Friday morning layup drill — the ‘orange soda’ edition

Rasheed Wallace was thrusting a bottle of orange soda straight at my chin after he came over to me this morning at the Pistons' practice facility for some civilized discourse regarding this morning's Daily Dime lead. [Emphasis added.]

First off, being that he is employed by the Worldwide Leader, I would have expected Sheridan to recognize a golden opportunity for product placement when it's "thrust at his chin" (nice choice of words, by the way). Why not say "thrusting a bottle of "Orange Crush" or "thrusting a bottle of Sunkist Orange"? Or -- if Sheridan really wanted to curry favor with Detroit-area sports fans, he could prop up a local drink with "thrusting a bottle of Orange Faygo." I'm disappointed. [Note to Sheridan: in these parts (Michigan), it's called "pop."]

Secondly, what the hell is Rasheed doing drinking "soda" after a practice? At the very least, reach for the Gatorade, man. You may not have a taste for roofing nails (a la Ben Wallace) or miniature humans (Jason Maxiell), but "soda"? Your metabolism isn't what it used to be. [See above]

Even better -- Gilbert, or "Agent Zero" as the Wizznutzz have long dubbed him, is a blogger! His comments on his game winner against the Jazz Monday night:

Coach drew up a play to give me the ball at the top of the key. From there, we all know what happened.

I just dribbled one more time. You know, I’m so fast when I get ready to move they’re going to back up especially since I’m crouched so low. Most people think I’m going to go past them and he backed up enough for me to get my shot off.

It was money. Anytime I take a shot right now towards the end of the clock, I’m 11-for-11 right now. Anything I put up is going to be accurate.

And on DBB favorite Memo Okur:

The whole night, between Okur and Boozer, they were giving us the business. It’s hard when you got your five-man shooting threes you know, from 28-feet out.
He surprised all of us. We knew he was their best 3-point shooter, but we didn’t know he had range like that. He proved it last night. He hit big shot after big shot after big shot.

If only Sheed had a blog.

The way his brain works is thrilling as a sideshow. When he's great, on or off the court, he's as good as NBA players have ever been. But when he's the main event, counted on night in and night out? Many nights are just atrocious.

And, let me state the obvious here: Flip Saunders might be the best coach and nicest guy in the world. But by now it should be clear that he was not the smartest choice for the players on Detroit's roster at the time of his hire. The interior defense of the Wallaces was the team's identity, and owing to personality clashes, differences of philosophy, and whatever else (including, almost certainly, the changing NBA rules, which are essentially anti-defense) that identity was not sustainable under Saunders.

Both Wallaces, in their own way, have departed. Ben physically. Rasheed mentally.