In case you were wondering...

:mccosky:

Where's Mr. D?
Many, many, many people have pulled me aside with worried expressions on their faces and asked, "What's going on with Mr. D? He's never at the games any more."

The assumption, of course, is that 84-year-old Pistons owner Bill Davidson is having serious health issues. That's not the case. I have talked with several people in the organization and they assure me that Davidson is not gravely ill or anything like that. He is, though, having trouble getting around. Sometimes he uses a motorized scooter, other times he is transported in a wheelchair. Either way, it's extremely inconvenient and uncomfortable for him, especially in a crowded place like The Palace. He has built himself a big, beautiful home with all the comforts imaginable. That's where he has preferred to watch the games -- and who could blame him?

That said, some in the organization expect him to be in attendance Sunday when the Pistons play the Bobcats.

By the way, Davidson is still active with the day to day operation of the Pistons. He speaks daily with both Tom Wilson and Joe Dumars. Nothing gets done without his approval.

wait, isn't "not being able to get around because of discomfort" a health issue? he's not sick, but his old age is prohibiting him from getting around.

out of curiosity (with apologies to the davidson family), what happens to the team when Bill passes away? is there a successor in the family who will take over (inherit the team)?

i'll wheel him back and forth.....might even wipe his ass if i have to....so long as he leaves the team to me when he passes. ;o)

I found a recent picture. I think it's notable that he's not standing:

http://etudiant.univ-mlv.fr/~rpolisse/Ce_que_j_adore/Les_Simpson/Monty_Burns/burns_assis.gif

Mr. D is a great owner and is not a cheapskate. He built the Palace on his own money, provides fantastic staff, pays that staff. And in general makes sound business decisions.
I'm scared to death his successor will be the next Clay Ford.

^Bubbles sighting

Lets just hope he leaves the team to someone with the same mindset as himself. Does he have kids?

Lets just hope he leaves the team to someone with the same mindset as himself. Does he have kids?

It is believed that there is a tight-knit, Members Only, group of people that are in line for the inheritance.

Do they have members-only jackets?

http://www.cloggs.co.uk/content/ebiz/cloggs/invt/2935/mo_rcrjkt_olv_l.jpg

A google search turns up this:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.running/browse_thread/thread/de84cb6b9dde733f

Holy shit Vinny, good detective work.

I just hope he doesn't let Wilson have some huge say in this thing. I don't like Wilson.

I know he at least has an adopted son and I think he has his own children too. His adopted son is Ethan Daniel Davidson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_Daniel_Davidson), a folk singer. I heard this all a few years ago so I'm a little fuzzy but supposedly he ran away from Bill when he was 16 or so and took off on his own, travelling the country. Ended up in Alaska and "disowned" his adoptive family for awhile. He's released a few records and publically said he doesn't want his dad's money. A friend of a friend of my sister's (yes, I know, tenuous at...etc) though used to play in his band and says that privately he says he's gonna take the money.

More here. (http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:cNIbJt4FZVkJ:www.timesbeachrecords. com/content/press/artist_edd.shtml+ethan+daniel+davidson&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us)

Note that while Bill Davidson is the primary and majority owner, he's not the only owner. One of the other minority owners died a couple years ago or so.