pass (or throw). This is what team sports are all about, making the plays that help your team and teammates succeed. It also displays creativity and intelligence when a player opens up a game like that. And Weber is a player like that.

The Pistons are evolving into a more interesting team with Weber and getting stronger as we move into the second half of the season. Last year was such a bizarre sequence of events, as the Pistons kicked ass in the regular season but by the playoffs we were like a lead race car that missed a pit stop, and just ran out of gas and momentum at the end. It went from talk of a dynasty to the Pistons being over in a matter of a few games.

It seems that Weber has re-energized the Pistons. He adds new facets to the offense and even helps on defense, not so much with his own defense, but getting the other Pistons to play. He’s raised the stakes, kicked things up a notch. I think a lot of the reason we lost to Miami last year is we become so demoralized by our complete inability to make shots and score. With Weber and the effect he is having on the other Pistons, I’m not so worried that we will lose in the same way in the playoffs.