So in the vein of brotherly/sisterly love I’m going to answer your questions in order.

A) I’m thirty (and you boys know I’m not lying because NO woman wants to admitt she’s hit three decades).

B) My first Piston’s game was a home loss in 1986 vs the Celtics, I cried and embarassed my Daddy. Up until then I’d only been interested in the Lions (more crying) and the Wolverines (Michigan house for life, I’m naming my first boy Desmond). So there’s a little guilt there for me in what you say because you’re right, I’m not really old enough to have been there for the REAL hard times… before Isiah. Otoh, I am old enough to know Rodman was nothing more than a rebouund specialist until he learned the triangle in Chicago. Mahorn, Psycho Bill and the Assasin (Isiah) were the heroes of that team. Rodman was just the last piece. Also Daly was a good motivator and a master at manipulating the media so that the focus was always on something BESIDES the players. He was exceptional at letting our veteran team go out and work. As a technical coach however, he wasn’t that good. Without superior talent, his teams usually failed. He’s no Larry Brown.

C) Yes Sheed has slipped. Yes he’s not as good a 4 as he was in 2004. Yes he tries too many 3’s. Yes sometimes he lacks motivation in games vs mediocre teams and thus doesn’t like to bang on the boards as much. Absolutely NONE of that changes the fact that not only is Rashed Wallace the best PF on our team, he’s the best player on said team and aside from Mr All Time in Boston these days not a SINGLE PF in our conference is as good as he is right now. Sure Bosh WILL pass him, so WILL Howard but they are NOT there yet and if you need any more proof of that please watch last years first round games again. Dissing on Sheed for not being the player he was 5 years ago is missing the point. This is completely BESIDES the fact that since we let Ben walk (Wisely, 64 Million is insane) he IS the damn leader of our team and a huge part of the reason the Pistons sell tickets. Sheed doesn’t want to play the 5 because it generates significantly more wear on his body than playing PF. He’s old enough, good enough and LOYAL enough to this team that the Pistons are willing to respect his wishes. With the exception of Joe, absolutely NOBODY in the organization has the credibility to force him to do so. Everyone needs to STOP pretending the guy is suddenly Antoine Walker just because we only finished 4TH OUT OF 30 TEAMS the past two years. Jeeze.

D) I agree with you Nazr wasn’t given a fair shake. If you search the archives you’ll find me pointing out the 2005 season/finals as an example of how why people shouldn’t give up on Nazr. Flip didn’t use him right last year, and there’s ALOT of pressure on someone stepping in to replace a guy like Big Ben. I’m hopefully optimistic about Nazr this season. That having been said he’s like 250 lbs and not exactly “slim”. Nobody plays 48 mins at 5 in the modern NBA and his healthy/fitness have been concerns at EVERY stop except SA in his career (Why ya think the Knicks traded him?).

E) Everything you just said about Amir Johnson is something I said on this very same blog a few months back. Thorough internet research, reading a pile of Summer League/Offseason articles/blogs and some help from the people who visit this blog have helped me see otherwise. Nobody can say where Amir will be used except Flip/Joe and they aren’t exactly likely to tell people before pre-season games are under way. However diligent examinations of statements from various members of the Pistons organization can confirm that Amir has grown roughly two inches and added 15 pounds, apparently of muscle. So if you take his weight height according to last official report (6′9″, 215 or so) and add those together… You get 6′11″ and 230. Sheed’s offical #’s are something to the effect of 6′11″ and 235.

F) Since i’m just a shade under 6′, my guess is bending me in half is the only way you could stop me from monster dunking on you over and over.

Peace.

and man, Ronnie, be nice- we’re all friends here. and last i checked, we are all ON THE SAME TEAM. don’t be offensive. if someone questions your comments, which were misguided (Matt is right, Amir is 6′11), don’t take offense brother.

Group hug everybody. (i’m grabbing popcorn, excited to see PG4L’s response…)

Now im sure if we run short at the 5 position which will happen more times than not this season…you will probably see Sheed moved over to the 5 but only under certain circumstances.

Next time before you diss me ya should read the archives son. I just had this conversation for about 5 pages and over 3 different threads.

Amir is supposedly 6′11″ inches and about 230…

So in other words the exact same size as Sheed minus 5 lbs. Nobody is sure he can play 5, but we’re all damn sure that Sheed doesn’t want to, Saamb isn’t even CLOSE to ready and Nazr can’t play forty-eight a night….

Thanks for the laugh.

Amir Johnson is a PF, if he can put on some muscle and is the type of player that has that “grind-it-out” mantality…then i could see him get SOME minutes at the 5.

I would still like to see C-Webb as a Piston…but he should come off the bench. It really hurt the Pistons in the playoffs, when it seemed like we were playing 5 on 4 when he was starting.

Amir’s not a center, yes, but he’s not a small forward?

http://www.82games.com/0607/06DET8C.HTM

What does it take to get Marcus Camby around here?

Check me at http://www.clutch3.com

At least the majority of us have this right.