13 and counting

It seems like years ago that I said the Pistons hit rock bottom. Little did I know it would get this bad. They lost by 35 points to a 15-20 team. Like most games, the Pistons didn't manage to even win a quarter. They were outplayed in every facet of the game and seemed to not care.

This free-fall is such a head-scratcher based on their performance early in the year. Kuester had the team swarming the ball and aggressively attacking the basket for both shots and rebounds. It was an energy Pistons fans hadn't since Carlisle's first season. Yet, the team that took the court against the Bulls was the exact opposite. They had no sense of desperation, no drive.

They're going to get Kuester fired... and maybe Joe D as well. And I wouldn't complain.

Soon, the Palace won't be able to give tickets away. The product on the floor is a harsh, painful reminder of how far they've fallen. When attendance dips to record lows, heads will roll.

So, how do they fix it? It's truly a mystery. Kuester has tried shifting the lineup, but no matchup works. My line of thinking is that he should focus solely on defense. Every team is gouging the defense. The Bulls shot 57%. Same with the 76ers. The Spurs shot 58%! These are not offensive juggernauts, but, every time the Pistons take the court, they make average players look like All-stars (David Lee! Luol Deng! Samuel Dalembert! Joakim Noah!). With a full commitment to defense, the games should at least be more competitive. The Stones will still have difficulty scoring since they've got no chemistry, but that's no surprise. The team is made up of five shooting guards, four small forwards, and five power forwards. Zero balance. That's on Joe, but the lack of D is on Kuester.

Have a little heart, Pistons. The product on the court is flat-out disgusting. It's exactly like watching the Lions, and there's only room for one pathetic organization in this town.

Ford, Ford, Ford!
It wasn't all sad news in Detroit yesterday. The auto show, often maligned and justifiably so, showed the world that the "Big 2" will not go away quietly. The Ford Fusion Hybrid won car of the year. GMC, long a brand for truckers and Toby Keith, unveiled the Granite - a small roadster that could compete with Civics and Camrys. Now don't spit out your coffee, but GMC actually produced a car that exceeds 12 miles per gallon! The Granite is rated at 27 city/33 highway.

Luminaries from Washington DC attended the event for the first time in years, and I can't help but think "too little too late" for both automakers and lawmakers. No doubt the lawmakers like Nancy Pelosi flew in to check in how GM is faring post-Government bailout. Yet, where was this government pressure ten years ago? Twenty? Where was the Ford and GM innovation when Honda and Toyota were taking over the market? The Fusion and Granite are great cars, but did it really need to take the crumbling of the American economy to produce change?

Perhaps it'll be a lesson for future generations. Don't wait to innovate.

For some overdue American innovation, check this out: