I'm sort of at a loss for words, and for a blogger that's not good. The Pistons were manhandled (again) at home (again) by a bottom-feeder NBA team (again). This time it was the Knicks who beat the Pistons senseless. Two days ago, I said the Pistons should focus on winning a quarter, before they worry about winning a game. Well, the Knicks beat the Pistons every single quarter.
Folks, the Pistons can't compete with the worst teams in the NBA. That means the Pistons are - right now - the worst team in the NBA. They're like Lions-level bad.
Just take a minute and let that sink in.
They've now lost 8 in a row. Until they can figure out how to play defense again, I don't see them winning another game. The Knicks easily worked the ball around for open shots. They outrebounded the Pistons by 11, and David Lee scored 30 with 14 boards and 5 assists. The Pistons opened the game with five straight isolation plays on offense. For the uninitiated, that means the Pistons passed to a player on the wing, while the other players stood around waiting for the dude with the ball to go one-on-one. Not surprisingly, the Knicks jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.
I'm pretty distressed by all of this because the Pistons displayed earlier in the season that they were a team on the rise. They played with heart and passion. It was like the old "Goin' to work" Pistons. Now, they're... well... the Lions. I can't explain it. They are still battling injuries of course, but that's no excuse for the awful effort on both ends of the court. What happened to the team that knocked off Denver a mere 19 days ago? There's no relief in sight. Not unless they figure out how to pass the ball and close out perimeter shooters.
If I was Kuester, I'd sit Chris Wilcox - who somehow managed 14 minutes, while Kwame rode the pine all game. Earlier in the season, Kwame was one of the Pistons best interior defenders. Start Kwame with Big Ben. Time to shake things up. Start Chucky Atkins with Rip and Stuckey at the 3. Tayshaun's not ready to play starter minutes yet, so he can come off the bench. Bynum is injured so Chucky's the only real point guard. Rip can still shoot, but nobody can get him the ball. Stuckey needs to be a scorer, not an enabler. Put him at the 3 (or 2). This team has nothing to lose.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Spark of light at the end of the tunnel
The first half against Toronto was like Deja Vu. Not the strip club, unfortunately, but, rather, the exact duplicate of the previous game against Toronto. The Raptors dominated the Pistons at both ends of the court. The glorious return of Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Ben Gordon amounted to a 19 point half-time deficit. Forget about winning games, how about the Pistons just win a quarter?
It was flat-out ugly basketball, and I turned it off. Couldn't take it anymore. When I finally flipped back, the Pistons somehow clawed their way back into contention. They battled for a few minutes in the 4th quarter before Toronto pulled away with superior free throw shooting.
It was heartening that the Pistons at least played a competitive game, but Toronto is no world beater. They embarrassed the Pistons three nights before, and yet the Pistons still played with no chip on their shoulder. My theory is that Stuckey and Big Ben are flat-out worn down. It's barely a 1/3 into the season, but these two players carried the load with the massive rash of injuries. Stuckey was double-teamed every possession, and now he can barely launch for a layup. Big Ben was a beast in the first few weeks. Despite limiting his minutes, Ben's impact faded. He simply can't guard the best players in the league for a full season.
With those two players at less than 100%, the entire team has fallen off. The defense has no bite, and the offense has no flow. With the swarming defense of the first few weeks, the Pistons were at least able to force turnovers and get fast-break points. When was the last time the Pistons had a fast break? A dunk? They got tired legs, and it's shockingly early.
It was flat-out ugly basketball, and I turned it off. Couldn't take it anymore. When I finally flipped back, the Pistons somehow clawed their way back into contention. They battled for a few minutes in the 4th quarter before Toronto pulled away with superior free throw shooting.
It was heartening that the Pistons at least played a competitive game, but Toronto is no world beater. They embarrassed the Pistons three nights before, and yet the Pistons still played with no chip on their shoulder. My theory is that Stuckey and Big Ben are flat-out worn down. It's barely a 1/3 into the season, but these two players carried the load with the massive rash of injuries. Stuckey was double-teamed every possession, and now he can barely launch for a layup. Big Ben was a beast in the first few weeks. Despite limiting his minutes, Ben's impact faded. He simply can't guard the best players in the league for a full season.
With those two players at less than 100%, the entire team has fallen off. The defense has no bite, and the offense has no flow. With the swarming defense of the first few weeks, the Pistons were at least able to force turnovers and get fast-break points. When was the last time the Pistons had a fast break? A dunk? They got tired legs, and it's shockingly early.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Rock Bottom (hopefully)
I thought the Charlotte game was rock bottom. Apparently, the Pistons had other ideas. Against Toronto last night, the only thing worse than their offensive performance (64 points) was the fact that I was actually there to see it. The Pistons continue to find new ways to suck. Sorry for the negativity during this festive season. Unfortunately, there's no positive way to spin it.
During the last three games, the Pistons have averaged a 16 point deficit... at halftime. They've lost six in a row, though hardly against power teams. With the exception of the Lakers, the opponent's combined record is 69-73.
The Pistons were never an offensive juggernaut, but they've actually regressed since the beginning of the season. Forget about actually making a shot, they have difficulty actually taking a shot. The Raptors, the second worst defensive team in the NBA, kept the Pistons to 28% shooting. Kuester summed it up perfectly, "That was a terrible, embarrassing loss." During one of Toronto's many runs, the jumbotron showed Kuester burying his face in his hands. Welcome to our Hell.
Perhaps the most discouraging aspect of the loss is that the Pistons actually tried to win. They had tons of offensive rebounds which usually signifies high energy and effort. Yet, Toronto carved them up like General Patton through Bastogne.
Kuester took the blame for the loss, claiming, "We didn't look prepared, and that's my job." He's also gotta find an offensive flow. There was no movement, just repeated pick-and-rolls and isolation plays. Quick question... why would Kuester draw up a pick-and-roll with Ben Wallace? What's Ben gonna do? Roll off and hit a 18-footer? Those plays work with Chris Bosh, McDyess, Brad Miller. It's a worthless play if the guy setting the pick has no jumper. I don't get it. Ben is a fine passer and should be implemented in the offense, and it's on Kuester to figure it out. Whatever they're doing now should be considered a colossal failure.
I'm hoping, praying this is rock bottom. A few more losses like this and Kuester will be entering Marinelli-level incompetence. It's that bad. It's that embarrassing.
And things aren't much better on the ice. While the Pistons were sucking it up at the Palace, the Red Wings were getting shut out (yet again) by the Blackhawks. Folks in the D are about ready to raise up the white flag.
During the last three games, the Pistons have averaged a 16 point deficit... at halftime. They've lost six in a row, though hardly against power teams. With the exception of the Lakers, the opponent's combined record is 69-73.
The Pistons were never an offensive juggernaut, but they've actually regressed since the beginning of the season. Forget about actually making a shot, they have difficulty actually taking a shot. The Raptors, the second worst defensive team in the NBA, kept the Pistons to 28% shooting. Kuester summed it up perfectly, "That was a terrible, embarrassing loss." During one of Toronto's many runs, the jumbotron showed Kuester burying his face in his hands. Welcome to our Hell.
Perhaps the most discouraging aspect of the loss is that the Pistons actually tried to win. They had tons of offensive rebounds which usually signifies high energy and effort. Yet, Toronto carved them up like General Patton through Bastogne.
Kuester took the blame for the loss, claiming, "We didn't look prepared, and that's my job." He's also gotta find an offensive flow. There was no movement, just repeated pick-and-rolls and isolation plays. Quick question... why would Kuester draw up a pick-and-roll with Ben Wallace? What's Ben gonna do? Roll off and hit a 18-footer? Those plays work with Chris Bosh, McDyess, Brad Miller. It's a worthless play if the guy setting the pick has no jumper. I don't get it. Ben is a fine passer and should be implemented in the offense, and it's on Kuester to figure it out. Whatever they're doing now should be considered a colossal failure.
I'm hoping, praying this is rock bottom. A few more losses like this and Kuester will be entering Marinelli-level incompetence. It's that bad. It's that embarrassing.
And things aren't much better on the ice. While the Pistons were sucking it up at the Palace, the Red Wings were getting shut out (yet again) by the Blackhawks. Folks in the D are about ready to raise up the white flag.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Rock Bottom?
Folks, it pains me to say it, but our Stones were manhandled by the Charlotte Bobcats. The previously 10-16 Bobcats. Raymond Felton, Gerald Wallace, and Stephen Jackson scored at will in the first half, running circles around a lethargic Piston defense.
The Pistons mounted a token surge in the 4th quarter, but they never trimmed the lead to less than 10. It was perhaps the worst display of Detroit basketball I've seen since Lindsey Hunter's rookie season. No joke.
The loss brings the losing streak to 5 games, on the heels of a 5 game winning streak, which was on the heels of a seven game losing streak. I can see three reasons for the return to dreadful hoops:
Is there hope? I honestly don't know. Rip and Tay have missed a quarter of the season already, and Gordon's not far behind. Bynum and Villanueva are playing injured, and it shows. Charlie V scored 4 points tonight, with 3 turns. I got tickets for their game tomorrow against the Raptors. I'm hoping for a miracle.
The Pistons mounted a token surge in the 4th quarter, but they never trimmed the lead to less than 10. It was perhaps the worst display of Detroit basketball I've seen since Lindsey Hunter's rookie season. No joke.
The loss brings the losing streak to 5 games, on the heels of a 5 game winning streak, which was on the heels of a seven game losing streak. I can see three reasons for the return to dreadful hoops:
- Tired legs. This is the excuse Kelser offered after the game. He thinks the Piston injuries have caught up to them, and their depth is severely exhausted. Watching Austin Daye struggle to make a simple pass leads me to believe there is truth to this. A few weeks ago, Daye was the next Danny Granger. Now he's more Danny Ferry. Tay, Rip, and Little Ben can't get healthy quick enough.
- The New Orleans loss broke their will. This is what I postulated after that loss. They haven't been the same since. Dreadful energy and slow-footed defense. Yet, the argument against this excuse is that the Pistons didn't play all that well prior to the New Orleans game. They were pretty bad against Houston and in their final win against GS.
- Kuester actually sucks and the players stopped listening. This excuse might actually have some merit. A few games ago, Kuester called out Stuckey, and perhaps that didn't sit well with the rest of the team. Stuckey did play pretty damn well against Charlotte - the only Piston to do so. He scored 20 points, hitting an impressive array of difficult shots. But the team has ZERO flow on offense. Their assist totals - a problem all season - are reaching new lows. Teams have little difficulty suffocating the Piston offense in crunch time, when the Pistons are lucky enough to even make it to crunch time. Earlier in the season, the Pistons did seem to work the ball around and score some points. Now, we're back to Curry-ball. What's the deal, Q?
Is there hope? I honestly don't know. Rip and Tay have missed a quarter of the season already, and Gordon's not far behind. Bynum and Villanueva are playing injured, and it shows. Charlie V scored 4 points tonight, with 3 turns. I got tickets for their game tomorrow against the Raptors. I'm hoping for a miracle.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Last night, both the Red Wings and Pistons suffered disturbing losses. The Wings were shut out for the 4th time in 15 games, while the Pistons were dispatched by the Lakers after about ten minutes of competitive hoops.
The Red Wings I can forgive. Without Zetterberg, they lack their best scorer and best defender. They just can't be expected to do much with the make-shift lineup. They're still clinging to the final spot in the playoffs, so that should be considered a minor accomplishment. The Blackhawk goalie tried to still shower the Wings with respect by saying, "They still have Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Datsyuk." Yes, that's true. Three players. After that, who's left? Helm? Leino? Bertuzzi? The Wings still have too many holes. As fans, we shouldn't expect much with a shocking 8 key players out with injuries - Zetterberg, Franzen, Filppula, Williams, Ericsson, Cleary, Kronwall, and Lilja.
As for the Pistons, they showed no signs of life against the Lakers. I was worried that loss to the Hornets would send them into a tailspin. Since that crushing loss to Chris Paul and David West, the Pistons were manhandled by a moderately talented Oklahoma City and throttled by the Lakers at home. There was absolutely nothing positive to take from that game. Kuester called out Stuckey after the OkC loss, saying Stuckey needed to be a leader. Kuester did not elaborate, but my guess is that he wants more from Stuckey than just points. He wants Stuckey to improve at engaging his teammates on the offensive end. He's still too single-minded. Well, one day after getting called out, Stuckey played one of his worst games of the season. He sat out most of the first half thanks to foul trouble, and he tallied most of his points (16) during garbage time.
It was ugly. I suppose I could forgive the lopsided loss since they were playing the best team in the league, but I honestly feel the Pistons would've lost to Boulan Park Middle School last night. Like the Wings, injuries aren't helping. Charlie Villanueva played sporadically, and he's now fighting plantar fasciitis. Bynum tweaked his ankle again last night, and Gordon, Hamilton, and Prince remain out indefinitely. The onus is on Stuckey to lead this team. Stuckey may feel that he's improved dramatically this season, and he'd be correct. Yet, that doesn't free him from responsibility. Kuester challenged the young guard, and great players rise to the challenge.
The Red Wings I can forgive. Without Zetterberg, they lack their best scorer and best defender. They just can't be expected to do much with the make-shift lineup. They're still clinging to the final spot in the playoffs, so that should be considered a minor accomplishment. The Blackhawk goalie tried to still shower the Wings with respect by saying, "They still have Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Datsyuk." Yes, that's true. Three players. After that, who's left? Helm? Leino? Bertuzzi? The Wings still have too many holes. As fans, we shouldn't expect much with a shocking 8 key players out with injuries - Zetterberg, Franzen, Filppula, Williams, Ericsson, Cleary, Kronwall, and Lilja.
As for the Pistons, they showed no signs of life against the Lakers. I was worried that loss to the Hornets would send them into a tailspin. Since that crushing loss to Chris Paul and David West, the Pistons were manhandled by a moderately talented Oklahoma City and throttled by the Lakers at home. There was absolutely nothing positive to take from that game. Kuester called out Stuckey after the OkC loss, saying Stuckey needed to be a leader. Kuester did not elaborate, but my guess is that he wants more from Stuckey than just points. He wants Stuckey to improve at engaging his teammates on the offensive end. He's still too single-minded. Well, one day after getting called out, Stuckey played one of his worst games of the season. He sat out most of the first half thanks to foul trouble, and he tallied most of his points (16) during garbage time.
It was ugly. I suppose I could forgive the lopsided loss since they were playing the best team in the league, but I honestly feel the Pistons would've lost to Boulan Park Middle School last night. Like the Wings, injuries aren't helping. Charlie Villanueva played sporadically, and he's now fighting plantar fasciitis. Bynum tweaked his ankle again last night, and Gordon, Hamilton, and Prince remain out indefinitely. The onus is on Stuckey to lead this team. Stuckey may feel that he's improved dramatically this season, and he'd be correct. Yet, that doesn't free him from responsibility. Kuester challenged the young guard, and great players rise to the challenge.
Friday, December 18, 2009
31 to 16
I'm not the kind of fan that likes to complain about the refs. I understand that bad reffing is part of the game. Yet, I also believe that refs do play a major role. In every sport, they impact the outcome. So, on the rare occasion, it's totally justified to blame the ref. Tonight is such an occasion.
The subject of this post refers to the fouls called during the Pistons/Thunder game. The Pistons were whistled 31 times. The Thunder? 16. I watched the game in awe, as the refs continued to trot Kevin Durant to the free throw stripe every time his foot touched the paint. Sometimes the foul numbers are skewed when one team one shoots jumpers. This was not the case. In fact, the Thunder actually shot more jumpers than the Pistons but they still somehow got 36 free throw attempts to only 16 for the Stones.
Poor Austin Daye. In the first half, the young rook hit a sweet running hook as the shot clock expired... only to get whistled for a charge. Nick Collison, the savvy vet, planted his feet about two feet in front of Daye, but Daye side-stepped him. It didn't matter. Collison leaned into Daye and then fell backwards. Somehow, he got the call.
Yes, I'm angry and bitter and a homer. It's a crappy way to lose. Did the Pistons deserve to win? Probably not. They played the worst defense I've seen yet this year, and, in the 2nd half, their offense reverted (yet again) to Curry-ball. No flow, no motion, no points. They went long, long stretches without scoring a hoop, and Kuester needs to be held accountable. After the loss to New Orleans, I said it was the most disheartening loss since Utah. Well, the Utah loss broke their spirit, and it took a few weeks for the team to recover. I fear the same thing will happen now... with the Lakers looming on Sunday. They need to get that mojo back and keep playing aggressively. The refs won't always suck this badly.
Z
I must apologize for my lack of posts this week, for I was a bit under the weather. If I had been healthier, I would've sung the praises of the make-shift Red Wing lineup which is now on a 4-game winning streak. Last night, they got goals from Drew Miller, Bertuzzi, and Patrick Eaves - three players not on the team last year. I overheard Ken Daniels say Drew Miller now has 4 goals for the year - a career high. It's good to see at least a few guys thrive in the Wings' system.
Unfortunately, Mattias Ohlund absolutely crushed Zetterberg, knocking him out for at least two weeks. To say this is alarming would be an understatement. The Wings just can't catch a break with these injuries. Eight regular players are now out. Here's the hit:
The subject of this post refers to the fouls called during the Pistons/Thunder game. The Pistons were whistled 31 times. The Thunder? 16. I watched the game in awe, as the refs continued to trot Kevin Durant to the free throw stripe every time his foot touched the paint. Sometimes the foul numbers are skewed when one team one shoots jumpers. This was not the case. In fact, the Thunder actually shot more jumpers than the Pistons but they still somehow got 36 free throw attempts to only 16 for the Stones.
Poor Austin Daye. In the first half, the young rook hit a sweet running hook as the shot clock expired... only to get whistled for a charge. Nick Collison, the savvy vet, planted his feet about two feet in front of Daye, but Daye side-stepped him. It didn't matter. Collison leaned into Daye and then fell backwards. Somehow, he got the call.
Yes, I'm angry and bitter and a homer. It's a crappy way to lose. Did the Pistons deserve to win? Probably not. They played the worst defense I've seen yet this year, and, in the 2nd half, their offense reverted (yet again) to Curry-ball. No flow, no motion, no points. They went long, long stretches without scoring a hoop, and Kuester needs to be held accountable. After the loss to New Orleans, I said it was the most disheartening loss since Utah. Well, the Utah loss broke their spirit, and it took a few weeks for the team to recover. I fear the same thing will happen now... with the Lakers looming on Sunday. They need to get that mojo back and keep playing aggressively. The refs won't always suck this badly.
Z
I must apologize for my lack of posts this week, for I was a bit under the weather. If I had been healthier, I would've sung the praises of the make-shift Red Wing lineup which is now on a 4-game winning streak. Last night, they got goals from Drew Miller, Bertuzzi, and Patrick Eaves - three players not on the team last year. I overheard Ken Daniels say Drew Miller now has 4 goals for the year - a career high. It's good to see at least a few guys thrive in the Wings' system.
Unfortunately, Mattias Ohlund absolutely crushed Zetterberg, knocking him out for at least two weeks. To say this is alarming would be an understatement. The Wings just can't catch a break with these injuries. Eight regular players are now out. Here's the hit:
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Shades of '08?
Very discouraging loss by the Pistons last night. Perhaps the worst loss since Utah. The Pistons were up by 13 at the half and seemed in total control. Then they reverted to Curry-esque offensive sets allowing New Orleans back into the game.
The game was incredibly reminiscent of last year. The Stones would play well for 40 minutes and then fade at the end.
I'll start with the good news. Even without Rip Hamilton (out again with a hamstring pull), the Pistons manhandled the Hornets in the first half. Swarming defense caused over ten turnovers and led to easy baskets. They continued to rotate the ball on offense and work it inside. Even Chucky Atkins caught fire, hitting three straight shots. The Hornets were lucky to be only down 13 at the break. Greg Kelser astutely said before the break, "With the way the Hornets are playing, the Pistons should be upset they're not leading by more." Too true.
Despite scoring 28 and 27 in the first two quarters, the Stones only managed 18 and 14 in the final two. The offense just hit a wall. Chris Paul, who was shockingly scoreless in the first half, scored 16, but it was David West who was the difference maker. No Piston could slow him down. The big man scored 32, hitting an astounding 15 of 22 shots. On the other end of the court, the Pistons did just about everything wrong. They repeatedly turned it over (12 in the second half, mostly Stuckey and Bynum) and stopped attacking the basket. In crunch time, the offense consisted of either Stuckey or Bynum dribbling at the top of the key and then hoisting a contested jumper. I could've sworn I saw these guys on the sideline.
This was a bad, bad loss. The Hornets have a great player in Chris Paul, but they are not a great team. And yet they still beat the Pistons while sleepwalking through an entire half. Going back to their win over Golden State, this is three poor showings by the Pistons. They next travel to Oklahoma City to battle Kevin Durant. OkC already beat the Stones once this year. I do not have high hopes.
For what it's worth, Austin Daye's playing time has slowly increased. The silky shooter got 25 minutes last night, scoring 9. It's not a harbinger of greatness, but it does show Kuester's confidence in him. Daye continues to struggle with rotation defense, but he's quite a handful on the offensive end. For a 6'11 forward, he's a solid ballhandler who can score in a variety of ways. Teams know they have to respect his jumpshot, so they tend to swarm him, forcing him into a rookie mistake (traveling, stepping out of bounds, forced shot, etc). If Daye can improve his ability to find the open man, he'll be quite a handful.
The game was incredibly reminiscent of last year. The Stones would play well for 40 minutes and then fade at the end.
I'll start with the good news. Even without Rip Hamilton (out again with a hamstring pull), the Pistons manhandled the Hornets in the first half. Swarming defense caused over ten turnovers and led to easy baskets. They continued to rotate the ball on offense and work it inside. Even Chucky Atkins caught fire, hitting three straight shots. The Hornets were lucky to be only down 13 at the break. Greg Kelser astutely said before the break, "With the way the Hornets are playing, the Pistons should be upset they're not leading by more." Too true.
Despite scoring 28 and 27 in the first two quarters, the Stones only managed 18 and 14 in the final two. The offense just hit a wall. Chris Paul, who was shockingly scoreless in the first half, scored 16, but it was David West who was the difference maker. No Piston could slow him down. The big man scored 32, hitting an astounding 15 of 22 shots. On the other end of the court, the Pistons did just about everything wrong. They repeatedly turned it over (12 in the second half, mostly Stuckey and Bynum) and stopped attacking the basket. In crunch time, the offense consisted of either Stuckey or Bynum dribbling at the top of the key and then hoisting a contested jumper. I could've sworn I saw these guys on the sideline.
This was a bad, bad loss. The Hornets have a great player in Chris Paul, but they are not a great team. And yet they still beat the Pistons while sleepwalking through an entire half. Going back to their win over Golden State, this is three poor showings by the Pistons. They next travel to Oklahoma City to battle Kevin Durant. OkC already beat the Stones once this year. I do not have high hopes.
For what it's worth, Austin Daye's playing time has slowly increased. The silky shooter got 25 minutes last night, scoring 9. It's not a harbinger of greatness, but it does show Kuester's confidence in him. Daye continues to struggle with rotation defense, but he's quite a handful on the offensive end. For a 6'11 forward, he's a solid ballhandler who can score in a variety of ways. Teams know they have to respect his jumpshot, so they tend to swarm him, forcing him into a rookie mistake (traveling, stepping out of bounds, forced shot, etc). If Daye can improve his ability to find the open man, he'll be quite a handful.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Up and Down
The Red Wings, courtesy of their three game winning streak, now sit in the 8th spot of the playoff race. The team's defense is most responsible for the wins, with a little help from Bertuzzi. After seeing most shots hit the post or the goalie's stick, Bertuzzi finally got some favorable breaks. Two games ago, he scored a goal by ricocheting the puck off the goalie's back (from behind the net), and last game he had a pretty sweet spin-around back-hand shot that somehow ended up in the net too. Despite his banged-up body and bad reputation, the Wings are lucky to have him.
In the past five games (four wins), the Wings averaged 1.6 goals-against. Formerly their achilles heel, the penalty kill unit successfully thwarted all but one power-play during that span (18/19). Going back 10 games, the Wings killed off an impressive 29 of 30. With the defense and goaltending slowly coming around, the onus is on the offense to get some friggin' goals. It's clear at this point that Datsyuk will not be able to carry the load. The rangy center is just off. Whether it's hidden injuries, lack of interest, or bad luck, he's just not the same player from last season. Zetterberg remains consistently great, but he needs help. On Monday, the Wings got goals from Meech, Eaves, and new call-up Kris Newbury. As Mrs. NoFrownMotown pointed out after the game - none of those players were on the playoff roster. That's the type of effort the team will need the rest of the way.
One more bright note... Jonathan Ericsson hyperextended his knee during Monday's game. I was sure it was an ACL tear. The tests proved negative, though. He'll be out only two weeks with a bone bruise and calf strain. That's a huge relief. The big d-man hasn't had a great season, but, considering it's his first full year in the NHL, he's played well.
Pistons
The Stones were cut down to size last night. In the West, the Rockets are just a 14-10 team, but they showed how superior their division truly is. Even without Yao Ming, the Rockets' front court dominated. The Rockets were reminiscent of the early-2000s era Sacramento Kings - also coached by Rick Adelman. The Kings would blow the Pistons off the court with quick passing and torrid shooting, courtesy of Mike Bibby, C-Webb, and a slew of sweet-shooting late round draft picks (Peja Stojakovic, Brad Miller, Hedo Turkoglu, Bobby Jackson). That's exactly what happened last night.
The Rockets burned the Pistons early with 68% shooting in the first half. The defense had no answers. They were a step slow. They couldn't prevent penetration by point-guard Aaron Brooks, nor could they rotate over to disrupt the 3-pt bombs.
Not many folks would remember this, but the Pistons drafted three players in the 2nd round last summer. Two of those players are on the roster - Jerebko and Dajuan Summers. The 3rd pick started last night for the Rockets - Chase Budinger. The fair-haired small forward torched the Pistons for 16 points, 12 boards, and 5 assists. Not bad for a dude traded away for a "future second round pick." I can't completely blame the Pistons for this one, though. They had too many bodies for one roster, and somebody had to go. They must've thought Summers was the superior player, and he may just be a better fit for the Stones. The jury is still out. Yet, with Jerebko and Budinger, that's two second round picks starting for their respective teams as rookies. Impressive.
As for the game, Houston pulled away in the 2nd quarter, scoring on 11 of 12 possessions. It didn't matter who was in the game for either team. Houston steamrolled weak Pistons' defense. Stuckey led a brief Piston surge near the end of the half, as the Pistons pulled within 9, but that's as close as they would get. They stayed within shouting distance in the 3rd quarter, but Houston pulled out to an 18 point lead in the 4th. That was the game.
Pretty poor showing for the Stones, especially since they were exposed as a weak defensive unit - at least for this night. They're still a work in progress. They face another lightning-quick guard in Chris Paul tonight. Would be nice to have Will Bynum back!
In the past five games (four wins), the Wings averaged 1.6 goals-against. Formerly their achilles heel, the penalty kill unit successfully thwarted all but one power-play during that span (18/19). Going back 10 games, the Wings killed off an impressive 29 of 30. With the defense and goaltending slowly coming around, the onus is on the offense to get some friggin' goals. It's clear at this point that Datsyuk will not be able to carry the load. The rangy center is just off. Whether it's hidden injuries, lack of interest, or bad luck, he's just not the same player from last season. Zetterberg remains consistently great, but he needs help. On Monday, the Wings got goals from Meech, Eaves, and new call-up Kris Newbury. As Mrs. NoFrownMotown pointed out after the game - none of those players were on the playoff roster. That's the type of effort the team will need the rest of the way.
One more bright note... Jonathan Ericsson hyperextended his knee during Monday's game. I was sure it was an ACL tear. The tests proved negative, though. He'll be out only two weeks with a bone bruise and calf strain. That's a huge relief. The big d-man hasn't had a great season, but, considering it's his first full year in the NHL, he's played well.
Pistons
The Stones were cut down to size last night. In the West, the Rockets are just a 14-10 team, but they showed how superior their division truly is. Even without Yao Ming, the Rockets' front court dominated. The Rockets were reminiscent of the early-2000s era Sacramento Kings - also coached by Rick Adelman. The Kings would blow the Pistons off the court with quick passing and torrid shooting, courtesy of Mike Bibby, C-Webb, and a slew of sweet-shooting late round draft picks (Peja Stojakovic, Brad Miller, Hedo Turkoglu, Bobby Jackson). That's exactly what happened last night.
The Rockets burned the Pistons early with 68% shooting in the first half. The defense had no answers. They were a step slow. They couldn't prevent penetration by point-guard Aaron Brooks, nor could they rotate over to disrupt the 3-pt bombs.
Not many folks would remember this, but the Pistons drafted three players in the 2nd round last summer. Two of those players are on the roster - Jerebko and Dajuan Summers. The 3rd pick started last night for the Rockets - Chase Budinger. The fair-haired small forward torched the Pistons for 16 points, 12 boards, and 5 assists. Not bad for a dude traded away for a "future second round pick." I can't completely blame the Pistons for this one, though. They had too many bodies for one roster, and somebody had to go. They must've thought Summers was the superior player, and he may just be a better fit for the Stones. The jury is still out. Yet, with Jerebko and Budinger, that's two second round picks starting for their respective teams as rookies. Impressive.
As for the game, Houston pulled away in the 2nd quarter, scoring on 11 of 12 possessions. It didn't matter who was in the game for either team. Houston steamrolled weak Pistons' defense. Stuckey led a brief Piston surge near the end of the half, as the Pistons pulled within 9, but that's as close as they would get. They stayed within shouting distance in the 3rd quarter, but Houston pulled out to an 18 point lead in the 4th. That was the game.
Pretty poor showing for the Stones, especially since they were exposed as a weak defensive unit - at least for this night. They're still a work in progress. They face another lightning-quick guard in Chris Paul tonight. Would be nice to have Will Bynum back!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Detroit is going to work
Had the rare pleasure of watching this weekend's Pistons game with my Pop. He's the one most responsible for instilling this love/hate relationship with Detroit sports. It's mostly love, except for a bit of hate reserved for the team that just lost 48-3, but I digress.
My Dad and I were pretty disappointed with the first half performance. Against a 7-15 Golden State team (missing Biedrins), the Pistons were thoroughly outhustled and outshot. Golden State took a few minutes to heat up, but, once they did, they didn't cool down until half-time. It took a herculean effort for the Pistons to stay within 10pts. Monta Ellis showed why he's one of the best scoring guards in the league with a variety of impressive hoops. Rookie Stephen Curry pestered the Piston backcourt, notching 4 steals in the game. The Pistons had a ton of uncharacteristic turnovers (Stuckey the worst culprit - 7). Fast break points were 10-0 in favor of GS at the half. With that said, it was great seeing Rip back on the court.
Rip was definitely a bit rusty. His jumper was not fluid, and he seemed a step slow. Yet, when he left the court in the 1st period, Golden State went on a run. Coincidence? Perhaps. Rip returned in the 2nd quarter and led a brief flurry of Piston points, as Kuester opted for the 3-guard set to counter Golden State's speed. Chucky Atkins and Charlie V were key off the bench as they both settled the game down to the regular Piston pace. Without Biedrins, Golden State had nobody to guard Charlie V. He had a field day against Vladimir Radmanovic, scoring 24 on a stellar 9-14 shooting.
In the third quarter, the Pistons turned what seemed like a sure loss into a win. The defense locked down Golden State. After scoring 30 in the first, 25 in the second, GS only put up 12 in the third. Part of the Pistons' success, I should note, was poor 3pt shooting. GS had plenty of open 3s in the 3rd period that simply didn't go down. Golden State was playing the 2nd night of a back-to-back, and they may have hit a wall. Nevertheless, credit the Pistons for doing just enough to get the win, even on an off-night. Stuckey, despite his turnovers, scored a ton of points (29) on 10-18 shooting. I was critical of his poor shooting percentage earlier in the season, but the young guard is knocking down 49% this month - up from 40% in November. As an off-guard, Stuckey is turning it over more (4.2 vs 2.2 as a point-guard), and I wonder if that's a symptom of the Pistons' system. Last season, Rip turned it over a ton for a shooting guard, and that trend continued this year with both Stuckey and Gordon. But, Chucky Atkins, for his poor shooting woes, has definitely taken care of the ball - only 0.8 turns/game as a starter.
With players getting healthy, it should be interesting to see what Kuester does with all his guards. Chucky Atkins may find himself back on the bench in a few days, as Gordon and Bynum get healthy. Both those guys bring such unique scoring talent to the court, it would be hard to sit them. Yet, Chucky meshed great with Stuckey, and Kuester loves his on-court leadership. If the Pistons start to lose with Chucky on the bench, Coach Q would be a fool not to make a change. Chucky may be that perfect "glue" player for this team. The schedule stiffens the next few games - @ HOU, @ NO, @OKC, and home against the Lakers. It'll be a good test to see if the Pistons are truly improving or merely feasting upon weak foes.
My Dad and I were pretty disappointed with the first half performance. Against a 7-15 Golden State team (missing Biedrins), the Pistons were thoroughly outhustled and outshot. Golden State took a few minutes to heat up, but, once they did, they didn't cool down until half-time. It took a herculean effort for the Pistons to stay within 10pts. Monta Ellis showed why he's one of the best scoring guards in the league with a variety of impressive hoops. Rookie Stephen Curry pestered the Piston backcourt, notching 4 steals in the game. The Pistons had a ton of uncharacteristic turnovers (Stuckey the worst culprit - 7). Fast break points were 10-0 in favor of GS at the half. With that said, it was great seeing Rip back on the court.
Rip was definitely a bit rusty. His jumper was not fluid, and he seemed a step slow. Yet, when he left the court in the 1st period, Golden State went on a run. Coincidence? Perhaps. Rip returned in the 2nd quarter and led a brief flurry of Piston points, as Kuester opted for the 3-guard set to counter Golden State's speed. Chucky Atkins and Charlie V were key off the bench as they both settled the game down to the regular Piston pace. Without Biedrins, Golden State had nobody to guard Charlie V. He had a field day against Vladimir Radmanovic, scoring 24 on a stellar 9-14 shooting.
In the third quarter, the Pistons turned what seemed like a sure loss into a win. The defense locked down Golden State. After scoring 30 in the first, 25 in the second, GS only put up 12 in the third. Part of the Pistons' success, I should note, was poor 3pt shooting. GS had plenty of open 3s in the 3rd period that simply didn't go down. Golden State was playing the 2nd night of a back-to-back, and they may have hit a wall. Nevertheless, credit the Pistons for doing just enough to get the win, even on an off-night. Stuckey, despite his turnovers, scored a ton of points (29) on 10-18 shooting. I was critical of his poor shooting percentage earlier in the season, but the young guard is knocking down 49% this month - up from 40% in November. As an off-guard, Stuckey is turning it over more (4.2 vs 2.2 as a point-guard), and I wonder if that's a symptom of the Pistons' system. Last season, Rip turned it over a ton for a shooting guard, and that trend continued this year with both Stuckey and Gordon. But, Chucky Atkins, for his poor shooting woes, has definitely taken care of the ball - only 0.8 turns/game as a starter.
With players getting healthy, it should be interesting to see what Kuester does with all his guards. Chucky Atkins may find himself back on the bench in a few days, as Gordon and Bynum get healthy. Both those guys bring such unique scoring talent to the court, it would be hard to sit them. Yet, Chucky meshed great with Stuckey, and Kuester loves his on-court leadership. If the Pistons start to lose with Chucky on the bench, Coach Q would be a fool not to make a change. Chucky may be that perfect "glue" player for this team. The schedule stiffens the next few games - @ HOU, @ NO, @OKC, and home against the Lakers. It'll be a good test to see if the Pistons are truly improving or merely feasting upon weak foes.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Injuries
Both the Pistons and Wings have been hit hard with injuries this year, but they seem to have affected the teams in opposite ways. Put simply, injuries are helping the Stones but crippling the Wings.
Last night, the Pistons somehow beat the Denver Nuggets (2nd best team in the West). The usual suspects all sat out again with injuries, but they were also joined by Will Bynum, who finally decided to rest his ankles. Yes, you read that correctly - Bynumite sprained both ankles. And he had a bloody lip last game to boot.
For a team that was going to rock the league with their vaunted 3-guard set, they didn't even have 3 guards on the roster. Stuckey and Atkins played most of the game with Austin Daye (6'11) and Dajuan Summers (6'8) filling in at the 2 spot occasionally. Now, the Pistons don't register as an elite team just because they knocked off Denver. The Nugs were on their last game of a road trip, and, as George Karl said, "I didn't think we took them seriously in the first half." But you must give the Pistons credit for making them pay. That's the difference between the '08 and '09 Pistons. They come to play. What they lack in talent, they make up for in tenacity. Witness Ben Wallace late in the 4th quarter - the Pistons kept missing but Ben wouldn't give up the ball. Charlie V missed a free throw, and Ben grabbed the offensive board. Then Chucky missed, but Ben scored on a put-back. Stuckey missed on the next possession, but Ben stole the rebound right out of Nene's hands. Incredible.
With all the players missing, all three rookies got plenty of burn. While Dajuan Summers only notched 8 minutes, he did get to guard Carmelo and even registered a nice steal in crunch time. The bench players stepped up. Charlie V carried the offensive load most of the game, along with Stuckey, who outscored Billups. The one black-eye on Stuckey's game was 5 turnovers, but he was saved by Atkins who had ZERO. In 35 minutes! Very nice.
Yet, the Red Wings? Nobody is stepping up. The youngsters are getting plenty of opportunities. Ville Leino - 27 games, 3 goals. Abdelkader - 27 games, 3 goals. Helm, 25 games, 3 goals. And the veterans aren't making up for it. Zetterberg is averaging a point/game, but, after him, nobody is close.
The Red Wings are really hurting in scoring from the d-men. Lidstrom and Rafalski have 1 and 2 goals, respectively. Ericsson and Stuart aren't any better with 3 and 2. Last year, Lidstrom scored 16, but now he's on pace for 3. I should note, though, that the defense has actually improved to 9th in the league in goals-against. Last year, they were 19th. At this point, though, the defense is a secondary concern. They need scoring and the injuries suffered by the forwards exposed the Wings' lack of depth.
It's possible that the extra ice time for the youngsters will eventually pay off. Unfortunately, they've already played 30 of 82 games. Time will soon be running out. For the record, the Wings now sit as the 11th team in the West. Ouch.
Last night, the Pistons somehow beat the Denver Nuggets (2nd best team in the West). The usual suspects all sat out again with injuries, but they were also joined by Will Bynum, who finally decided to rest his ankles. Yes, you read that correctly - Bynumite sprained both ankles. And he had a bloody lip last game to boot.
For a team that was going to rock the league with their vaunted 3-guard set, they didn't even have 3 guards on the roster. Stuckey and Atkins played most of the game with Austin Daye (6'11) and Dajuan Summers (6'8) filling in at the 2 spot occasionally. Now, the Pistons don't register as an elite team just because they knocked off Denver. The Nugs were on their last game of a road trip, and, as George Karl said, "I didn't think we took them seriously in the first half." But you must give the Pistons credit for making them pay. That's the difference between the '08 and '09 Pistons. They come to play. What they lack in talent, they make up for in tenacity. Witness Ben Wallace late in the 4th quarter - the Pistons kept missing but Ben wouldn't give up the ball. Charlie V missed a free throw, and Ben grabbed the offensive board. Then Chucky missed, but Ben scored on a put-back. Stuckey missed on the next possession, but Ben stole the rebound right out of Nene's hands. Incredible.
With all the players missing, all three rookies got plenty of burn. While Dajuan Summers only notched 8 minutes, he did get to guard Carmelo and even registered a nice steal in crunch time. The bench players stepped up. Charlie V carried the offensive load most of the game, along with Stuckey, who outscored Billups. The one black-eye on Stuckey's game was 5 turnovers, but he was saved by Atkins who had ZERO. In 35 minutes! Very nice.
Yet, the Red Wings? Nobody is stepping up. The youngsters are getting plenty of opportunities. Ville Leino - 27 games, 3 goals. Abdelkader - 27 games, 3 goals. Helm, 25 games, 3 goals. And the veterans aren't making up for it. Zetterberg is averaging a point/game, but, after him, nobody is close.
The Red Wings are really hurting in scoring from the d-men. Lidstrom and Rafalski have 1 and 2 goals, respectively. Ericsson and Stuart aren't any better with 3 and 2. Last year, Lidstrom scored 16, but now he's on pace for 3. I should note, though, that the defense has actually improved to 9th in the league in goals-against. Last year, they were 19th. At this point, though, the defense is a secondary concern. They need scoring and the injuries suffered by the forwards exposed the Wings' lack of depth.
It's possible that the extra ice time for the youngsters will eventually pay off. Unfortunately, they've already played 30 of 82 games. Time will soon be running out. For the record, the Wings now sit as the 11th team in the West. Ouch.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Cleary out 4 weeks
Wow.
Another blow to the already injury-ravaged Red Wings. In the first game of the season, Babcock used these top three scoring lines:
Johan Franzen-Pavel Datsyuk-Tomas Holmstrom
Todd Bertuzzi-Henrik Zetterberg-Dan Cleary
Ville Leino-Valtteri Filppula-Jason Williams
Of those nine players, only five remain. I'm officially going to say injuries are now impacting the wins/losses. Yes, I know it's no huge revelation, but I figured injuries was too convenient an excuse. The team needed to take responsibility for the awful results. I doubt many teams would be able to compete with so many forwards missing.
The silver lining is that the two best forwards remain. They need to carry the load. That means you, Datsyuk!
Another blow to the already injury-ravaged Red Wings. In the first game of the season, Babcock used these top three scoring lines:
Johan Franzen-Pavel Datsyuk-Tomas Holmstrom
Todd Bertuzzi-Henrik Zetterberg-Dan Cleary
Ville Leino-Valtteri Filppula-Jason Williams
Of those nine players, only five remain. I'm officially going to say injuries are now impacting the wins/losses. Yes, I know it's no huge revelation, but I figured injuries was too convenient an excuse. The team needed to take responsibility for the awful results. I doubt many teams would be able to compete with so many forwards missing.
The silver lining is that the two best forwards remain. They need to carry the load. That means you, Datsyuk!
Lyon gone, perhaps Guillen too
It appears my instincts on Dave Dombrowski are completely incorrect. I thought he'd hold onto Granderson and push to keep Brandon Lyon. Nope. We all know about the Granderson deal, and it was announced yesterday that Lyon signed a 3-year deal with the Astros.
A clever poster on mLive - tigerjohn - commented that, since all these deals are a direct result of the overblown salaries to D-train, Maggs, Nate, and Bonderman, it's like reverse chemo - killing off the healthy cells to keep the disease. Genius.
Now that Lyon is officially gone, will Dombrowski push to keep Rodney? I guess he should. As much as it pained me watching that guy repeatedly walk the bases loaded, he's probably still better than the alternative. Nobody in the Tiger organization is ready to step into the closer's role. The Royals have the best closer in the Central with Joakim Soria, and that dude made just a million bucks last year! Despite spending $40million less than the Tigers, the Royals have a more balanced team. Yet, I shouldn't fault Dombrowski or Ilitch for spending money. They were trying to build a winner and made some poor and unlucky decisions.
The latest rumor is the Tigers are trying to ship Carlos Guillen for Juan Pierre. Pierre is due $18.5M the next two seasons, while Guillen is due even more.
Power Outtage
Mrs. NoFrownMotown and I lost our power last night, so we missed the games. From the score, though, it seems the Wings had a power outtage of a different kind. 42 shots and no goals? 2 shots off the post? And one goal disallowed? It's like Groundhog Day. I read on mLive this morning that the disallowed goal was the team's 4th in 12 games. How many goals from the opposition were waved off in that time? None. What about for the entire season? None. It seems the refs only "intend to call the play dead" when the Wings are trying to score. I'm trying to be objective about this, but the facts make it difficult.
In even worse news, Dan Cleary went down with an undisclosed injury. His status is unknown. I think Joe Kocur just got a call to lace up his skates.
As for the Pistons, Stuckey came close to a triple-double and hit a game-winning shot. Patrick Hayes offers his always-excellent analysis here.
A clever poster on mLive - tigerjohn - commented that, since all these deals are a direct result of the overblown salaries to D-train, Maggs, Nate, and Bonderman, it's like reverse chemo - killing off the healthy cells to keep the disease. Genius.
Now that Lyon is officially gone, will Dombrowski push to keep Rodney? I guess he should. As much as it pained me watching that guy repeatedly walk the bases loaded, he's probably still better than the alternative. Nobody in the Tiger organization is ready to step into the closer's role. The Royals have the best closer in the Central with Joakim Soria, and that dude made just a million bucks last year! Despite spending $40million less than the Tigers, the Royals have a more balanced team. Yet, I shouldn't fault Dombrowski or Ilitch for spending money. They were trying to build a winner and made some poor and unlucky decisions.
The latest rumor is the Tigers are trying to ship Carlos Guillen for Juan Pierre. Pierre is due $18.5M the next two seasons, while Guillen is due even more.
Power Outtage
Mrs. NoFrownMotown and I lost our power last night, so we missed the games. From the score, though, it seems the Wings had a power outtage of a different kind. 42 shots and no goals? 2 shots off the post? And one goal disallowed? It's like Groundhog Day. I read on mLive this morning that the disallowed goal was the team's 4th in 12 games. How many goals from the opposition were waved off in that time? None. What about for the entire season? None. It seems the refs only "intend to call the play dead" when the Wings are trying to score. I'm trying to be objective about this, but the facts make it difficult.
In even worse news, Dan Cleary went down with an undisclosed injury. His status is unknown. I think Joe Kocur just got a call to lace up his skates.
As for the Pistons, Stuckey came close to a triple-double and hit a game-winning shot. Patrick Hayes offers his always-excellent analysis here.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Sifting through the rubble
With the departures of Granderson, Edwin, Polanco, Thames, Rodney, and Lyon, who is left?
First, I should clarify that Rodney and Lyon can still re-sign with the team, though I find it doubtful. Dombrowski continues to scour the closer market. He's still eying oft-injured JJ Putz. It's clear that the 2010 Tigers will be vastly different.
For all his troubles against lefties, Granderson was still one of the better Tiger hitters. He slumped through most of 2009, but, for his career, hit .272 - not bad for a guy who also knocked in 30 home runs. He brought Gold Glove-level defense to center field, and his intangibles... well, they're off the charts. He is the type of guy you build the team around.
The Tigers will likely not miss him on the offensive end, but the gaping holes in centerfield, in the lockerroom, and at the ticket office will be tangible. Sifting through the message boards, I lost count of how many fans said they would not renew their season tickets. When March rolls around, there will be zero buzz about these Tigers. Attendance could drop 30-40%. With that said, all the angry fans (myself included) will be back on the bandwagon should the team start winning.
How likely is that with so many key cogs no longer in place? Let's take a look at who is coming to Detroit from the Granderson/Jackson trade:
Max Scherzer - 25 year old starting pitcher. Like all the players on this list, I've never seen this kid play, so I'll limit any personal editorial. Everything will be based on facts and stats. Scherzer was the D-backs 1st round pick (11th overall) three years ago. He's got a big right arm that reaches 95+. In his first full season of duty, Scherzer went 9-11 (for a 70-92 team) with a 4.12 ERA. Two more stats pop out with this kid: a fair 1.3 WHIP and an impressive 9.2 K/9innings. He seems to have the makings of a good-to-very-good starter. Why would Arizona let him go? They likely thought that Edwin Jackson is simply better. Edwin's stats from last season are far superior to Scherzer's, especially considering that Edwin was pitching in a high-stress pennant race. Edwin's numbers dropped off in the 2nd half, but he still finished with a superior ERA, WHIP, and win total. No doubt the Tigers are hoping Scherzer can make the jump that Edwin did this past season, but pitching in the American league will be significantly tougher.
Austin Jackson - 22 year old outfielder. Jackson hit .300 in AAA last season, with 24 steals and 123 strikeouts. He's a righty with speed, but that strikeout total is high for a contact hitter (4 HRs). Why would the Yankees let him go? Most top prospects make the jump to the majors directly from AA. The fact that Jackson spent an entire season in AAA shows that the Yankees felt he needed more seasoning. The Tigers are in desperate need of lefties. Giving up a lefty for a righty makes little sense. But the Tigers have no definite answer for center field right now. Jackson will likely battle Clete Thomas for that spot next season.
Phil Coke - 26 year old lefty reliever. Coke pitched 60 innings of middle relief for the Yankees, sporting a 4.50 ERA. He had 21 holds but 5 blown saves. Why would the Yankees let him go? Likely the blown saves and high ERA did not impress the pinstripes. Coke should have no trouble making the Tigers bullpen, though he and Bobby Seay fill the same role. Seay, with a high salary, might get sacrificed.
Dan Schlereth - 23 year old lefty reliever. Another former first round pick of the D-backs (26th overall). Last season, Schlereth ascended from AA to AAA to the majors. His combined numbers in the minors were 0.98 ERA, with an eye-popping 13K/9innings. With the senior team, Schlereth hit a wall - pitching 18 innings with a 5.9 ERA. Why would the Diamondbacks let him go? I honestly don't know why other than they weren't happy with his high ERA. Hard-throwing lefties are tough to find. My guess is Schlereth will start the season in the minors as a potential closer and see how he fares.
All these players seem like fair-to-good prospects. Trading known commodities (not mention All-stars) for prospects is always a huge gamble. The four players coming in are extremely cheap and can't become free agents for many years. The two players going out are more expensive and will command even more salary in the coming years. I figured Dombrowski and Ilitch would wait and take the hit for 2010. I was clearly wrong. They traded two key cogs to the team and received question marks in return. Will the Tigers be better next year? Extremely doubtful. The losses will pile up as the new faces take their major league lumps (if they even make the team).
First, I should clarify that Rodney and Lyon can still re-sign with the team, though I find it doubtful. Dombrowski continues to scour the closer market. He's still eying oft-injured JJ Putz. It's clear that the 2010 Tigers will be vastly different.
For all his troubles against lefties, Granderson was still one of the better Tiger hitters. He slumped through most of 2009, but, for his career, hit .272 - not bad for a guy who also knocked in 30 home runs. He brought Gold Glove-level defense to center field, and his intangibles... well, they're off the charts. He is the type of guy you build the team around.
The Tigers will likely not miss him on the offensive end, but the gaping holes in centerfield, in the lockerroom, and at the ticket office will be tangible. Sifting through the message boards, I lost count of how many fans said they would not renew their season tickets. When March rolls around, there will be zero buzz about these Tigers. Attendance could drop 30-40%. With that said, all the angry fans (myself included) will be back on the bandwagon should the team start winning.
How likely is that with so many key cogs no longer in place? Let's take a look at who is coming to Detroit from the Granderson/Jackson trade:
Max Scherzer - 25 year old starting pitcher. Like all the players on this list, I've never seen this kid play, so I'll limit any personal editorial. Everything will be based on facts and stats. Scherzer was the D-backs 1st round pick (11th overall) three years ago. He's got a big right arm that reaches 95+. In his first full season of duty, Scherzer went 9-11 (for a 70-92 team) with a 4.12 ERA. Two more stats pop out with this kid: a fair 1.3 WHIP and an impressive 9.2 K/9innings. He seems to have the makings of a good-to-very-good starter. Why would Arizona let him go? They likely thought that Edwin Jackson is simply better. Edwin's stats from last season are far superior to Scherzer's, especially considering that Edwin was pitching in a high-stress pennant race. Edwin's numbers dropped off in the 2nd half, but he still finished with a superior ERA, WHIP, and win total. No doubt the Tigers are hoping Scherzer can make the jump that Edwin did this past season, but pitching in the American league will be significantly tougher.
Austin Jackson - 22 year old outfielder. Jackson hit .300 in AAA last season, with 24 steals and 123 strikeouts. He's a righty with speed, but that strikeout total is high for a contact hitter (4 HRs). Why would the Yankees let him go? Most top prospects make the jump to the majors directly from AA. The fact that Jackson spent an entire season in AAA shows that the Yankees felt he needed more seasoning. The Tigers are in desperate need of lefties. Giving up a lefty for a righty makes little sense. But the Tigers have no definite answer for center field right now. Jackson will likely battle Clete Thomas for that spot next season.
Phil Coke - 26 year old lefty reliever. Coke pitched 60 innings of middle relief for the Yankees, sporting a 4.50 ERA. He had 21 holds but 5 blown saves. Why would the Yankees let him go? Likely the blown saves and high ERA did not impress the pinstripes. Coke should have no trouble making the Tigers bullpen, though he and Bobby Seay fill the same role. Seay, with a high salary, might get sacrificed.
Dan Schlereth - 23 year old lefty reliever. Another former first round pick of the D-backs (26th overall). Last season, Schlereth ascended from AA to AAA to the majors. His combined numbers in the minors were 0.98 ERA, with an eye-popping 13K/9innings. With the senior team, Schlereth hit a wall - pitching 18 innings with a 5.9 ERA. Why would the Diamondbacks let him go? I honestly don't know why other than they weren't happy with his high ERA. Hard-throwing lefties are tough to find. My guess is Schlereth will start the season in the minors as a potential closer and see how he fares.
All these players seem like fair-to-good prospects. Trading known commodities (not mention All-stars) for prospects is always a huge gamble. The four players coming in are extremely cheap and can't become free agents for many years. The two players going out are more expensive and will command even more salary in the coming years. I figured Dombrowski and Ilitch would wait and take the hit for 2010. I was clearly wrong. They traded two key cogs to the team and received question marks in return. Will the Tigers be better next year? Extremely doubtful. The losses will pile up as the new faces take their major league lumps (if they even make the team).
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Welcome to irrelevance, Tigers
It's a done deal.
Granderson to Yankees, and Edwin to the Rays. I can stomach the Edwin for another starter (Scherzer). But Granderson? For a prospect? I don't care that he's the top outfield prospect in the Yankees system. If the Yankees thought so highly of the kid, they wouldn't be trying to land Curtis.
I simply am beyond words on this one. How can they let these two guys go? The trade of Edwin would've been a blow, but the trade of Edwin AND Curtis is just too much. Curtis is a fan favorite and all-around good guy - the face of the friggin' franchise. Dombrowski, you broke our hearts.
And, speaking of Dombrowski, I defended the dude up to this point. I felt he was the victim of bad timing and bad luck (see: Dontrelle's contract and the Renteria trade), but this trade is unforgiveable. I will defend him no more. This trade will simply kill attendance next season.
I blame the Twins.
Coincidentally, this link was listed just below the story on the big trade. Good luck with THAT one.
Granderson to Yankees, and Edwin to the Rays. I can stomach the Edwin for another starter (Scherzer). But Granderson? For a prospect? I don't care that he's the top outfield prospect in the Yankees system. If the Yankees thought so highly of the kid, they wouldn't be trying to land Curtis.
I simply am beyond words on this one. How can they let these two guys go? The trade of Edwin would've been a blow, but the trade of Edwin AND Curtis is just too much. Curtis is a fan favorite and all-around good guy - the face of the friggin' franchise. Dombrowski, you broke our hearts.
And, speaking of Dombrowski, I defended the dude up to this point. I felt he was the victim of bad timing and bad luck (see: Dontrelle's contract and the Renteria trade), but this trade is unforgiveable. I will defend him no more. This trade will simply kill attendance next season.
I blame the Twins.
Coincidentally, this link was listed just below the story on the big trade. Good luck with THAT one.
Tiger Talks
With Dombrowski at the winter meetings, every hour brings news of a new Tiger trade. Last night, there was a rumored three team deal that would ship Edwin to the D'backs and Granderson to the Yanks. The Tigers would receive starting pitcher Max Scherzer and center field prospect Austin Jackson (plus others).
Yet, the Tigers cooled on this, according Buster Olney's twitter page. I still don't quite understand why the Tigers would want to trade those two players in the first place. Granderson is slated to earn $5.5M next season. Edwin is out of a contract, but his arbitration deal would be something like $8M. So, the Tigers save roughly $13.5M next year. Folks, that's chump change. They're paying $13M to Guillen alone, $12M to D-train, $12.5M to Bonderman, $10M to Nate, and $18M to Maggs! Yes, it might be nice for Ilitch to clear the Granderson and Edwin salaries off the books and maybe break even, but at what price? The PR hit would be severe. Despite the awful economy, Tiger fans still came to the park last year. They didn't set any attendance records, but they supported a mediocre team all year long. They would certainly do the same next season, unless the fans feel the team isn't interested in winning.
Sports fans are savvy, especially in Detroit. Teams not named the Lions suffer in attendance if fans sense a change in culture. Trading those two young, talented players would send a clear signal that the Tigers are desperately cutting costs. I believe that - if Ilitch publicly stated that money is an issue - fans of Detroit will buy $5 Hot-n-readys every day if it meant keeping the Tiger core in place for 2011. All those salaries that I mentioned earlier (save Guillen) come off the books after this year. That's a total of $60M. Granted, some salaries would increase in 2011, like Verlander, Jackson and Granderson (should they all stay), but the increases would be a small fraction of the $60M.
I find it hard to believe that Dombrowski and Ilitch would not simply take the financial hit in 2010, knowing how much better off they'd be in 2011. Why sacrifice the future? Yet, here we are. Trade rumors every hour on the hour. According to that Buster Olney twitter page, the Tigers are asking for the moon. That's the best news we've heard all week.
*************
In much, much less interesting news, the Tigers did resign Adam Everett. He'll resume his role as primary shortstop. Ramon Santiago will shift between short and 2nd base, sharing time at 2nd with rookie Scott Sizemore. At the very least, the Tigers middle infield will be in decent shape, though a definite step down without Polanco.
Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney both turned down arbitration. That's somewhat good news for Tiger fans. They can still sign with the Tigers, but, should they sign elsewhere, the Tigers get two picks after the 1st round of next year's MLB draft. My guess is that Lyon will draw some interest around the league, but he may stick with the Tigers as the 1st choice closer. As for Rodney, I think he's gone. Some other team will fall in love with his save stats and outbid Dombrowski.
Yet, the Tigers cooled on this, according Buster Olney's twitter page. I still don't quite understand why the Tigers would want to trade those two players in the first place. Granderson is slated to earn $5.5M next season. Edwin is out of a contract, but his arbitration deal would be something like $8M. So, the Tigers save roughly $13.5M next year. Folks, that's chump change. They're paying $13M to Guillen alone, $12M to D-train, $12.5M to Bonderman, $10M to Nate, and $18M to Maggs! Yes, it might be nice for Ilitch to clear the Granderson and Edwin salaries off the books and maybe break even, but at what price? The PR hit would be severe. Despite the awful economy, Tiger fans still came to the park last year. They didn't set any attendance records, but they supported a mediocre team all year long. They would certainly do the same next season, unless the fans feel the team isn't interested in winning.
Sports fans are savvy, especially in Detroit. Teams not named the Lions suffer in attendance if fans sense a change in culture. Trading those two young, talented players would send a clear signal that the Tigers are desperately cutting costs. I believe that - if Ilitch publicly stated that money is an issue - fans of Detroit will buy $5 Hot-n-readys every day if it meant keeping the Tiger core in place for 2011. All those salaries that I mentioned earlier (save Guillen) come off the books after this year. That's a total of $60M. Granted, some salaries would increase in 2011, like Verlander, Jackson and Granderson (should they all stay), but the increases would be a small fraction of the $60M.
I find it hard to believe that Dombrowski and Ilitch would not simply take the financial hit in 2010, knowing how much better off they'd be in 2011. Why sacrifice the future? Yet, here we are. Trade rumors every hour on the hour. According to that Buster Olney twitter page, the Tigers are asking for the moon. That's the best news we've heard all week.
*************
In much, much less interesting news, the Tigers did resign Adam Everett. He'll resume his role as primary shortstop. Ramon Santiago will shift between short and 2nd base, sharing time at 2nd with rookie Scott Sizemore. At the very least, the Tigers middle infield will be in decent shape, though a definite step down without Polanco.
Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney both turned down arbitration. That's somewhat good news for Tiger fans. They can still sign with the Tigers, but, should they sign elsewhere, the Tigers get two picks after the 1st round of next year's MLB draft. My guess is that Lyon will draw some interest around the league, but he may stick with the Tigers as the 1st choice closer. As for Rodney, I think he's gone. Some other team will fall in love with his save stats and outbid Dombrowski.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Good day for the D
Solid, solid wins by the Pistons and Wings last night. Both played tight, evenly-matched games and ended up on top. First, the Wings...
Is it bad that I was pleased with an overtime loss on Saturday night? At least they earned a point. I didn't watch too much of the game, but they evidently came back from a two-goal deficit to send it to overtime. Then we all know what happens to the Wings in OT. But, hey, they got a point, which they desperately need.
Last night, they played the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The first period was vintage Red Wings with dominant puck possession and a flurry of shots on goal, resulting in no actual goals. When Fox flashed the graphic with the Red Wings sporting a 10-3 shots advantage, it was only fitting that the Rangers would break out and tap in a goal, completely against the run of play. Very irksome. The 2nd period was relatively even, but the Wings got the equalizer thanks to some stellar forechecking. Zetterberg sent a pass across the ice to Pavel whose shot slid under a partially-screened goalie, compliments of Homer.
The Wings were much more cohesive this game, and Pavel seemed back to his old self. He was darting in and out of checks and had at least three stellar take-aways that led to scoring chances. The Rangers had plenty of their own chances in the 3rd period, thanks to three straight power plays. Twice they had open-net opportunities that were barely thwarted. Somehow, Jimmy Howard found a way to keep the puck out of the net. With the score deadlocked at 1-1, the Wings made a late rush into the Rangers' zone. Cleary received a cross-ice pass from Zetterberg and shot a no-angle shot from ten feet away. The puck ricocheted off the goalie's skates into the net for the game-winner. Lucky, but somewhat deserved.
Draper added a late empty-netter to cap the 3-1 win. Good effort, good penalty kill. The Wings are now only 1 point from the 8th and final playoff spot!
As for the Stones... they hosted the Wizards at the Palace. Coach Q's boys came out with their usual high energy. Stuckey led the scoring early, as the Pistons threatened to take a double-digit lead throughout most of the first. Savvy 5'5 vet Earl Boykins continued to remind Piston fans of his dominant days at EMU by single-handedly keeping the Wiz in the game, scoring 18 off the bench. In the 2nd quarter, the Piston bench pummeled the Wiz on the glass, regularly getting 2nd and 3rd chance shots. It looked like a sure Piston win, but hot-shooting kept the Wiz close. Boykins hit a 1st half buzzer-beater to cap a 7-0 Wizards run and pull the Wiz to within 3.
That Wiz momentum carried into the 3rd quarter. Stuckey picked up his fourth foul early and had to sit. With Gordon out with an injury, Coach Q was in a quandary. A roster with Hamilton, Stuckey, and Ben Gordon suddenly had no shooting guards. Instead of opting for the sub-6ft guard tandem of Bynumite and Chucky Atkins, Coach Q paired Bynumite with 6'11 Austin Daye. Daye responded with his best game. Hitting all five of his shots - each in a different and difficult fashion - Daye singlehandedly carried the Piston offense in the 3rd. He certainly caught Flip Saunders' attention, as he had his defense trapping Daye in later possessions. When he's on, Daye shows flashes of Danny Granger, but Daye suffers from the typical rookie-inconsistency. Regular minutes will help the kid find a consistent groove.
In the 4th quarter, the Wizards cooled off, as both teams ramped up the defense. Coach Q brought Stuckey back on the court, and the Pistons slowly took control with their current close-out lineup: Bynum, Stuckey, Jerebko, Charlie V, and Big Ben.
Charlie V, by the way, played a solid all-around game, though I wish the dude would take fewer three-pointers. Like Sheed, he has a fluid release, but, also like Sheed, he has an even better post-up game. For the game, Charlie shot 8-19 but only 1-8 from 3pt land. Now, I'm no math genius, but even I can calculate that Charlie shot 7-11 inside the arc. He fares well as a spot-up shooter, but he's developed a habit of hoisting 3s rushed and off-balance. With the way the Piston guards attack the basket, my guess is that Charlie often has to abandon the lane to provide space. But that shouldn't occur on every possession. I did not see the dude did not post-up once in the 2nd half.
In the first half, the Pistons carried the game by working the ball inside and getting layups. They were a jump-shooting team in the 2nd. They hit just enough shots to keep the lead. After a stellar Ben Wallace steal, Stuckey hit a dagger 20 footer with about 50 seconds left to give the Pistons a 6 point cushion. The Wizards mounted a little rally to keep it interesting, but Bynum made just enough free throws to win the game.
This was a good win. Washington was completely healthy and has a roster of talented scorers. The Pistons, as we all know, are desperately short-handed. Even "healthy" players like Villanueva and Bynum are not 100%. But they're still playing competitive, attractive hoops and even winning a few games. The key, not surprisingly, is Ben Wallace. Despite not scoring a single point last night, Big Ben dominated. He led the team in assists (!!) the first half, and then worked some lock-down defense to halt the Wizards' 2nd half surge, commiting nary a foul. Paired with Jerebko, those two make a formidable ball-hawking, board-clearing tandem. After Ben's stellar steal, Mrs. Nofrownmotown stated, "The Pistons are screwed if he goes down."
No doubt.
Like he was in the "Goin' to Work" days, Big Ben is the heart of the team. He must stay healthy. His influence on the younger players cannot be ignored. Kwame Brown was a decent player last year, but he's infinitely more aggressive with Ben in the lineup. Stuckey is now a quality defender (Agent Zero shot 3-9), and Jerebko is like a young Rodman. Coach Q stated publicly, "Jonas is emerging as one of the best rookies in the league." I can't disagree. He might just be one of the best. My hope is that the kid gets an invite to the Rookie/Sophomore game at the All-star break. I can't recall a 2nd rounder ever getting picked for that game.
All in all, an important win by the Pistons. They've got to take care of business at home against the non-elite opposition. They keep bringing the energy, and the wins and fans will follow. Just ask the newest member of the Pistons bench:
Is it bad that I was pleased with an overtime loss on Saturday night? At least they earned a point. I didn't watch too much of the game, but they evidently came back from a two-goal deficit to send it to overtime. Then we all know what happens to the Wings in OT. But, hey, they got a point, which they desperately need.
Last night, they played the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The first period was vintage Red Wings with dominant puck possession and a flurry of shots on goal, resulting in no actual goals. When Fox flashed the graphic with the Red Wings sporting a 10-3 shots advantage, it was only fitting that the Rangers would break out and tap in a goal, completely against the run of play. Very irksome. The 2nd period was relatively even, but the Wings got the equalizer thanks to some stellar forechecking. Zetterberg sent a pass across the ice to Pavel whose shot slid under a partially-screened goalie, compliments of Homer.
The Wings were much more cohesive this game, and Pavel seemed back to his old self. He was darting in and out of checks and had at least three stellar take-aways that led to scoring chances. The Rangers had plenty of their own chances in the 3rd period, thanks to three straight power plays. Twice they had open-net opportunities that were barely thwarted. Somehow, Jimmy Howard found a way to keep the puck out of the net. With the score deadlocked at 1-1, the Wings made a late rush into the Rangers' zone. Cleary received a cross-ice pass from Zetterberg and shot a no-angle shot from ten feet away. The puck ricocheted off the goalie's skates into the net for the game-winner. Lucky, but somewhat deserved.
Draper added a late empty-netter to cap the 3-1 win. Good effort, good penalty kill. The Wings are now only 1 point from the 8th and final playoff spot!
As for the Stones... they hosted the Wizards at the Palace. Coach Q's boys came out with their usual high energy. Stuckey led the scoring early, as the Pistons threatened to take a double-digit lead throughout most of the first. Savvy 5'5 vet Earl Boykins continued to remind Piston fans of his dominant days at EMU by single-handedly keeping the Wiz in the game, scoring 18 off the bench. In the 2nd quarter, the Piston bench pummeled the Wiz on the glass, regularly getting 2nd and 3rd chance shots. It looked like a sure Piston win, but hot-shooting kept the Wiz close. Boykins hit a 1st half buzzer-beater to cap a 7-0 Wizards run and pull the Wiz to within 3.
That Wiz momentum carried into the 3rd quarter. Stuckey picked up his fourth foul early and had to sit. With Gordon out with an injury, Coach Q was in a quandary. A roster with Hamilton, Stuckey, and Ben Gordon suddenly had no shooting guards. Instead of opting for the sub-6ft guard tandem of Bynumite and Chucky Atkins, Coach Q paired Bynumite with 6'11 Austin Daye. Daye responded with his best game. Hitting all five of his shots - each in a different and difficult fashion - Daye singlehandedly carried the Piston offense in the 3rd. He certainly caught Flip Saunders' attention, as he had his defense trapping Daye in later possessions. When he's on, Daye shows flashes of Danny Granger, but Daye suffers from the typical rookie-inconsistency. Regular minutes will help the kid find a consistent groove.
In the 4th quarter, the Wizards cooled off, as both teams ramped up the defense. Coach Q brought Stuckey back on the court, and the Pistons slowly took control with their current close-out lineup: Bynum, Stuckey, Jerebko, Charlie V, and Big Ben.
Charlie V, by the way, played a solid all-around game, though I wish the dude would take fewer three-pointers. Like Sheed, he has a fluid release, but, also like Sheed, he has an even better post-up game. For the game, Charlie shot 8-19 but only 1-8 from 3pt land. Now, I'm no math genius, but even I can calculate that Charlie shot 7-11 inside the arc. He fares well as a spot-up shooter, but he's developed a habit of hoisting 3s rushed and off-balance. With the way the Piston guards attack the basket, my guess is that Charlie often has to abandon the lane to provide space. But that shouldn't occur on every possession. I did not see the dude did not post-up once in the 2nd half.
In the first half, the Pistons carried the game by working the ball inside and getting layups. They were a jump-shooting team in the 2nd. They hit just enough shots to keep the lead. After a stellar Ben Wallace steal, Stuckey hit a dagger 20 footer with about 50 seconds left to give the Pistons a 6 point cushion. The Wizards mounted a little rally to keep it interesting, but Bynum made just enough free throws to win the game.
This was a good win. Washington was completely healthy and has a roster of talented scorers. The Pistons, as we all know, are desperately short-handed. Even "healthy" players like Villanueva and Bynum are not 100%. But they're still playing competitive, attractive hoops and even winning a few games. The key, not surprisingly, is Ben Wallace. Despite not scoring a single point last night, Big Ben dominated. He led the team in assists (!!) the first half, and then worked some lock-down defense to halt the Wizards' 2nd half surge, commiting nary a foul. Paired with Jerebko, those two make a formidable ball-hawking, board-clearing tandem. After Ben's stellar steal, Mrs. Nofrownmotown stated, "The Pistons are screwed if he goes down."
No doubt.
Like he was in the "Goin' to Work" days, Big Ben is the heart of the team. He must stay healthy. His influence on the younger players cannot be ignored. Kwame Brown was a decent player last year, but he's infinitely more aggressive with Ben in the lineup. Stuckey is now a quality defender (Agent Zero shot 3-9), and Jerebko is like a young Rodman. Coach Q stated publicly, "Jonas is emerging as one of the best rookies in the league." I can't disagree. He might just be one of the best. My hope is that the kid gets an invite to the Rookie/Sophomore game at the All-star break. I can't recall a 2nd rounder ever getting picked for that game.
All in all, an important win by the Pistons. They've got to take care of business at home against the non-elite opposition. They keep bringing the energy, and the wins and fans will follow. Just ask the newest member of the Pistons bench:
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Draw
I watched about 30 minutes of the World Cup draw, and... wow... what a bizarre event. Charlize Theron hosted along with some other clean-shaven South African dude. When they introduced him, he and Charlize greeted each other with two kisses. The crowd went wild "Saved By the Bell"-style. Then they spent about twenty minutes "explaining" the process. I use the quotes because it was done like an infomercial:
Clean-shaven dude: "The theeerty two naytions are sehparated into four putz."
Charlize: "But aren't some countries rewarded for past success?"
Clean-shaven dude: "Thet's cuhrrect, Charlize..."
I wish I had more dialogue fresh on the brain, but I skipped forward. They then stretched the broadcast out even further with extended introductions for random celebrities and athletes who would help with the draw. All told, they needed ten people to "help" pull a ping-pong ball out of a bowl. All the helpers were South African, except one - Sir David Beckham. Wherever there's a TV camera and soccer ball, you'll find Becks.
Finally, the draw. After assigning each of the seeded teams into their own group, the first team picked was Mexico. They earned the enviable spot in South Africa's group. The next team, grouped with Argentina, was South Korea. Then they picked the US which put them with England. ESPN had a live feed from a NYC bar where the local yanks cheered. A half-hour before, a possibly tipsy Rob Stone reported from the bar that the patrons were chanting "We want England! We want England!" They got their wish.
The entire Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia. (Click here for the other groups.)
Overall, the US drew an extremely favorable group, though I'm somewhat ambivalent about England. The US does not match up well with the Northern European squads. The US tries to emulate the English style with high pace, stout defense, and controlled passing. The problem is that England does it better. If the US were lined up against... say... Argentina, Bradley would employ the bunker defense and counter. That would likely yield a more favorable result. Against England, Bob will try to match their possession. My guess is that England will not have much difficulty breaking down the US defense, and it'll take a herculean effort from Timmy Howard to earn a draw.
The one benefit to facing England is that the US players will not be intimidated. Dempsey, Spector, Howard, and Jozy see these guys every week. If the US was matched against Brazil, I think they'd cower. Who wouldn't? England's a different story. With a full-strength side, the US could get a result. With no Davies, a hobbled Onyewu, and a questionable Maurice Edu and Jermaine Jones, the US is in trouble.
But they can still advance. The key to the tournament will be games 2 and 3. Bradley should focus his efforts on Slovenia and Algeria, because they're infinitely more winnable. Now, I certainly won't claim to be an expert on either side, but, based on qualifying results and roster, the teams aren't in the same class as England.
Slovenia has a player at West Brom, another at Udinese, and their star striker is at Cologne. They qualified from a group featuring the Czechs and Poland. Not world beaters but a quality side. Among the other UEFA qualifyers, though, the US's draw could've been much worse (France, Serbia, or Portugal).
Based on club-affiliation alone, Algeria has a shade more impressive roster than Slovenia. A large number of Algerians play in the Bundesliga, while a handful of others ply their trade at such top clubs as Rangers, Lorient, Lazio, and Portsmouth. Algeria topped Egypt in qualifying. Egypt, by the way, got thumped by the US 3-0 in the Confed Cup - perhaps the most dominant win by the US in a major tournament (Sure, the 2-1 win over Spain earned more headlines, but the Spanish controlled much of that match - Egypt got steamrolled).
Slovenia and Algeria won't be shaking in their boots facing the Americans. They'll likely circle the US game as a must-win. It's a fairly even field. My only hope is the US gets healthy... and quick. During the past four years, Bob Bradley trotted out every American who's worn soccer cleats, but he's still has got no depth up top. The Charlie Davies injury burned a hole in the roster. Who will partner with Altidore? Conor Casey? No thanks. And who will step in on defense? Spector and Cherundolo are anything but consistent. The bottom line is that the US will have to, once again, overachieve to advance.
They've done it before, so here's to a repeat performance!
Clean-shaven dude: "The theeerty two naytions are sehparated into four putz."
Charlize: "But aren't some countries rewarded for past success?"
Clean-shaven dude: "Thet's cuhrrect, Charlize..."
I wish I had more dialogue fresh on the brain, but I skipped forward. They then stretched the broadcast out even further with extended introductions for random celebrities and athletes who would help with the draw. All told, they needed ten people to "help" pull a ping-pong ball out of a bowl. All the helpers were South African, except one - Sir David Beckham. Wherever there's a TV camera and soccer ball, you'll find Becks.
Finally, the draw. After assigning each of the seeded teams into their own group, the first team picked was Mexico. They earned the enviable spot in South Africa's group. The next team, grouped with Argentina, was South Korea. Then they picked the US which put them with England. ESPN had a live feed from a NYC bar where the local yanks cheered. A half-hour before, a possibly tipsy Rob Stone reported from the bar that the patrons were chanting "We want England! We want England!" They got their wish.
The entire Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia. (Click here for the other groups.)
Overall, the US drew an extremely favorable group, though I'm somewhat ambivalent about England. The US does not match up well with the Northern European squads. The US tries to emulate the English style with high pace, stout defense, and controlled passing. The problem is that England does it better. If the US were lined up against... say... Argentina, Bradley would employ the bunker defense and counter. That would likely yield a more favorable result. Against England, Bob will try to match their possession. My guess is that England will not have much difficulty breaking down the US defense, and it'll take a herculean effort from Timmy Howard to earn a draw.
The one benefit to facing England is that the US players will not be intimidated. Dempsey, Spector, Howard, and Jozy see these guys every week. If the US was matched against Brazil, I think they'd cower. Who wouldn't? England's a different story. With a full-strength side, the US could get a result. With no Davies, a hobbled Onyewu, and a questionable Maurice Edu and Jermaine Jones, the US is in trouble.
But they can still advance. The key to the tournament will be games 2 and 3. Bradley should focus his efforts on Slovenia and Algeria, because they're infinitely more winnable. Now, I certainly won't claim to be an expert on either side, but, based on qualifying results and roster, the teams aren't in the same class as England.
Slovenia has a player at West Brom, another at Udinese, and their star striker is at Cologne. They qualified from a group featuring the Czechs and Poland. Not world beaters but a quality side. Among the other UEFA qualifyers, though, the US's draw could've been much worse (France, Serbia, or Portugal).
Based on club-affiliation alone, Algeria has a shade more impressive roster than Slovenia. A large number of Algerians play in the Bundesliga, while a handful of others ply their trade at such top clubs as Rangers, Lorient, Lazio, and Portsmouth. Algeria topped Egypt in qualifying. Egypt, by the way, got thumped by the US 3-0 in the Confed Cup - perhaps the most dominant win by the US in a major tournament (Sure, the 2-1 win over Spain earned more headlines, but the Spanish controlled much of that match - Egypt got steamrolled).
Slovenia and Algeria won't be shaking in their boots facing the Americans. They'll likely circle the US game as a must-win. It's a fairly even field. My only hope is the US gets healthy... and quick. During the past four years, Bob Bradley trotted out every American who's worn soccer cleats, but he's still has got no depth up top. The Charlie Davies injury burned a hole in the roster. Who will partner with Altidore? Conor Casey? No thanks. And who will step in on defense? Spector and Cherundolo are anything but consistent. The bottom line is that the US will have to, once again, overachieve to advance.
They've done it before, so here's to a repeat performance!
More of the same
The Wings are making me sound like a broken record. Last night, in another uninspired loss, the Red Wings showed no signs of returning to dominance. Yes, we can blame injuries, but, after looking at the roster from last season, there's actually less turnover than we're led to believe.
Last night, the top 10 players in terms of minutes:
Stuart
Lidstrom
Ericsson
Lebda
Datsyuk
Meech
Zetterberg
Leino
Cleary
Bertuzzi
Compared to Game 7 against the Penguins, a mere 5 months ago:
Lidstrom
Rafalski
Zetterberg
Kronwall
Franzen
Datsyuk
Stuart
Hossa
Cleary
Filppula
Five of the ten are the same, despite the injuries and defections. Rafalski and Kronwall were only recently knocked out with injuries. Further, only one of the ten is no longer with the team (Hossa). For the majority of this season, the Red Wings had 70% of their top players from last year's Stanley Cup Finalist squad. Yet, this season, they can't stay above .500.
In fact, there are only four teams in the West with a worse record. It was one of those four teams (Edmonton) that clobbered the Wings just last night... at the Joe.
So, if I buy the injury excuse for the recent losses, what about their 3-6 record out of the gate? Franzen, Kronwall, and Filppula were 100% healthy. The bottom line is that the Red Wings' troubles are much more complex than just personnel. For whatever reason, they're not playing with the same cohesion. Across the board, there's a dropoff in production. Even Jimmy Howard, one of the few recent bright spots, absolutely crumbled last night, as weak shots somehow found their way into his net. The biggest worry for me is Datsyuk - 2 assists in his last 10 games. Not only is he no longer elite, he's barely average. A shocking seventy players have more points than the former Pav4Hart. That's SEVEN ZERO (70!!!), including such non-household names like Tim Connolly and Matt Moulson. I have no explanation for Datsyuk's drop in form. He's certainly not over-the-hill (31). One thing is for sure though - the Wings will go nowhere unless he steps up. Zetterberg has carried the load. Others must help.
Last night, the top 10 players in terms of minutes:
Stuart
Lidstrom
Ericsson
Lebda
Datsyuk
Meech
Zetterberg
Leino
Cleary
Bertuzzi
Compared to Game 7 against the Penguins, a mere 5 months ago:
Lidstrom
Rafalski
Zetterberg
Kronwall
Franzen
Datsyuk
Stuart
Hossa
Cleary
Filppula
Five of the ten are the same, despite the injuries and defections. Rafalski and Kronwall were only recently knocked out with injuries. Further, only one of the ten is no longer with the team (Hossa). For the majority of this season, the Red Wings had 70% of their top players from last year's Stanley Cup Finalist squad. Yet, this season, they can't stay above .500.
In fact, there are only four teams in the West with a worse record. It was one of those four teams (Edmonton) that clobbered the Wings just last night... at the Joe.
So, if I buy the injury excuse for the recent losses, what about their 3-6 record out of the gate? Franzen, Kronwall, and Filppula were 100% healthy. The bottom line is that the Red Wings' troubles are much more complex than just personnel. For whatever reason, they're not playing with the same cohesion. Across the board, there's a dropoff in production. Even Jimmy Howard, one of the few recent bright spots, absolutely crumbled last night, as weak shots somehow found their way into his net. The biggest worry for me is Datsyuk - 2 assists in his last 10 games. Not only is he no longer elite, he's barely average. A shocking seventy players have more points than the former Pav4Hart. That's SEVEN ZERO (70!!!), including such non-household names like Tim Connolly and Matt Moulson. I have no explanation for Datsyuk's drop in form. He's certainly not over-the-hill (31). One thing is for sure though - the Wings will go nowhere unless he steps up. Zetterberg has carried the load. Others must help.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
I missed the Pistons last night, so I can't offer any insights into their loss. Thankfully, we have reliable Justin Rogers from mLive to offer his perspective.
It's pretty strange seeing the Pistons in last place at 6-12, after so many years of regular-season dominance. With four starters injured, the losses should be expected. Getting a high lottery pick in the offseason would certainly help the team, so we fans must suck it up and cherish the few wins (like Atlanta on Sunday). It'll be a season of quiet resignation... and hopes for the future.
For something with a bit more levity, here's Ben Wallace's reaction to the recent Ron Artest comment. In case you haven't heard, Ron Artest said, among other bizarre things, that he's still interested in fighting Big Ben and that he used to drink Hennessy during halftime.
It's pretty strange seeing the Pistons in last place at 6-12, after so many years of regular-season dominance. With four starters injured, the losses should be expected. Getting a high lottery pick in the offseason would certainly help the team, so we fans must suck it up and cherish the few wins (like Atlanta on Sunday). It'll be a season of quiet resignation... and hopes for the future.
For something with a bit more levity, here's Ben Wallace's reaction to the recent Ron Artest comment. In case you haven't heard, Ron Artest said, among other bizarre things, that he's still interested in fighting Big Ben and that he used to drink Hennessy during halftime.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wounded
The Pistons face the Bulls tonight, but the injury list continues to grow.
Players out for sure: Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince
Players questionable: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva
My guess is that Gordon will not play, but Charlie V will. He had surgery on his nose after the Atlanta game, so Charlie was fitted with a Hamilton-esque mask. If he's comfortable in the mask, he'll play. They will need him.
The grit and determination that served the Pistons so well in the win against Atlanta can only carry the team so far. At some point, they'll need to supply some talent too. Chucky Atkins is a capable enough ball handler, but his shot is as rusty as our old '86 Chevy Suburban (not actually our car but close enough). Stuckey should keep pace with Derrick Rose, and Ben can clean off the boards. But who will score? They need some Gordon and Charlie V. Besides, how sweet would it be to see Gordon explode for 40 against his old team?
Players out for sure: Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince
Players questionable: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva
My guess is that Gordon will not play, but Charlie V will. He had surgery on his nose after the Atlanta game, so Charlie was fitted with a Hamilton-esque mask. If he's comfortable in the mask, he'll play. They will need him.
The grit and determination that served the Pistons so well in the win against Atlanta can only carry the team so far. At some point, they'll need to supply some talent too. Chucky Atkins is a capable enough ball handler, but his shot is as rusty as our old '86 Chevy Suburban (not actually our car but close enough). Stuckey should keep pace with Derrick Rose, and Ben can clean off the boards. But who will score? They need some Gordon and Charlie V. Besides, how sweet would it be to see Gordon explode for 40 against his old team?
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Not your father's Red Wings
But not your brother's either. The more I watch this team, the more I'm reminded how spoiled we've all been. I used to cavalierly believe that the Red Wings' success was due to "the system" - the ironclad Red Wing philosophy that molded unheralded raw nuggets of talent into superstars. The system definitely worked for Ericsson and Helm, but guys like Zetterberg and Datsyuk were already laden with talent when they arrived. The Red Wings deserve credit for identifying and drafting these gems, but they certainly didn't "develop" them. With so many free agent turnover in the offseason, this '09 team is a far cry from years past.
I certainly appreciate the effort of this year's squad, and last night was a great workmanlike win. Yet, I fear we're in for a troubled season. Put simply, the Red Wings don't dominate. We're used to seeing the opposition employ one strategy - defend and counter. They would concede space and try to frustrate the Wings. It would occasionally work, but, over time, the Wings would win 75% of the games. Now, opposing teams attack. They don't fear the defense or the puck control. The Wings don't have the talent to impose their will.
Now, this doesn't mean the sky is falling. It's true they were only one win from the Stanley Cup last year. But that offseason turnover took its toll. I tried to downplay the loss of Hossa, Samuelsson, Kopecky, and Hudler, but the injury losses of Franzen, Filppula, Williams, and Kronwall hammered home the problem. That's a total of six forwards missing from last year's team - two complete lines. It's no wonder they're struggling.
Of the new faces, only Bertuzzi has shown ability to contribute regularly. The dude hasn't scored much, but he does hold his own with Zetterberg and Pavel. He sees the ice like a veteran, and the shots will start falling. We had high hopes for Ville Leino, but the youngster sports just 5 points in 25 games. He's also saddled with a -5 plus/minus. To put that in perspective, Leino has 1 fewer point than Filppula who's only played in eleven games! And it wasn't like Filppula was setting the world on fire (-6 plus/minus).
Other newcomers like Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller have settled well into their grinder roles. Same with Brad May. They offer resistance, defense, and occasional scoring. Perfect. Unfortunately, the Wings also need bodies to fill the scoring lines, and the Leinos of the world will need to start producing or they'll find themselves back in Grand Rapids.
As for the specifics of the game last night, the Wings muscled out a 4-1 win over a decent Dallas team. Playing their 7th game in 11 days, the Wings showed no signs of fatigue. They benefited from two extremely lucky bounces - first on Drew Miller's goal then later on Bertuzzi's. Jimmy Howard stood tall in net, and the penalty kill performed much better than previously. Next up is Edmonton on Thursday, and I wouldn't be surprised if Howard gets the call again. Right now, Babcock has more confidence in the youngster.
I certainly appreciate the effort of this year's squad, and last night was a great workmanlike win. Yet, I fear we're in for a troubled season. Put simply, the Red Wings don't dominate. We're used to seeing the opposition employ one strategy - defend and counter. They would concede space and try to frustrate the Wings. It would occasionally work, but, over time, the Wings would win 75% of the games. Now, opposing teams attack. They don't fear the defense or the puck control. The Wings don't have the talent to impose their will.
Now, this doesn't mean the sky is falling. It's true they were only one win from the Stanley Cup last year. But that offseason turnover took its toll. I tried to downplay the loss of Hossa, Samuelsson, Kopecky, and Hudler, but the injury losses of Franzen, Filppula, Williams, and Kronwall hammered home the problem. That's a total of six forwards missing from last year's team - two complete lines. It's no wonder they're struggling.
Of the new faces, only Bertuzzi has shown ability to contribute regularly. The dude hasn't scored much, but he does hold his own with Zetterberg and Pavel. He sees the ice like a veteran, and the shots will start falling. We had high hopes for Ville Leino, but the youngster sports just 5 points in 25 games. He's also saddled with a -5 plus/minus. To put that in perspective, Leino has 1 fewer point than Filppula who's only played in eleven games! And it wasn't like Filppula was setting the world on fire (-6 plus/minus).
Other newcomers like Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller have settled well into their grinder roles. Same with Brad May. They offer resistance, defense, and occasional scoring. Perfect. Unfortunately, the Wings also need bodies to fill the scoring lines, and the Leinos of the world will need to start producing or they'll find themselves back in Grand Rapids.
As for the specifics of the game last night, the Wings muscled out a 4-1 win over a decent Dallas team. Playing their 7th game in 11 days, the Wings showed no signs of fatigue. They benefited from two extremely lucky bounces - first on Drew Miller's goal then later on Bertuzzi's. Jimmy Howard stood tall in net, and the penalty kill performed much better than previously. Next up is Edmonton on Thursday, and I wouldn't be surprised if Howard gets the call again. Right now, Babcock has more confidence in the youngster.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Break on through
All it took was a doomsday No Frown Motown post for the Pistons and Wings to end their losing streaks, and both did it in dramatic fashion. I spent the prior four days in Chicago (without access to beloved Fox Sports Detroit), so I missed much of the action. I did see that the Wings, down a goal, pulled Jimmy Howard with 90 seconds remaining. With the extra skater, the Wings kept possession in the Blues' zone. Zetterberg, from behind the net, flicked it in front. The puck ricocheted off a Blues player into the goal. Check out these highlights:
I did have the pleasure of watching the Pistons glorious win over the 12-4 Atlanta Hawks yesterday. It was a vintage '09 Pistons win. There haven't been many. Thanks to a string of high draft picks and solid free agent signings, the Hawks have slowly built an excellent roster with talent at every position. Gone are the days of Zaza Pachulia as their main offensive weapon. With Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, and Josh Smith, these Hawks are primed to challenge for a title. The Pistons countered with a mish-mash lineup of Chucky Atkins, Stuckey, Jerebko, Maxiell, and Big Ben. On paper, a huge mismatch.
It was a bizarre but excellent decision on Coach Q's part to shake things up. Without Rip and Gordon, Stuckey must be the primary scorer. With Atkins on the court, Stuckey could shift to the 2-guard. The more surprising move was Maxiell over Charlie V. My guess is that Coach Q wanted Charlie V's offense off the bench to compliment Will Bynum in the second unit.
As the game began, it didn't seem to matter who was on the court. Despite missing so many key players, the Pistons wanted the win. They wanted it bad. They absolutely crushed the Atlanta Hawks on the boards. Coming into the game, the Hawks were a top 5 rebounding team in the East. Yet, they only pulled down 27 boards to the Pistons 53. The rebounding edge resulted in 17 more shots for the Pistons, and they needed it, considering Atlanta shot well (50% - almost exclusively from outside).
Stuckey was a force throughout. Playing perhaps his best all-around game of the season, the young guard scored 23, with 8 assists, and only 2 turnovers. More impressively, he limited All-star Joe Johnson to 5-19 shooting. Jerebko and Big Ben cleaned up the boards, tallying 11 and 18, respectively. Atlanta still stayed within 10pts the entire game and, at times, threatened to take the lead. With eleven minutes to go, Atlanta tied it. Bynum then hit a shot and Charlie V hit another. Up four, the Pistons had a chance to extend the lead when Charlie was fouled hard on a layup. At the end of the play, Charlie collided with Big Ben. The collision caused a massive bloody nose for poor Charlie V, and he calmly nailed the two free throws with gauze stuck up his nostrils. Unfortunately, he had to leave the game and did not return... but it didn't matter. The Pistons make-shift lineup did not falter. Their effort, grit, and determination was enough to win on this day.
After suffering through the dreadful, uninspired '08-'09 season, it was truly refreshing to see the Pistons win with heart.
I did have the pleasure of watching the Pistons glorious win over the 12-4 Atlanta Hawks yesterday. It was a vintage '09 Pistons win. There haven't been many. Thanks to a string of high draft picks and solid free agent signings, the Hawks have slowly built an excellent roster with talent at every position. Gone are the days of Zaza Pachulia as their main offensive weapon. With Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, and Josh Smith, these Hawks are primed to challenge for a title. The Pistons countered with a mish-mash lineup of Chucky Atkins, Stuckey, Jerebko, Maxiell, and Big Ben. On paper, a huge mismatch.
It was a bizarre but excellent decision on Coach Q's part to shake things up. Without Rip and Gordon, Stuckey must be the primary scorer. With Atkins on the court, Stuckey could shift to the 2-guard. The more surprising move was Maxiell over Charlie V. My guess is that Coach Q wanted Charlie V's offense off the bench to compliment Will Bynum in the second unit.
As the game began, it didn't seem to matter who was on the court. Despite missing so many key players, the Pistons wanted the win. They wanted it bad. They absolutely crushed the Atlanta Hawks on the boards. Coming into the game, the Hawks were a top 5 rebounding team in the East. Yet, they only pulled down 27 boards to the Pistons 53. The rebounding edge resulted in 17 more shots for the Pistons, and they needed it, considering Atlanta shot well (50% - almost exclusively from outside).
Stuckey was a force throughout. Playing perhaps his best all-around game of the season, the young guard scored 23, with 8 assists, and only 2 turnovers. More impressively, he limited All-star Joe Johnson to 5-19 shooting. Jerebko and Big Ben cleaned up the boards, tallying 11 and 18, respectively. Atlanta still stayed within 10pts the entire game and, at times, threatened to take the lead. With eleven minutes to go, Atlanta tied it. Bynum then hit a shot and Charlie V hit another. Up four, the Pistons had a chance to extend the lead when Charlie was fouled hard on a layup. At the end of the play, Charlie collided with Big Ben. The collision caused a massive bloody nose for poor Charlie V, and he calmly nailed the two free throws with gauze stuck up his nostrils. Unfortunately, he had to leave the game and did not return... but it didn't matter. The Pistons make-shift lineup did not falter. Their effort, grit, and determination was enough to win on this day.
After suffering through the dreadful, uninspired '08-'09 season, it was truly refreshing to see the Pistons win with heart.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Lions
So, I received a request to post about the Lions. I did watch the Thanksgiving game and, of course, saw Stafford's "Hall-of-Fame" worthy play against the Browns.
Let's not kid ourselves, the Lions are truly one of the worst teams in the league. Of course, after last season's historic debacle, that's actually an improvement. I dig Schwartz, and I dig Stafford, even though he seems like kind of a jerk. Fans dig that in their QBs. The franchise seems headed in the right direction, but they're like an expansion team. Perhaps they're even worse off because they didn't have an "expansion draft". The Lions were stuck with all the Marinelli cast-offs, and they're paying for it. Injuries, of course haven't helped, and I just read today that Pettigrew is lost for the year. No Ernie Sims, no Pettigrew, no Dwayne White? The Lions aren't deep and don't have the luxury to lose even their mediocre players. They've had games this year without both Calvin and Stafford, and they've looked like... well, the '08 Lions.
But there's hope. Stafford is the real deal. He makes throws that great QBs can make. The offensive line has given him occasion to throw (sometimes), and he's often made the most of it, especially when Calvin is in. But that defense... they have one glaring hole - they can't pressure the QB. Without pressure, opposing QBs will eventually find an open receiver. This isn't the fault of Schwartz, either. Every coach since Mohrningweg was under the false impression that defensive line was a position of strength for the Lions. This belief was based on nothing tangible, just a slew of overhyped names like Robert Porcher, Shaun Rogers, Kalimba Edwards, etc. These guys never delivered in the clutch. They rarely developed real talent at that position and spent their top picks on offensive talent. The cupboard is bare, and they're paying the price.
With the first pick of the 2010 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select Ndamukong Suh.
Dark Days
These are dark days, my friends. The Pistons and Wings both extended season-long losing streaks. Both teams, ravaged by injuries, show no signs of breaking the slump.
Ben Gordon fell awkwardly on his ankle earlier in the week and has sat out the last two games. He may return for the next game. No word yet on Hamilton and Prince. So, without their three best players (arguably), the Pistons will struggle to beat anyone, even the Clippers. Of course, these aren't the Clippers of years past. They do have honest-to-goodness stars in Baron Davis, Eric Gordon and Marcus Camby. They've also got the best Central Michigan product this side of Dan Majerle - Chris "Lumberjack" Kaman. Kaman has quietly grown into an impressive, potential All-star at power forward. Six years into the league, Kaman now averages 20 points and 8 boards per night. Last night, Kaman led the team with 26 points on an amazingly efficient 11/13 shooting.
Ben Gordon fell awkwardly on his ankle earlier in the week and has sat out the last two games. He may return for the next game. No word yet on Hamilton and Prince. So, without their three best players (arguably), the Pistons will struggle to beat anyone, even the Clippers. Of course, these aren't the Clippers of years past. They do have honest-to-goodness stars in Baron Davis, Eric Gordon and Marcus Camby. They've also got the best Central Michigan product this side of Dan Majerle - Chris "Lumberjack" Kaman. Kaman has quietly grown into an impressive, potential All-star at power forward. Six years into the league, Kaman now averages 20 points and 8 boards per night. Last night, Kaman led the team with 26 points on an amazingly efficient 11/13 shooting.
For a team that focuses on defense, it's got to be frustrating for the Pistons to allow the Clips to shoot 59% for the game. Somehow, the Clippers only had 63 shots to the Pistons 91, but still won handily. That's an astounding 28 fewer shots! I tell ya... I think that Utah loss from the week before truly did break their spirit. They still give the effort, but they no longer believe they can win. The losing streak could continue into double digits, so brace yourself. We must focus on the positives, and there were many.
Stuckey has assumed a leadership role. He scored 21 with 7 assists before fouling out. He only managed 2 foul shots, compared to Baron Davis's 11, so he's got major room to grow on that front. But Stuckey only turned it over 2 times in 34 minutes. Solid. With Gordon out, Austin Daye started at shooting guard. With Jerebko, the Pistons started two rookies for the first time since 1993. Daye got 13 and 5 boards, but it was Jerebko who really proved his worth. The young Swede struck for a season high 22, including 4/4 from 3-pt land.
One of the main reasons for the recent losing streak is Will Bynum. The burly point guard injured his ankle against the Lakers and hasn't been the same since. He's playing through the pain, but his stats illustrate his lack of burst. Since LA, Bynum's shooting 32%. The prior five games? 60%. That's a massive drop-off. And with no Gordon or Hamilton, it's even more noticeable. Bynum can't sit out, though. His backup is Chucky Atkins. While I'll never forget Chucky's school-yard growl and clutch shooting in the '02 playoffs, he's a bit past his prime.
For some Piston fans, this season is going exactly according to plan. Develop the rookies, play for a high draft pick (i.e. lose). That can't be how Joe D sees it though. He's got to sell tickets, and the fans will only pay to see wins. We'll see how patient Joe D will be.
As for the Wings, the player turnover has no doubt caught up with them. They can't get the puck in the net. And Osgood? Letting 3 goals in on 17 shots? Not acceptable, especially when his opponent stopped 40 shots out of 40. This is the second game in a row the Wings were shut out. Back to back shutouts haven't happened since '01. Dark days indeed.
Like I said last time, though, the season will not be won or lost over Thanksgiving. They've just got to power through and stay healthy. Keep up the effort, the puck control, and good things will happen.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Big Thanksgiving
Three games each for the Wings and Pistons during the Thanksgiving break. With so many injured players, these games will likely not serve as a true barometer of where they'll end up.
For the Wings, I expect them to hover around mediocrity until January. My guess is the new faces will settle in around that time. Bertuzzi and Eaves will start contributing goals, not just effort (though the fans do appreciate that too). Franzen, Fil, Kronwall, and Williams will come back, and the penalty kill problems will suddenly disappear - or so I hope.
For the Stones, I love the effort. Most years we'd be fuming at a 5-9 start, but these men have battled. Coach Q brought back the defensive intensity, and we love it. Eventually, the wins will follow, but I don't expect that to happen soon. Certainly not this week. The Cavs and Hawks sandwich the Clips on the schedule. Sure, the Pistons could and should beat the Clips, but the other two will likely be losses. The Pistons just can't match those teams' chemistry yet.
So, I'll hope for a few wins, but, more than that, just play hard and don't get injured.
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all. And if you're stuck far from home this Holiday season, perhaps this will put a smile on your face:
For the Wings, I expect them to hover around mediocrity until January. My guess is the new faces will settle in around that time. Bertuzzi and Eaves will start contributing goals, not just effort (though the fans do appreciate that too). Franzen, Fil, Kronwall, and Williams will come back, and the penalty kill problems will suddenly disappear - or so I hope.
For the Stones, I love the effort. Most years we'd be fuming at a 5-9 start, but these men have battled. Coach Q brought back the defensive intensity, and we love it. Eventually, the wins will follow, but I don't expect that to happen soon. Certainly not this week. The Cavs and Hawks sandwich the Clips on the schedule. Sure, the Pistons could and should beat the Clips, but the other two will likely be losses. The Pistons just can't match those teams' chemistry yet.
So, I'll hope for a few wins, but, more than that, just play hard and don't get injured.
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all. And if you're stuck far from home this Holiday season, perhaps this will put a smile on your face:
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
PK=UGH
Pretty solid game by the Wings last night, but they were undone by shoddy penalty killing. The Nashville Predators matched the Red Wings' puck control and flow and, at times, looked quite dominant. The Barry Trotz-coached team plays an attractive style of hockey. The Nashville goalie, Pekka Rinne, is also on quite a hot streak. In Nashville's last six games (all wins), he's given up a total of 10 goals (only 1.6 goals/game).
From the Red Wings' perspective, the lack of man-power is strikingly evident. Babcock must insert new faces in key positions. The ink on Drew Miller's waiver pickup is hardly dry, and the dude is playing on the top line with Zetterberg. It's 20+ games into the season, and there's little evidence that Leino, Cleary, Draper, or Bertuzzi will be able to provide much scoring. If the goals don't come from Zetterberg or Homer, the Wings don't score. Even Datsyuk is struggling. He seems a step slow, and it makes me wonder if he's injured. It's just a hunch. With that said, the Wings did successfully pressure Nashville all throughout the 3rd. They were unlucky to not get the equalizer. They limited their turnovers and forced Nashville to earn every inch of space. But it was still a loss.
This early in the season, it's probably stupid to talk about playoffs, but I will anyway. The Wings are out of the top 8 spots. With the effort they displayed against Nashville, though, I think they'll sneak in, even with the injuries. They said that Filpulla is close to returning. That will help. But, man, they've got to address that penalty kill - that's the most glaring weakness. Kronwall was a key figure on the PK, so his absence hurts significantly. Folks, the Wings are 29th in the league in the PK. Only one team (Toronto) is worse! Yikes.
From the Red Wings' perspective, the lack of man-power is strikingly evident. Babcock must insert new faces in key positions. The ink on Drew Miller's waiver pickup is hardly dry, and the dude is playing on the top line with Zetterberg. It's 20+ games into the season, and there's little evidence that Leino, Cleary, Draper, or Bertuzzi will be able to provide much scoring. If the goals don't come from Zetterberg or Homer, the Wings don't score. Even Datsyuk is struggling. He seems a step slow, and it makes me wonder if he's injured. It's just a hunch. With that said, the Wings did successfully pressure Nashville all throughout the 3rd. They were unlucky to not get the equalizer. They limited their turnovers and forced Nashville to earn every inch of space. But it was still a loss.
This early in the season, it's probably stupid to talk about playoffs, but I will anyway. The Wings are out of the top 8 spots. With the effort they displayed against Nashville, though, I think they'll sneak in, even with the injuries. They said that Filpulla is close to returning. That will help. But, man, they've got to address that penalty kill - that's the most glaring weakness. Kronwall was a key figure on the PK, so his absence hurts significantly. Folks, the Wings are 29th in the league in the PK. Only one team (Toronto) is worse! Yikes.
Monday, November 23, 2009
No Frown Motown
Folks,
I've avoided it long enough. Thanks to a much more popular and better funded blog with the near-same name, I've decided to retire thatballdontlie.com. He had the name first, and I respect that. After countless late-night board room meetings with Thatballdontlie's marketing department, we've opted to continue under the name nofrownmotown.com.
This blog serves the Detroit sports fan. While I tend to post almost exclusively sports-related info, I do occasionally reference the City's state of affairs. Many of the readers are ex-Detroiters and have more than just a passing interest in Detroit's future. I wanted a blog name that would put a positive spin on the City. I believe the City can recover. My belief is not based so much on any evidence of change (Lord knows it's been in a steady 40 year decline), but, rather, it's based on a belief in the human spirit. The loss of the auto industry is Detroit's ground zero, and hopefully the new mayor signal a new era of hope and urban development. So, no frown, Motown.
The old thatballdontlie.com link will still work - it will simply forward you to the new site. Thanks to all the readers out there from around the world (14 countries and counting!). We're a small but loyal group, and I thank you all for reading!
I've avoided it long enough. Thanks to a much more popular and better funded blog with the near-same name, I've decided to retire thatballdontlie.com. He had the name first, and I respect that. After countless late-night board room meetings with Thatballdontlie's marketing department, we've opted to continue under the name nofrownmotown.com.
This blog serves the Detroit sports fan. While I tend to post almost exclusively sports-related info, I do occasionally reference the City's state of affairs. Many of the readers are ex-Detroiters and have more than just a passing interest in Detroit's future. I wanted a blog name that would put a positive spin on the City. I believe the City can recover. My belief is not based so much on any evidence of change (Lord knows it's been in a steady 40 year decline), but, rather, it's based on a belief in the human spirit. The loss of the auto industry is Detroit's ground zero, and hopefully the new mayor signal a new era of hope and urban development. So, no frown, Motown.
The old thatballdontlie.com link will still work - it will simply forward you to the new site. Thanks to all the readers out there from around the world (14 countries and counting!). We're a small but loyal group, and I thank you all for reading!
Not good news
The Pistons finished their West Coast road trip 0-4. Going back to the Dallas game at home, the Pistons have lost five in a row. The game last night against Phoenix was a sure loss, so I won't dwell on that one. But, man, they had a chance Saturday night in Utah.
Having not beaten the Jazz since 1935, that game held the most interest for me. The Pistons came out of the gate focused and energized. Their defense swarmed Boozer and Deron Williams and forced a ton of turnovers. Utah was supposed to dominate the paint, but it was the Pistons getting points down low - thank in large part to a ton of fast-breaks.
Yet, it was long-forgotten Andrei Kirilenko who shot Utah back in contention. In the 2nd half, the Pistons took an early 8 point lead. But thanks to Kirilenko and the refs, Utah stayed close and eventually pulled ahead. Despite both teams attacking the basket regularly, Utah somehow managed a surprising 44-25 advantage in foul shots.
The teams traded leads throughout the final quarter. Kirilenko hit a dagger three-pointer with about a minute left, and the Pistons were fortunate to send the game into overtime. With all the fouls called in the Pistons' end, it was only a matter of time before some key player fouled out. That player was Villanueva, who played his best defensive game of the year. Without Villanueva, the Pistons' offense became one-dimensional. The guards kept it close, but they could ultimately not contain the Jazz. Jazz 100 - Pistons 97.
This game is just 1 of 82 on the schedule, but it will prove more damaging than most. It was a heart-breaking defeat because the Pistons played about well as they possibly could. They followed the game-plan, suffocated the Utah scorers, took care of the ball, and won the board war. But they still lost. It's not at all surprising they got blown out in Phoenix the following day. I think the loss to Utah broke their will. The very sad thing is that the refs had a major impact. Without all those trips to the line, there's no way Utah wins the game. Late in the 4th and in OT, the Pistons were also beneficiaries of some whistles, but it was too little too late.
On the positive side, Villanueva and Stuckey took a step forward in their development as defensive stoppers. Stuckey was great on both ends of the floor. Deron Williams turned it over 4 times and had 5 personal fouls, to go with an impressive 11 assists. But Stuckey outscored him 18-14. It was impressive watching him go toe-to-toe with the All-star Williams. Villanueva, meanwhile, did not have good rotation on his three-pointer, hitting only 1 of 6. I've seen him hit that deep ball numerous times this year, but, against Utah, he kept drifting to the side and hurrying the delivery. He was 5-9 otherwise and kept Boozer at bay for most of the game. Boozer finished with 22 points thanks to 10 free throws, but he was a -4 in the game. Charlie V was +1. Solid.
Hopefully the Pistons will shake this game off because the schedule does not get much easier. They face Cleveland (10-4), Milwaukee (8-3), and Atlanta (11-3) in the next few days. If they match the effort of the Utah game, I have to believe they'll win most games, especially at home. As the losses pile up, though, it's gonna be tougher to keep up the morale.
Good/bad news for Wings
The good news is that they actually won a game in overtime - 3-2 in Montreal. The bad news is they lost Kronwall for 4-8 weeks with a sprained MCL. Without consulting Dr. Rochester, my rudimentary knowledge is that the MCL sprain is one of the better injuries for a knee. If Kronwall takes the requisite time off to let it heal, the sprain will leave no lasting damage. I've seen other athletes return to 100% quite soon after the 2-month layoff, but, hey, I'm no doctor. It still sucks to lose the guy as he was becoming a leader on the team.
The Wings are now 7-3 in their last 10 games. It's been a welcome return to form. Solid goaltending and a surge in scoring from Z led the way.
Having not beaten the Jazz since 1935, that game held the most interest for me. The Pistons came out of the gate focused and energized. Their defense swarmed Boozer and Deron Williams and forced a ton of turnovers. Utah was supposed to dominate the paint, but it was the Pistons getting points down low - thank in large part to a ton of fast-breaks.
Yet, it was long-forgotten Andrei Kirilenko who shot Utah back in contention. In the 2nd half, the Pistons took an early 8 point lead. But thanks to Kirilenko and the refs, Utah stayed close and eventually pulled ahead. Despite both teams attacking the basket regularly, Utah somehow managed a surprising 44-25 advantage in foul shots.
The teams traded leads throughout the final quarter. Kirilenko hit a dagger three-pointer with about a minute left, and the Pistons were fortunate to send the game into overtime. With all the fouls called in the Pistons' end, it was only a matter of time before some key player fouled out. That player was Villanueva, who played his best defensive game of the year. Without Villanueva, the Pistons' offense became one-dimensional. The guards kept it close, but they could ultimately not contain the Jazz. Jazz 100 - Pistons 97.
This game is just 1 of 82 on the schedule, but it will prove more damaging than most. It was a heart-breaking defeat because the Pistons played about well as they possibly could. They followed the game-plan, suffocated the Utah scorers, took care of the ball, and won the board war. But they still lost. It's not at all surprising they got blown out in Phoenix the following day. I think the loss to Utah broke their will. The very sad thing is that the refs had a major impact. Without all those trips to the line, there's no way Utah wins the game. Late in the 4th and in OT, the Pistons were also beneficiaries of some whistles, but it was too little too late.
On the positive side, Villanueva and Stuckey took a step forward in their development as defensive stoppers. Stuckey was great on both ends of the floor. Deron Williams turned it over 4 times and had 5 personal fouls, to go with an impressive 11 assists. But Stuckey outscored him 18-14. It was impressive watching him go toe-to-toe with the All-star Williams. Villanueva, meanwhile, did not have good rotation on his three-pointer, hitting only 1 of 6. I've seen him hit that deep ball numerous times this year, but, against Utah, he kept drifting to the side and hurrying the delivery. He was 5-9 otherwise and kept Boozer at bay for most of the game. Boozer finished with 22 points thanks to 10 free throws, but he was a -4 in the game. Charlie V was +1. Solid.
Hopefully the Pistons will shake this game off because the schedule does not get much easier. They face Cleveland (10-4), Milwaukee (8-3), and Atlanta (11-3) in the next few days. If they match the effort of the Utah game, I have to believe they'll win most games, especially at home. As the losses pile up, though, it's gonna be tougher to keep up the morale.
Good/bad news for Wings
The good news is that they actually won a game in overtime - 3-2 in Montreal. The bad news is they lost Kronwall for 4-8 weeks with a sprained MCL. Without consulting Dr. Rochester, my rudimentary knowledge is that the MCL sprain is one of the better injuries for a knee. If Kronwall takes the requisite time off to let it heal, the sprain will leave no lasting damage. I've seen other athletes return to 100% quite soon after the 2-month layoff, but, hey, I'm no doctor. It still sucks to lose the guy as he was becoming a leader on the team.
The Wings are now 7-3 in their last 10 games. It's been a welcome return to form. Solid goaltending and a surge in scoring from Z led the way.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tidbits
A rep from the NHL admitted a mistake was made on the Brad May non-goal. With the way this season shakes out, let's hope that Dallas loss doesn't matter. I'm pleased the NHL came clean. They usually back their refs all the way to absurdity.
Rare Lions Segment
Apparently the fans agree with my pledge to stop going to games. For the third time this season, the Lions will be blacked-out in Detroit. Fans are not supporting this 1-8 (1-7? Does it matter?) team. That's good. The only way to implement change is to hit Mr. Ford in the wallet.
My dream scenario is that the Fords sell or move the Lions to a different city. Detroiters would go ballistic for a few years, as this is a football town first and foremost. But, the city could certainly earn an expansion team in a few years. How great would it be to have a different NFL team in Detroit?
Baseball
Free agency is officially under way. No news yet. I still believe that the Edwin Jackson and Granderson trade rumors are completely baseless. They don't make sense from a cost-cutting perspective. Don't be surprised to see Miguel Cabrera shipped away. With his salary and brushes with the law, he seems a more likely candidate. And he had an awesome offensive season to boot. He would leave a massive hole in the lineup, but the trade wouldn't alienate fans.
Rare Lions Segment
Apparently the fans agree with my pledge to stop going to games. For the third time this season, the Lions will be blacked-out in Detroit. Fans are not supporting this 1-8 (1-7? Does it matter?) team. That's good. The only way to implement change is to hit Mr. Ford in the wallet.
My dream scenario is that the Fords sell or move the Lions to a different city. Detroiters would go ballistic for a few years, as this is a football town first and foremost. But, the city could certainly earn an expansion team in a few years. How great would it be to have a different NFL team in Detroit?
Baseball
Free agency is officially under way. No news yet. I still believe that the Edwin Jackson and Granderson trade rumors are completely baseless. They don't make sense from a cost-cutting perspective. Don't be surprised to see Miguel Cabrera shipped away. With his salary and brushes with the law, he seems a more likely candidate. And he had an awesome offensive season to boot. He would leave a massive hole in the lineup, but the trade wouldn't alienate fans.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Hoops, Hockey, and a dash of Soccer
Pistons
More of the same for our beloved Pistons last night against Portland. For most of the game, they looked overmatched. Falling behind by a significant margin (20), the Pistons surged back to make it interesting, but it was not enough. This is the same formula for non-success they followed in away games against Toronto, Orlando, LA, and now Portland. They actually fell behind late in Washington but pulled it out thanks to Will Bynum.
The effort that was so evident against Dallas was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps the consecutive losses is taking its toll. Perhaps they're just not good enough. During the first half, it seemed that Portland was toying with the Pistons. They scored at will. The Pistons had no answer for the inside strength of Pryzbilla nor the inside/outside games of Rudy Fernandez, Brandon Roy, and Piston-killer Lamarcus Aldridge. On the offensive end, Charlie V picked up three early fouls and was a non-factor in the 1st. His absence was apparent, as the Pistons had no offensive options down low. The brunt of the scoring fell on the guards. Stuckey tried to force the issue by repeatedly driving the lane, but his 6-21 shooting illustrates the lack of effectiveness. Stuckey, no doubt feeling the heat of Will Bynum breathing down his neck, is not working as a point guard. He and his teammates totaled 13 assists on the night, compared to 25 for the Trailblazers.
Bynum apparently turned his ankle against the Lakers the night before and was not able to provide much offense off the bench. In fact, he did little more than turn the ball over (4) - in a crucial stretch in the 2nd quarter when Portland seized control of the game. Compounding matters was the uneven play of Jonas Jerebko. The dude just looked completely overwhelmed much of the first half. Like Bynum, Jerebko turned it over 4 times, which is a tad shocking considering how rarely he touches the ball on the offensive end. Yet, right when I'm about to write him off as a pretty crappy player, he scores on a nice back-door cut and makes a steal on the other end. If I wasn't emotionally invested in this team, I'd say Jerebko has potential. As it stands, I still want Tayshaun back.
These games against the elite Western conference squads illustrate how far behind the Pistons truly are. They can barely compete. I mentioned a few days ago that it's difficult to figure out where Rip and Tay fit in this squad, but they clearly need all the help they can get. Neither Stuckey nor Ben Gordon had it going last night (10-33 combined). Perhaps Rip's calming influence would've helped. Tough to say... but they clearly need something. Rip and Tay aren't nearly as expendable as they looked a few days ago. And Coach Q-ster is in a bind with regard to Big Ben Wallace. When he leaves the game, the other teams invariably catch fire. His defensive presence makes that much of a difference. Even during a night when the Pistons were completely dominated, Ben's +/- was a meager -3. Maxiell, often Ben's replacement, was -14. But Big Ben is 35. He can't play 40 minutes/game. It's on the bench to be more effective. To date, only Kwame has shown any defensive aptitude among the big men.
Next up is Phoenix. Doesn't get any easier. With such a brutal stretch ahead, these guys could fall five or six games under .500 by December. I hate to be a pessimist, but they're playing a string of elite teams. They'll have to overachieve just to keep it competitive.
Wings
Just a real bad night for Jonathan Ericsson. And the refs. Much of the night, the Stars and the Wings played to a stalemate. While Dallas carried the play throughout much of the 1st and 2nd, the Wings still had their share of opportunities. In the first period, the Wings were about to kill off a Dallas power-play, when Dallas made one final push in to the zone. Brad Richards made a nifty move around Ericksson to get slightly behind the defense. He skated toward the end line and passed the puck toward the net. A sprawling Ericksson, desperate to recover, tried to block the pass. Ericksson succeeded in blocking the pass, but his deflection ended up in the back of the net.
Dallas scored a 2nd goal in the next period, but the Wings pulled one back on an awesome shot by red-hot Zetterberg. Down a goal in the third period, the Wings pressed hard. On a bizarre play with about seven minutes left, Brad May sent a backhanded shot toward the net. The Dallas goalie appeared to struggle with the puck and then the ref blew the play dead.
May shouted, "That's a goal! That's a goal!" but the flashing light never went off. On the replay, it was clear that May's shot actually did cross the line. Somehow the puck snuck inside the near post, and the Dallas goalie, Alex Auld, did his best to inconspicuously slide the puck back in play. Yet, the replay was obvious. The puck ended up in the goal. The refs were about to restart play when the replay official halted play. The refs conferred for a few minutes, as FSD's color analyst Mickey Redmond was about to have a heart attack. He did not understand what was taking so long. Clearly the video confirmed it was a goal. Then the refs made their announcement - no goal.
Why? Apparently, one of the refs "intended" to blow his whistle, stopping play, before the goal. Yet, May's shot came in the heat of the action. There was no actual reason to stop the play. This wasn't a goal mouth scramble with ten guys flailing at the puck. This was a simple shot by Brad May during the run of play. Watch the absurdity:
Folks, this makes no sense. The ref said "The whistle was blown to kill the play." Huh? When? Why? Why have replay when they choose to ignore it? Another blow to the NHL's credibility.
So, the Wings were still down 2-1. Ericksson then took a penalty, and the friggin' Stars scored of course. Lifeless, the Wings challenged little after that. Argh.
A pretty tough sports night for Detroit fans.
Soccer
Which brings me to soccer. Without going into much detail, the US played a friendly against Denmark yesterday. It was the final day of World Cup qualifying, with actual heated matches around the world. The US game was a mere blip on the radar. But, for folks like me, it held some interest. Both teams were missing key players (Donovan, Dempsey, Howard, Onyewu, Davies), but Denmark had the clear advantage early. They dominated possession and muffed a beautiful chance to score in the first few minutes. Seldom-used Jeff Cunningham of the US actually put the US on top in the 26th minute. Capitalizing on a poor Denmark clearance, Cunningham whipped a shot in from about 20 yards out. It beat the keeper near post for an improbably 1-0 US lead.
In the 2nd half, Denmark took control. Beating up on poor defending by Frankie Hejduk, Jon Spector, and Mike Bradley, Denmark finished with a commanding 3-1 win. It was downright ugly.
After the game, Alexi Lalas said that, with a full squad, the US is a truly dangerous team. Yet, without some key components, they have major problems. No depth. And this really isn't the fault of Bob Bradley. The guy has trotted out tons of players throughout his tenure. The problem is that the talent isn't there. Who can step in for Donovan? Onyewu? Cherundolo even? This team has glaring holes.
Barring a miracle recovery, Charlie Davies will not play in the World Cup, and Onyewu is also a question mark. Those two players are key cogs to the US team. Just taking those two out poses a massive problem. There's no other way to put it... injuries may have already killed the US's chances. Bradley has to find either some replacements or implement a new style of play. This late in the game, I don't see that happening. True, in sports, the unexpected happens all the time. I just wish they didn't have to always rely on lady luck.
More of the same for our beloved Pistons last night against Portland. For most of the game, they looked overmatched. Falling behind by a significant margin (20), the Pistons surged back to make it interesting, but it was not enough. This is the same formula for non-success they followed in away games against Toronto, Orlando, LA, and now Portland. They actually fell behind late in Washington but pulled it out thanks to Will Bynum.
The effort that was so evident against Dallas was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps the consecutive losses is taking its toll. Perhaps they're just not good enough. During the first half, it seemed that Portland was toying with the Pistons. They scored at will. The Pistons had no answer for the inside strength of Pryzbilla nor the inside/outside games of Rudy Fernandez, Brandon Roy, and Piston-killer Lamarcus Aldridge. On the offensive end, Charlie V picked up three early fouls and was a non-factor in the 1st. His absence was apparent, as the Pistons had no offensive options down low. The brunt of the scoring fell on the guards. Stuckey tried to force the issue by repeatedly driving the lane, but his 6-21 shooting illustrates the lack of effectiveness. Stuckey, no doubt feeling the heat of Will Bynum breathing down his neck, is not working as a point guard. He and his teammates totaled 13 assists on the night, compared to 25 for the Trailblazers.
Bynum apparently turned his ankle against the Lakers the night before and was not able to provide much offense off the bench. In fact, he did little more than turn the ball over (4) - in a crucial stretch in the 2nd quarter when Portland seized control of the game. Compounding matters was the uneven play of Jonas Jerebko. The dude just looked completely overwhelmed much of the first half. Like Bynum, Jerebko turned it over 4 times, which is a tad shocking considering how rarely he touches the ball on the offensive end. Yet, right when I'm about to write him off as a pretty crappy player, he scores on a nice back-door cut and makes a steal on the other end. If I wasn't emotionally invested in this team, I'd say Jerebko has potential. As it stands, I still want Tayshaun back.
These games against the elite Western conference squads illustrate how far behind the Pistons truly are. They can barely compete. I mentioned a few days ago that it's difficult to figure out where Rip and Tay fit in this squad, but they clearly need all the help they can get. Neither Stuckey nor Ben Gordon had it going last night (10-33 combined). Perhaps Rip's calming influence would've helped. Tough to say... but they clearly need something. Rip and Tay aren't nearly as expendable as they looked a few days ago. And Coach Q-ster is in a bind with regard to Big Ben Wallace. When he leaves the game, the other teams invariably catch fire. His defensive presence makes that much of a difference. Even during a night when the Pistons were completely dominated, Ben's +/- was a meager -3. Maxiell, often Ben's replacement, was -14. But Big Ben is 35. He can't play 40 minutes/game. It's on the bench to be more effective. To date, only Kwame has shown any defensive aptitude among the big men.
Next up is Phoenix. Doesn't get any easier. With such a brutal stretch ahead, these guys could fall five or six games under .500 by December. I hate to be a pessimist, but they're playing a string of elite teams. They'll have to overachieve just to keep it competitive.
Wings
Just a real bad night for Jonathan Ericsson. And the refs. Much of the night, the Stars and the Wings played to a stalemate. While Dallas carried the play throughout much of the 1st and 2nd, the Wings still had their share of opportunities. In the first period, the Wings were about to kill off a Dallas power-play, when Dallas made one final push in to the zone. Brad Richards made a nifty move around Ericksson to get slightly behind the defense. He skated toward the end line and passed the puck toward the net. A sprawling Ericksson, desperate to recover, tried to block the pass. Ericksson succeeded in blocking the pass, but his deflection ended up in the back of the net.
Dallas scored a 2nd goal in the next period, but the Wings pulled one back on an awesome shot by red-hot Zetterberg. Down a goal in the third period, the Wings pressed hard. On a bizarre play with about seven minutes left, Brad May sent a backhanded shot toward the net. The Dallas goalie appeared to struggle with the puck and then the ref blew the play dead.
May shouted, "That's a goal! That's a goal!" but the flashing light never went off. On the replay, it was clear that May's shot actually did cross the line. Somehow the puck snuck inside the near post, and the Dallas goalie, Alex Auld, did his best to inconspicuously slide the puck back in play. Yet, the replay was obvious. The puck ended up in the goal. The refs were about to restart play when the replay official halted play. The refs conferred for a few minutes, as FSD's color analyst Mickey Redmond was about to have a heart attack. He did not understand what was taking so long. Clearly the video confirmed it was a goal. Then the refs made their announcement - no goal.
Why? Apparently, one of the refs "intended" to blow his whistle, stopping play, before the goal. Yet, May's shot came in the heat of the action. There was no actual reason to stop the play. This wasn't a goal mouth scramble with ten guys flailing at the puck. This was a simple shot by Brad May during the run of play. Watch the absurdity:
Folks, this makes no sense. The ref said "The whistle was blown to kill the play." Huh? When? Why? Why have replay when they choose to ignore it? Another blow to the NHL's credibility.
So, the Wings were still down 2-1. Ericksson then took a penalty, and the friggin' Stars scored of course. Lifeless, the Wings challenged little after that. Argh.
A pretty tough sports night for Detroit fans.
Soccer
Which brings me to soccer. Without going into much detail, the US played a friendly against Denmark yesterday. It was the final day of World Cup qualifying, with actual heated matches around the world. The US game was a mere blip on the radar. But, for folks like me, it held some interest. Both teams were missing key players (Donovan, Dempsey, Howard, Onyewu, Davies), but Denmark had the clear advantage early. They dominated possession and muffed a beautiful chance to score in the first few minutes. Seldom-used Jeff Cunningham of the US actually put the US on top in the 26th minute. Capitalizing on a poor Denmark clearance, Cunningham whipped a shot in from about 20 yards out. It beat the keeper near post for an improbably 1-0 US lead.
In the 2nd half, Denmark took control. Beating up on poor defending by Frankie Hejduk, Jon Spector, and Mike Bradley, Denmark finished with a commanding 3-1 win. It was downright ugly.
After the game, Alexi Lalas said that, with a full squad, the US is a truly dangerous team. Yet, without some key components, they have major problems. No depth. And this really isn't the fault of Bob Bradley. The guy has trotted out tons of players throughout his tenure. The problem is that the talent isn't there. Who can step in for Donovan? Onyewu? Cherundolo even? This team has glaring holes.
Barring a miracle recovery, Charlie Davies will not play in the World Cup, and Onyewu is also a question mark. Those two players are key cogs to the US team. Just taking those two out poses a massive problem. There's no other way to put it... injuries may have already killed the US's chances. Bradley has to find either some replacements or implement a new style of play. This late in the game, I don't see that happening. True, in sports, the unexpected happens all the time. I just wish they didn't have to always rely on lady luck.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Soccer in the D?
For those that still live around our beloved Detroit area, you may find yourself driving down I-75 and spotting the once formidable sporting venue known as the Pontiac Silverdome. Seen here in happier days, this is the dome now.
If an 80,311-seat capacity football stadium has no football team, does it actually exist? The answer is "yes." And it's as much a sign of Detroit's (or Pontiac's) decay as the legendary train station. At best, the Silverdome is a cheap plot of land awaiting a savvy investor. At worst, it's a rat-infested eyesore on 127 acres of concrete.
But hope springs eternal, even in the D. According to reports in the freep and MLive, a Toronto-based investor group bid half a million bucks for the Silverdome, with the hope of transforming it into a soccer-specific stadium. For those that follow the MLS, the key component in acquiring a franchise is a stadium. The MLS learned early on that it should not be sharing stadiums with football teams. The team could draw 23,000 per game, but they'd be mere specks in the mammoth stadiums built for the Chiefs and Giants. Columbus set the new standard for soccer-specific stadiums when they unveiled the Crew Stadium in 1999. The team can sell out it's 22,000 seats, and the intimate confines create a more enjoyable atmosphere.
So, if a city wants an MLS team, they must come to the table with plans for a stadium, and it wouldn't hurt if they pre-sold 10,000+ season tickets.
The potential purchase of the Silverdome is the first tangible step toward bringing MLS to Detroit. If Detroit is anything, it's a voracious sports town, and it possesses a healthy fan base for soccer. They supported the NASL and would likely support the MLS too. Now, the Silverdome originally cost $53million to build, and that's in 1973-dollars. It's a massive blow to the ego to receive a purchase bid of a mere $500,000. Yet, converting the outdated behemoth to a 20,000-seat soccer stadium will cost a pretty penny. The mayor of Pontiac should be happy he's got a buyer who wants to bring people back to the city.
I would personally love to see an MLS team in Detroit, but I'd be even happier to see actual development in the City of Pontiac. This tells me that investors are ready, but is the city?
UPDATE:
I was under the impression that the Toronto-based company merely placed a bid. Evidently, they won the auction, but the sale won't be finalized for 45 days.
If an 80,311-seat capacity football stadium has no football team, does it actually exist? The answer is "yes." And it's as much a sign of Detroit's (or Pontiac's) decay as the legendary train station. At best, the Silverdome is a cheap plot of land awaiting a savvy investor. At worst, it's a rat-infested eyesore on 127 acres of concrete.
But hope springs eternal, even in the D. According to reports in the freep and MLive, a Toronto-based investor group bid half a million bucks for the Silverdome, with the hope of transforming it into a soccer-specific stadium. For those that follow the MLS, the key component in acquiring a franchise is a stadium. The MLS learned early on that it should not be sharing stadiums with football teams. The team could draw 23,000 per game, but they'd be mere specks in the mammoth stadiums built for the Chiefs and Giants. Columbus set the new standard for soccer-specific stadiums when they unveiled the Crew Stadium in 1999. The team can sell out it's 22,000 seats, and the intimate confines create a more enjoyable atmosphere.
So, if a city wants an MLS team, they must come to the table with plans for a stadium, and it wouldn't hurt if they pre-sold 10,000+ season tickets.
The potential purchase of the Silverdome is the first tangible step toward bringing MLS to Detroit. If Detroit is anything, it's a voracious sports town, and it possesses a healthy fan base for soccer. They supported the NASL and would likely support the MLS too. Now, the Silverdome originally cost $53million to build, and that's in 1973-dollars. It's a massive blow to the ego to receive a purchase bid of a mere $500,000. Yet, converting the outdated behemoth to a 20,000-seat soccer stadium will cost a pretty penny. The mayor of Pontiac should be happy he's got a buyer who wants to bring people back to the city.
I would personally love to see an MLS team in Detroit, but I'd be even happier to see actual development in the City of Pontiac. This tells me that investors are ready, but is the city?
UPDATE:
I was under the impression that the Toronto-based company merely placed a bid. Evidently, they won the auction, but the sale won't be finalized for 45 days.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The road trip begins
The Pistons began their uber-tough stretch of games with a win in Washington followed by a loss at home to the Mavs. In both games, the Pistons played quite well.
They started strong against the Wiz and flirted with blowing it open in the 1st. Some poor defense and Earl Boykins allowed the Wiz back in the game. Thanks to a half-court shot by Agent Zero at the halftime buzzer, Washington was only down 8 at the half. In the third quater, the Wiz caught fire. It was one of those quarters when everything goes wrong for Detroit. The "one bad quarter" is quickly becoming the signature of the Kuester-era. Within minutes, the Pistons 8-point lead became a 10-point deficit. Heroic shooting by Will Bynum kept the Pistons within shouting distance, and, entering the 4th, they were down only 2.
Washington threatened to pull away during the 4th. The Pistons trailed by six with under five minutes to go, and I told Mrs. Thatballdontlie (in the next room, probably out of earshot, but that didn't stop me), "They're gonna lose." Then Gordon and Will Bynum took over. The Pistons finished on a 17-8 run (6pts for Bynumite and 8 for Little Ben). It was impressive, and the type of performance we've seen from Piston teams of old -- stay close on the road and then lay the hammer down in crunch time.
I was thinking after that game that Ben Gordon is truly one of the best scorers in the league - like, top 5 good. Why did the Bulls let him leave? Perhaps because of games like yesterday. In his first poor performance as a Piston, Little Ben shot a woeful 1-16 from the field. But the other guards more than made up for it.
The Mavs big man, Erick Dampier, was a late scratch, and they missed his interior defense. Stuckey took full advantage, slashing through the lane, scoring an impressive 28 on 12-20 shooting. Bynum was every bit as aggressive, scoring 27 on 11-16. But the Pistons fell prey to that "one bad quarter" yet again. In the third, the Mavs outscored the Pistons by 11, as Dirk finally heated up. At one point, the Pistons were actually up 4. Then Kidd hit a deep three. Nowitzki hit two straight jumpers, then 2 free throws. Shawn Marion then followed up a Nowitzki miss with a put-back slam. Nowitzki stole the inbound pass and fed Kris Humphries for an uncontested dunk. Boom-boom-boom and the Mavs were up 5.
The Pistons kept it close in the 4th, despite Stuckey sitting out with cramps in his calves (Stuckey said he won't miss any games). Leading the charge was rising star Will Bynum, scoring an awesome 17 points in crunch time. Leading three with less than a minute to go, the Mavs fed the ball to their main-man Nowitzki once again. With the entire Piston roster draped over him, Nowitzki still managed to sink a fade away. Bynum countered with a quick layup, and the Mavs missed their next shot. With five seconds left, the Pistons had a chance to tie it with a 3. Ben Gordon took the inbounds pass and let go an off-balance three. It actually came damn close but rimmed out. In hindsight, the Pistons had time for one more pass, since the Mavs were focusing their defense on Gordon. It would've been nice to set a play for Charlie V or Austin Daye even. With that said, Gordon regularly hits some amazing shots, but it was not his night.
Now the Pistons hit the road: @Lakers, @Portland, @Utah, @ Phoenix. It could get ugly. If this weekend is any indication, the Pistons will at least be ready for a fight. They play tough and aren't intimidated. That three guard lineup of Stuckey, BG, and Bynum is formidable. If Charlie V stays hot, the Pistons are a fairly balanced offense. The bench isn't quite providing much help of late, but that shouldn't be a surprise. The rooks are inconsistent but the extra playing time will expedite their development.
Right now, the Pistons are 5-5 and last place in the surprisingly strong Central. They've played so many games without Tay and Rip; it's easy to forget they're actually on the team. I'm not sure what impact they'll have when they return. Rip is still the Pistons' best player, but Ben Gordon is rapidly raising his value. And Tayshaun would be a huge upgrade over Jerebko on offense, but does he have the same bite on D? Rip and Tay have been Pistons forever, but they might find they have to adjust their game to fit into this new roster. That's what happens with injuries - change is inevitable.
They started strong against the Wiz and flirted with blowing it open in the 1st. Some poor defense and Earl Boykins allowed the Wiz back in the game. Thanks to a half-court shot by Agent Zero at the halftime buzzer, Washington was only down 8 at the half. In the third quater, the Wiz caught fire. It was one of those quarters when everything goes wrong for Detroit. The "one bad quarter" is quickly becoming the signature of the Kuester-era. Within minutes, the Pistons 8-point lead became a 10-point deficit. Heroic shooting by Will Bynum kept the Pistons within shouting distance, and, entering the 4th, they were down only 2.
Washington threatened to pull away during the 4th. The Pistons trailed by six with under five minutes to go, and I told Mrs. Thatballdontlie (in the next room, probably out of earshot, but that didn't stop me), "They're gonna lose." Then Gordon and Will Bynum took over. The Pistons finished on a 17-8 run (6pts for Bynumite and 8 for Little Ben). It was impressive, and the type of performance we've seen from Piston teams of old -- stay close on the road and then lay the hammer down in crunch time.
I was thinking after that game that Ben Gordon is truly one of the best scorers in the league - like, top 5 good. Why did the Bulls let him leave? Perhaps because of games like yesterday. In his first poor performance as a Piston, Little Ben shot a woeful 1-16 from the field. But the other guards more than made up for it.
The Mavs big man, Erick Dampier, was a late scratch, and they missed his interior defense. Stuckey took full advantage, slashing through the lane, scoring an impressive 28 on 12-20 shooting. Bynum was every bit as aggressive, scoring 27 on 11-16. But the Pistons fell prey to that "one bad quarter" yet again. In the third, the Mavs outscored the Pistons by 11, as Dirk finally heated up. At one point, the Pistons were actually up 4. Then Kidd hit a deep three. Nowitzki hit two straight jumpers, then 2 free throws. Shawn Marion then followed up a Nowitzki miss with a put-back slam. Nowitzki stole the inbound pass and fed Kris Humphries for an uncontested dunk. Boom-boom-boom and the Mavs were up 5.
The Pistons kept it close in the 4th, despite Stuckey sitting out with cramps in his calves (Stuckey said he won't miss any games). Leading the charge was rising star Will Bynum, scoring an awesome 17 points in crunch time. Leading three with less than a minute to go, the Mavs fed the ball to their main-man Nowitzki once again. With the entire Piston roster draped over him, Nowitzki still managed to sink a fade away. Bynum countered with a quick layup, and the Mavs missed their next shot. With five seconds left, the Pistons had a chance to tie it with a 3. Ben Gordon took the inbounds pass and let go an off-balance three. It actually came damn close but rimmed out. In hindsight, the Pistons had time for one more pass, since the Mavs were focusing their defense on Gordon. It would've been nice to set a play for Charlie V or Austin Daye even. With that said, Gordon regularly hits some amazing shots, but it was not his night.
Now the Pistons hit the road: @Lakers, @Portland, @Utah, @ Phoenix. It could get ugly. If this weekend is any indication, the Pistons will at least be ready for a fight. They play tough and aren't intimidated. That three guard lineup of Stuckey, BG, and Bynum is formidable. If Charlie V stays hot, the Pistons are a fairly balanced offense. The bench isn't quite providing much help of late, but that shouldn't be a surprise. The rooks are inconsistent but the extra playing time will expedite their development.
Right now, the Pistons are 5-5 and last place in the surprisingly strong Central. They've played so many games without Tay and Rip; it's easy to forget they're actually on the team. I'm not sure what impact they'll have when they return. Rip is still the Pistons' best player, but Ben Gordon is rapidly raising his value. And Tayshaun would be a huge upgrade over Jerebko on offense, but does he have the same bite on D? Rip and Tay have been Pistons forever, but they might find they have to adjust their game to fit into this new roster. That's what happens with injuries - change is inevitable.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Bizarre
The Red Wings inched over .500 for the first time last night. With the way hockey tabulates wins, losses, and OT losses, a .500 record is sort of ambiguous. In my estimation, an OT loss should be lumped in with the regular losses. Thus, the 9-5-3 record would become 9-8.
The win did not come easily. In fact, they really didn't deserve it. A more fitting fate would've been a draw (impossible now in the new NHL of course). Vancouver controlled the play in the 1st and much of the 3rd. They jumped out to a 15-5 shooting edge but found themselves actually trailing 1-0. Vancouver equalized in the 2nd, but Detroit took the lead again late in the 3rd. Despite Vancouver pressing, Brad Stuart sent a perfect pass to Zetterberg, who barely stayed onside. Zetterberg sped past the defense and roofed a backhanded shot over Luongo. It was an excellent display of individual skill and proved to be the game winner.
Vancouver pulled the goalie with about a minute to play, then sent the puck deep in the Red Wing zone. With Vancouver barrelling down, Jimmy Howard opted not to smother the puck and bravely passed it to Kronwall. Kronwall angled the puck off the boards for a clearance. The puck ricocheted over the Vancouver players and somehow ended up in the back of the empty net. It was just one of those games for the Canucks. And, for the Wings, it was a rare win when they were often outplayed, but the excellent play of Jimmy Howard saved the day.
I was about ready to ship that guy to the minors, but he's proven to be very capable - in the last two games at least. With all the missing players (Osgood and Maltby were out with the flu last night), the Wings have really stepped up.
The win did not come easily. In fact, they really didn't deserve it. A more fitting fate would've been a draw (impossible now in the new NHL of course). Vancouver controlled the play in the 1st and much of the 3rd. They jumped out to a 15-5 shooting edge but found themselves actually trailing 1-0. Vancouver equalized in the 2nd, but Detroit took the lead again late in the 3rd. Despite Vancouver pressing, Brad Stuart sent a perfect pass to Zetterberg, who barely stayed onside. Zetterberg sped past the defense and roofed a backhanded shot over Luongo. It was an excellent display of individual skill and proved to be the game winner.
Vancouver pulled the goalie with about a minute to play, then sent the puck deep in the Red Wing zone. With Vancouver barrelling down, Jimmy Howard opted not to smother the puck and bravely passed it to Kronwall. Kronwall angled the puck off the boards for a clearance. The puck ricocheted over the Vancouver players and somehow ended up in the back of the empty net. It was just one of those games for the Canucks. And, for the Wings, it was a rare win when they were often outplayed, but the excellent play of Jimmy Howard saved the day.
I was about ready to ship that guy to the minors, but he's proven to be very capable - in the last two games at least. With all the missing players (Osgood and Maltby were out with the flu last night), the Wings have really stepped up.
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