Red Wings, Pistons about to get off the Bench

Oh man, it was a beautiful feast of Red Wings and Pistons information in the Detroit News today. We are about to hit that sweet spot in the sporting seasons as baseball heads to the post season, hockey begins to stir, football games become more intense and basketball concludes their sexual harassment trials (ok, bit of a cheap but shot but had to be done. Now how glad are you that Bill Davidson picked Joe Dumars over Isiah?)

The Detroit News rounded up the Detroit Red Wings front office starting five (Jimmy Devalano, Jim Nill, Ken Holland, Scotty Bowman and Mike Illitch) to reminisce about the first 25 years of Mike Illitch's ownership of the team. And what beautiful times they have been. Even before the Cup with Scotty's teams, they had me at Jacques Demers and Bob Probert and of course Steve Yzerman, with Mickey Redmond supplying the mixed metaphors and cheesy play-by-play. I especially enjoyed the cloak and dagger tales told of busting Petr Klima, Vladimar Konstantaniv and Sergei Fedorov out of their respective communist countries. These guys did whatever it took to win. An even with the recent salary cap, they have demonstrated they can compete with a lower payroll.

And the blessed Pistons. This year is going to be interesting. I think a lot of us thought any chance at another championship ended a couple years ago when they stumbled through Cleveland before losing to Miami. And last year did not go so well either, though we did make it five straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances. But if what they are saying is true, and they are going to put the new younger crew on the floor for some serious and meaningful minutes than we have some potential excitement with the Pistons. Also looking forward to McDice as the starting center. It seems the Pistons have something to prove this year. When they do, that means trouble for the other team.

The Pistons Sad Sack Former Arch Rivals

While some hacks may be nostalgic for the days when the Pistons and the Celtics were arch rivals, I personally enjoy the fact that the Pistons kick Boston ass every time we play this mockery of a basketball franchise.

Every year the Celtics became a larger shadow of their former selves, and the Pistons continue to prove the rightness of their cause. The Pistons have won seven straight games and are 12-1 against their former archrivals in the last four seasons.

Of course, no amount of humiliation will ever ease the pain of "the play" – when Larry Bird intercepted the inbound pass of Isiah Thomas that stole a sure Pistons victory and ultimately led to the Celtics taking that series and going to the NBA finals. But it sure makes me feel better that we are on top now and the Celtics appear to be a hopeless cause.

Even in the 80s, when the Celtics played the classic NBA final series against the Showtime L.A. Lakers, this was the team you loved to hate. Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Danny Ainge and most of all Larry Bird. I’m a Spartan and was always biased with Magic running the floor for the Lakers, but Larry Bird was never a hero of mine.

There was that famous Isiah Thomas line about Larry Bird.

"If he were black, he’d be just another good player."

Okay, wrong about that one, but our cause is right, especially since Isiah is no longer here to be a part of the Pistons cause. (Nor is Dennis Rodman who Isiah was agreeing with when he made that statement.)

The truth is, we have new rivals. His name is Shaq and we are up 2-1 on the big man, and we need to make it a trifecta this playoff season. And how about if the Pistons play the Bulls in the playoffs? The Pistons taking on their own monster of a creation. That sounds like a rivalry to me.