Rip likely to return, Rasheed and AI not far behind (as soon as they’re done clubbing)

Well, at least they’re having the party together. Which hopefully means they like each other. Which hopefully means that the battles are between AI fanbois and AI haters and not between players on the team.

My attempt at spin…

My attempt at spin…

OK, my turn. To me, this isn’t a big problem if Rasheed and Iverson only stay for a couple of hours and limit themselves to a couple of drinks. Plus, with the schedules that playing in the NBA demands (especially working and traveling at night), isn’t dropping by a nightclub party the NBA-player equivalent of a nine-to-five worker’s happy hour?

Are you surprised, Matt?

I heard Rasheed was hanging out with AI at casinos, earlier this year. Obviously, they’re friendly enough to hang together.

You can have a leg injury like Rasheed’s and still show up to parties … standing around with a drink probably doesn’t harm the injury. The dubious one … Allen can’t ‘sit’ with the Pistons on the bench, and he doesn’t want to be ‘seen’ … doesn’t want to ‘be a distraction’ … but forgets that you sit in clubs, and you are seen in public, and the world doesn’t end when you’re off the court.

It does, however, look bad for both of them, on the subject of hosting parties.

Someone inform greenpeace…

basketball player going to CLUBS much like nine to fiver going to CLUBS. night off and not all BUSINESS all the TIME. as long as no INJURY aggravation or gun FIGHTS, no HARM done. just epinion

To me it is very funny. When this party was planned, probably months ago, they probably thought that the pistons were a playoff team, just playing out the schedule. Now they might not make the playoffs. I dont have a problem with it though…these players lead very strange lives.

This is really silly. What if some gossip rag said “sources inform me that Rasheed Wallace was up late reading a book last night, and had a couple glasses of wine.” That would have the same effect on the team: a player a little low on sleep one day (although NBA players have plenty of time to take naps). But there would be no outcry.

How much sleep did you get last night? Is it any of my business? If you stayed up late watching a movie, does that mean you’re not “pretending to give a f**k” about your job?

I agree with above comments. That was a harsh slight that was uncalled for. Doesnt take much to host a party. Now if you find pictures of Sheed gulping down some fine CC, thats another story.

lol I dont think this is a big deal at all. to me its a positive, AI and Sheed still chillin? sounds good to me.

it was reported that AI and Sheed were sharing a fat spliff outside of Love….

Love used to be a cool place when it was called Dream until drugs and crime caused the name change. Love is where Gilbert Arenas’ 25th birthday party was held at. Very swanky place…

Apparently having an expiring contract means you don’t even have to pretend to give a f*ck

It’s nice to see your honesty, Matt. Usually, you’re at least fairly detached — and usually, that’s a great thing for a journalist.

However, given all that’s happened this season and especially AI’s inability to fit in, it’s mind-boggling how he could even consider hosting a party on the road. And I’ve had my questions about Sheed’s commitment just about all season. It almost looks like he’s packed it in and is playing for his next contract.

Anyway, I’m pissed too.

NBA players have lives too.

And as media, aren’t you a little too over-concerned with what AI or ‘Sheed are doing? I’m sure your job is no where near as stressful or demanding as theirs.

I’m sure most of your jobs consist of you sitting at a computer for 8 hours a day. And then you go home to your sorry excuse you call a wife and children. I sense a little jealousy in the fact that these NBA players might have a life outside of the world you call the pistons.

I’m an avid AI fan. I have been since his Hoya days. When you support a team or its’ players, you have to take the good with the bad. I mean, we talking bout PRACTICE!!

So quit whining. Quit bitching. Go back to your 9 to 5 and the shanty you call your home.

This is so much of a non-issue; players socialize when they win, players socialize when they lose. Players socialize when they have expiring contracts, and socialize when they just get re-signed to a max deal.

Billups ‘hosted’ these on several occasions, would the perceived outrage over this be less if AI had a public press conference and expressed his desire to be the 12th man of the bench, personally rebuild the city of Detroit brick by brick, and double-down as the new Rock Finanicial Pitchman? I love Bynum and don’t want his minutes sacrificed, but you all need to put the AI voodoo dolls down for a day.

AI and sheed always chilled together since AI went to Detroit. On the court and off the court. Sheed, Maxiel, and Herrmann were the 3 that really seem to accept AI on the team. I am happy to see that Rasheed is supporting Iverson. I miss seeing Iverson on the court so much. If he comes back this will bring a spark to this team again.

More media ‘brainwashing’…….. why am i not surprised……….

Just for the record, Rip was at Black Finn late into the evening on Thursday Night after the Lakers womped us. And so what we have is a non-story.

That was a real poster for a party? Tell the dude who Photoshopped that that he sucks at his job and should be fired. shoulda hired one of us…

We in here, he’s supposed to be the franchise 6 man, and we talkin bout parties. Not a rave. Not a rave!

LOL @ Forty!

NBA players do this shit all the time. And Allen’s been away from the team for a month now, so who cares what he does in his free time. It’s not hurting the team in anyway. Let’s just hope he can get back on the court and help the Pistons salvage this season. In the playoffs, you never know what might happen.

“In the playoffs, you never know what might happen.”

we know what will happen.

Amazing. That’s what.

just epinion

actually…

AI does these parties every time he’s in DC david stern.

F*ck them both. Straight to hell.

Guys, we’re talkin’ ‘bout a club … AI, he got a bad back, can’t sit on no court, he only at a club … we talkin’ ‘bout a club. Money ain’t a thang, shieeet, I mean AI’s bad back, he’s got to get treatments for it, hurts so bad … but we’re talkin’ ‘bout sittin’ ’round a club.

/irony

You know what I wanna see tonight? JMax do this.

Then Stuckey would do this!

I love people that try to break down a situation by:

1. Insulting you.
2. Insulting your job.
3. Insulting your family.

Because applying logic and reason to counterarguments is just so damn hard!

So I’ll abandon that philosophy too, and say that I’ll take the bad with the good, but I refuse to take the absolute bullshit with the good. Bad with the good is Rasheed blowing up at a ref, and then actually deciding he’ll take a game over. Bad with the good is Rip starting off cold in the first half, but getting in his groove and finishing with 26. Hell, bad with the good is Max or Amir getting into foul trouble, but playing through and making an impact. Or even Kwame running out there with his Ronnie Garvin stone hands and still pulling down 12 rebounds.

Bullshit is deciding to shut it down – SHUT IT DOWN! – when your team’s season on the brink. And I refuse to accept that crap. I’ll follow the Bynum/Stuckey/Tayshaun/Dyess/Kwame straight into no-playoff oblivion before I clamor for Iverson and his “sore back” to get motivated to return. OK, so he’ll be fresh for the playoffs? And Rasheed for that matter?

PLAYOFFS? DON’T TALK TO ME ABOUT PLAYOFFS! I HOPE WE CAN JUST WIN A GAME!!ELEVEN11

And I was an AI supporter! I guess I’m brainwashed, been away from my shanty for too long.

Keegan: +1

Yeah dude went a little hard there, but it really isnt a big deal, I think you amde to much of it, to me its only positive.

@ Keegan:

Jim Mora’d, for the win

Matt, thanks for reporting this. It’s absolute pathetic, and I mean really pathetic, how fans will make up any excuse for an athlete, an entertainer, or a politician, even going so far as to question the personal life of a journalist who bothers to ask a tough question.

I posted this on the PF frontpage, because I am tired of Dumars and Langlois feeding us lines about what is happening with the team, and people like McCosky and that guy at mLive (he’s so insignificant, I can’t even remember his name) softballing us all day long.

I don’t care what these guys do. Most of them have much less character than average folks. What I care about is that my constituency pays good money to buy schwag, tickets and pay for LP, and then guys are bailing on the team, when the pocketbooks of the diehard fans are still open in a bad economy.

For the record, one of our veteran members claims to have went down to the club, Sheed and AI made their appearance, apparently electric boogalooed a bit and then it was over.

But for guys with bad legs and bad backs, dancing in a club on the road would be an indication that they must be good enough to come off the bench in limited minutes. It certainly sends a bad message to their teammates, particularly the young guys.

Anyway, to be honest, I wasn’t sure if you would post this or not, and I for one am proud you did. The point of being a blogger journalist, is to report what the mainstream will not deliver. To make the pointed criticisms that beat writers don’t have the stomach or self-respect to make. Thank you.

DBB FTW.

-roscoe36 / themicrowave

I want to clarify that. Sheed and AI “bopped to the music”, our person on the scene didn’t see them dance. But I don’t think that takes away from anything. They are collecting a check, and other guys are putting in the work.

This team used to be about team first, winning and hard work.

roscoe36,

I think this has been made in to a way bigger deal than it should be made into…

but what do I know?

I only work 9-5 and come home to my shanty of a house every night

AI and Sheed… They were watching each other’s back! (SORRY)