The Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are tonight — 7:30pm ET on NBA TV and ESPN Classic — and there will be some Detroit connections: Pistons owner Bill Davidson, former player Adrian Dantley and former coach Dick Vitale are all getting the nod. We’ve known this was coming since April, but it’s still nice to see.
Davidson doesn’t give many interviews, but when he does, you’re guaranteed to get some interesting answers. Fortunately for us, Mitch Albom scored an interview in today’s Free Press. Some highlights …
About his relationship with Isiah Thomas, which has since been repaired:
Q: Can you say anything — and I recognize it’s been a complex relationship over the years — about the falling out you two had at the end of his playing career?
A: Well, I was very, very close to Isiah, and there were times he was almost like a son. But, because of his background, um … I told him he had to change — you know, coming from where he came from. I said, “You’ve got it made now. Don’t keep doing those things that you’ve been doing.” I won’t tell you what they are. But he couldn’t change.
On his short leash with coaches:
Q: Speaking of coaching, let me ask you about a few coaches. Larry Brown. What can you tell me about him?
A: Well, Larry Brown is not what he appears to be. And he’s built a reputation for himself based on his own PR people. He’s not what he appears to be.
Q: What about Flip Saunders? Another case of someone who lost his players?
A: It’s a story by itself.
Q: Anything you can share?
A: No. He had definitely lost the players.
On referees dictating games and missed opportunities:
Q: What do you think of the whole Tim Donaghy scandal?
A: That’s the tip of the iceberg with referees.
Q: Do the refs’ calls upset you that much?
A: Yeah, it’s what they call and when they call it — and on whom they call it. And when you see what they do, you know that they’re kind of taking over the game and making the outcome certain — all they have to do is call a couple ticky-tack fouls on say, (Chauncey) Billups, and you’re not gonna win that game.
Q: Which of your teams, in your view, underachieved the most? Which was most frustrating?
A: Well, the worst loss was out in L.A. (in 1988) when I was in the room with David Stern getting ready to accept the trophy, and they call a foul on Bill Laimbeer against Kareem. Bill pulled down a clean rebound, and Hugh Evans calls a foul. You know that he was set up, and you know … I don’t say he had a bet on the game, but that was … that was unconscionable! And that cost us a championship, which we should have had. Which we had.
Q: What others?
A: The other bad one was the steal in Boston, when we had that game (and Larry Bird stole the ball). So the Bad Boys had two championships, which — one was legitimately taken away and the other was illegitimately taken away — and they still won two. So they basically should have had four.
It’s a rather lengthy interview and there’s there that I’m not mentioning, so I urge you to read the whole thing.
Hall-bound Bill Davidson on all the banners and all the bummers / Detroit Free Press
Wow, I’m surprised to hear Bill Davison say that the Pistons should have won 4 Championships in a row.
I know the Bad Boys should of won three, explained by Bill Davison in the column but four, including the time the Pistons got beat by the Celtics was definately not expected.
a.) The refs have been a problem in the NBA for pretty much my entire lifetime. Why does Stern not care? With the great successes of the league, still the officiating problems should be his legacy.
2.) Flip Saunders started losing the locker room since Ben was here. Why did he take so long to get fired, especially considering we finally fired him for a rookie head coach?
c.) Why Carlos Quentin? Why now? Sigh…
I thought the title said “Bill Davidson goes to Hell”
Hell is being next to Dick Vitale.
@Shinons:
#2: As much as we all have some serious issues with Flip, the reason it took so long is that Detroit consistently made it to the ECF under flip. Its kind of hard to fire a guy who gets you an open shot for the championship, although he never got us over the hump.
Davidson mentioned the Film Incentives! My mentor was instrumental in getting them passed. I really hope it helps Michigan, but fear it’ll only have a short term effect.
Congrats to Bill Davidson.
That article with Mitch was great.
However, I read it as a farewell. Why?
*********
Q: What makes a good owner?
A: A good owner is an owner who realizes his future is tied to the future of the league. Those who are very selfish about their own franchises miss the boat.
Q: I assume you’ve encountered a few of those in your time?
A: Yes. The owners in the NBA are far from a homogeneous group. … Also a lot of them, I think, just buy teams at certain times to enhance their own name. There are some egos involved. I would say, of the 30 owners, 20-25 don’t know what’s going on. And, even worse, don’t seem to care.
*********
There are several answers one can connect and cite as how to be successful as an owner. This one is dubious. The league is not healthy.
His commentary on owners is also too candid.
Expect more changes beyond players.
PS - the entirety of the article, re: his family, seem legitmate, but “keep it in the family” and “never sell” are two words a business executive will tell you are frivolous and a direct lie, respectfully.
words = phrases
Even more than the surprisingly sharp criticisms of Zeke and Flip, Davidson is pretty much accusing more refs of being crooked. I mean, there’s a difference between saying, “refs have too much power and sometimes get calls wrong,” and saying, “Donaghy was the tip of the iceberg” and that the refs intentionally screwed Detroit in their first finals against LA. And he said both.
Also, I’ll agree with Diablo. I loved the Bad Boys and my heart broke when Bird stole the ball, but I remember watching LA dismantle the Celtics in the finals that year and thinking that the Lakers would have beaten the Pistons too. That was the height of Showtime Lakers, they were pretty great, and Detroit needed one more year.
I thought it was a great interview. Some people don’t like Albom because of his huge ego. Disregarding that point I think he is one of the better journalists around and the best to write for local Detroit newspapers by far.
I have absolutely no problems with any of the questions by Albom or answers by Mr. D.
I would like to know what it was that Zeke couldn’t change. I have some thoughts on it by why post negative stuff in response to a great article.
“Some people don’t like Albom because of his huge ego”
I don’t like album because of his cheap, pompous style of journalism. Its a pretty basic formula, actually, and he pimps it quite well. First, say something sensational. Something amazing…
Put in a paragraph break for emphasis…
Then another paragraph break, and whatever he says– is gold.
(then again, i’m a critical bastard, so my opinion shouldn’t matter to Albom fans)
Somebody should pull that video clip of the Laimbeer rebound against Kareem (if it’s available) and follow up with referee Hugh Evans. Not to stir the pot but “You know that he was set up” is a pretty strong statement from Bill Davidson.
Is Ed Martin even mentioned in Albom’s FAB FIVE book?
Apparently, there are talks of sending Darko to the Knicks. That joke about writes itself, doesn’t it?
Wow, candid stuff. I liked it. The whole “keeping it in the family” thing just made me think that Joe D would take the reins, but who knows? That Isiah stuff was pretty surprising to me.
Upon further contemplation (LOL) I think the issue that Mr. D. was referring to regarding Zeke maybe the same issue that came up with Zeke and Anucha Brown.
My guess would be that this is maybe an issue that Zeke has had all along but back when he played and maybe even coached the Pacers men were able to get away with this kind of stuff a lot more than they can now. However, Mr. D. didn’t want any part of it back then as far as Zeke being coach of the Pistons.
The Lions are terrible.
Diablo, you might be right about MSU having the best football team in the State (and that’s including the Lions).
Hopefully, they’ll trade Calvin Johnson before his spirit gets crushed like Barry’s.
It’s depressing man but I think you are right…
As someone who roots for Michigan, The Lions AND still harbors a secret Tom Brady crush because he’s an ex-Wolverine…
Worst. Weekend. Evar!
This is gonna be a VERY long season.
PS… But we’ll still beat Sparty so STFU.
“PS… But we’ll still beat Sparty so STFU.”
Was that directed to me because I said nothing about MSU…but now that you mention it, we did lay a whoopin’ on EMU. So I guess football in this state is not a lost hope after all…
“Was that directed to me because I said nothing about MSU”
No, it was general trash talk towards Spartans fans everywhere. Please don’t mind me… as mentioned above, this is going to be a long football season for me.
PG4l, I’m afraid that your fingers are typing checks that Steve Threet and Nick Sheridan can’t cash.
Sheridan and Threet are what happen when Pryor and Mallett don’t play for the Wolverines. Give it one season, and a top chipper will land in Ann Arbor. They go there because it is football royalty, just like Alabama, Notre Dame, USC, et cetera.
QD, it’s MSU. The fact is that 10 kids from Dearborn and a pet dog could probably beat MSU. “At least we’ll beat Sparty” is kinda like saying “At least crucifiction gets you out in the open air”… it’s a “jesus is the glass THAT empty” type of moment.
Losing the opener against Utah (at home) hurts.
Giving up 318 yards rushing really hurts.
But losing to this guy? Man…
Jimmy Clausen…. so terrible the internets rejects all linkage to him.
I think we beat ND anyways. Maybe I’m wrong because I can’t exactly tell you WHY I think that…
Basically coaches at Michigan are judged, fairly or not, more on how they do vs traditional rivals… Losing to ND in your first year isn’t the kiss of death, but it’d make me suddenly WAY WAY less comfortable about the Rich Rod era…. Charlie Weis is a fraud… a GOOD coach exploits that, EVEN in a rebuilding year.
Also dear basketball people who read this and hate football… to be honest, I’m with you this time… I TOO can’t wait for basketball season…pretty much all my favorite teams are a damn train wreck this year… I mean how the hell do you give up like a 65 yard TD pass on a QB’s FIRST pro pass… like what covering WR’s is different in Tampa? Come now….
So frankly even stupid exhibition games involving players the Pistons will never play in a regular season game would be welcome at this point..
Until then however it’s like a car wreck, I just can’t stop looking….