:mccosky:


Random stuff
You long-time Pistons fans are in for a treat here in a couple of days. Pete Skorich, Stan Fracker, Diane Ferranti and the Pistons' broadcast team have been putting together some amazing shows in connection with the team's 50-year anniversary celebration. At 7 p.m. Tuesday on TV-20, they will unveil the Pistons' all-time team. I was part of the panel that picked the top 25 players in the team's first 50 years. There were a lot of obvious selections, but I think you are going to be surprised by some of the inclusions and omissons.

That all-time team will be honored at the game that night against Knicks. (Hopefully, Isiah Thomas will still be coaching the Knicks.) Every member of the team will be represented -- with the exception of the few players who still play on other teams (Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse, Ben Wallace, for example). Yes, Dennis Rodman is supposed to be here for the ceremony. How cool will that be?

Besides that, Pete and his crew will wrap up their season-long historical series in the coming weeks. If you've been watching them all year, you know they have gotten their hands on some terrific footage. It's good stuff. I've been telling Pete to make me a complete DVD, but I don't think he's listening.

Back to the business at hand, if you guys were chomping at the bit to see more of Cheikh Samb, back off. It's not happening. Here's Flip Saunders after practice today:

"We'll play him some, but it's not like we say we're going to play Cheikh a lot of minutes because I still want to play Amir a lot. I still want to play Maxey and play Walter, too."

Flip was also interesting today, comparing Rodney Stuckey to Stephon Marbury, whom he coached as a rookie in Minnesota. "I commented to Joe (Dumars) when we drafted Stuck and we had him in the summer league that I thought he was a lot like Marbury with his ability, as far as his speed, his strength, his ability to create shots, to make shots. He's very similar and he's bigger than Steph, too."

Speaking of sizes, the Timberwolves should be ashamed of themselves to list Randy Foye at 6-4. Stuckey was much bigger. Of course, the Pistons need to check themselves, too. They list Stuck at 6-5 and there's no way he's 6-5. Stuckey is more like 6-3 and Foye is 6-1. "If they list Foye at 6-4," Saunders said, "then Stuck's about 6-8."

Flip wouldn't divulge who he might rest against the Nets. Chauncey Billups said he was playing. Rip Hamilton was held out of scrimmages again, so he's questionable. Good bet Antonio McDyess gets the night off.

I'd take Marbury sans-attitude.

I'd take Marbury sans-schizophrenia.

is there an evil chris?

Does that mean "Rodney Stuckey" is going to want to go play in Italy?

I'd take Marbury only for the comedy he and Flip will provide.

is there an evil chris?

Is there a good Chris?

Is there a good Chris?
:motown owns:

That could actually be a good schtik - if he has a mailbag.

i think the stuck / marburry comparison isnt THAT far off. the big difference is marburry was supposed to be (or atleast i always assumed) a true pg. i dont think, atleast yet, thats what we're looking for from stuck.

Screw McKoskey. By NBA standards, Stuckey is damn near a legit 6'5". Just about every single listed height in the NBA is the player's height WITH their shoes on (as far as I know, they don't play barefoot)...and Stuckey is 6' 3 3/4" without shoes -- 6' 4 1/2" with 'em on. That's 6'5" in my book.

And Randy Foye for all those concerned. 6' 2 1/4" barefoot. 6' 3 1/4" with shoes. Im my all important book, he's 6'3".

As usual, McKoskey doesn't know what he's talking about.

Screw McKoskey.
Fuck yaeh. FUCK that fu ker!!!

I say we kill him.

does this thread need to be moved to area 51?

:mccosky:


No Rip, again

The Pistons insist there isn't anything more to the problem, but Richard Hamilton will miss his sixth game out of the last seven. The problem is the joint that connects the left hip and groin. Hamilton said he was encouraged, said that he could feel it getting better, finally, the last couple of days. Physical therapist Arnie Kander said the rest will do Hamilton a world of good, giving him fresh legs for the playoffs.

The plan, for now, is to have Hamilton play Wednesday at Philly.

Flip Saunders told a funny story before the game about Walter Herrmann. Walter, you know, might have the largest hands in the NBA, which is he can pull off those spectacular one-handed moves that have left fans and opposing players impressed. Saunders said he reminds him of Connie Hawkins.

Here's Flip: "I was laughing in our game at Minnesota. Walter had that one move where with one hand he faked, brought the ball down and then shot it off the glass across his body. Kirk Snyder was taking the ball out of bounds and he turned to (referee) Danny Crawford and said, 'Have you ever seen anything like that?' and Danny just shook his head.

"Snyder then says to Walter, 'Hey man, congratulations.'"

:mccosky:

Just an awesome kiss-up piece. And them some venom for John Salley. Enjoy.


Cheers and Jeers
Still in the afterglow of the all-time team celebration. How cool was that entire night? Listen, I am 50 years old, so I have been around as long as this team. I remember my father taking me to my first game at Cobo in like 1964, when Reggie Harding, Dave DeBusschere -- even Rod Thorn -- were on the team. Me and my buddies used to go to Cobo and sit up with crazy Gus and hoot and holler for Otto Moore and John Mengelt and those guys in the 1970s. (We even drove Gus home a couple of times after games. True story.)

So I do go back a bit, and to see all these guys from all those eras come walking on to the floor was just an absolute thrill for me. And to be able to have a role in selecting the team and be a (tiny) part of the ceremony -- well, I have no words. Just amazing.

Bottom-line, though, it was a completely first-class presentation by a thoroughly first-class organization. To be able to track down all of those players, to even make sure the three deceased members of the team were represented, to schedule it on a night when they knew the most popular Piston ever, Isiah Thomas, would be there, to go through all the trouble and expense to have leather jackets made, to throw a big party the night before at Big Rock Chophouse in Birmingham and then to have such a classy ceremony -- just an incredible effort by so many people. Start with Tom Wilson, of course. None of this happens without him. But a lot of the heavy lifting was done by vice president Matt Dobek and media relations director Kevin Grigg, who tracked down the players and made accomodations to get them and their friends and families here.

Also credit the Pistons broadcast and multi-media department led by Pete Skorich. He, Stan Fracker, Diane Ferranti and David Rhoades (and his unbelievably talented crew) put together the actual presentation, including the brilliant video montages and highlight packages. Nobody does those video displays better. The main film was set to Bob Seger's "In your time," and it was beautiful.

They also got video acceptance speeches from the guys who couldn't be there -- Ben Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse (who said in his heart he would always be a Piston), Grant Hill and Adrian Dantley. They also got a hilarious video message from Scott Hastings, where he thought he was taping his acceptance speech, only to be told he hadn't made the team. "Am I the best 12th man, ever? Can I get that?" Priceless.

But, as always, there were some down moments. The fact that Dennis Rodman blew it off is just really sad. Even Isiah Thomas and Chuck Daly seemed hurt by it. Thomas pleaded for Rodman to, "come back home where you are loved." The Pistons have been planning to retire his No. 10 jersey, perhaps as early as next year. But how can they do that when they can't be sure he would even show up for the ceremony?

The other downer, at least to me, was John Salley. This guy has become an insufferable jerk. I am not kidding. The guy shouldn't even have been on the all-time team, in my judgment. Nobody has ever gotten more (popularity, championship rings, movie and TV deals) with less talent. Eddie Miles should have been on the team, not him. Shoot, Antonio McDyess should have been on the team instead of him. Terry Mills, Curtis Rowe -- Zelly Rebraca (OK, I went too far) -- anybody but Salley.

So, there we are before the game, talking to the players as they walk through. Everybody, from Dave Bing to Bob Lanier to Chuck Daly -- I mean, legit Hall-of-Fame stars -- stop to talk to us media types. They are cordial, happy to do so. In comes Salley with the biggest entourage of anybody. He literally travels with his own TV crew. Captain Pretentious. It's absurd. We ask politely if we can talk to him for a second. He doesn't even break stride, "Nope." Well, at least he gave unlimited access to his own crew. He's like a walking reality TV show that nobody wants to watch but him. I hope the Pistons never retire his number. If they did, it would devalue all those others who's jerseys justifiably hang in the rafters.

The other thing that came out of the night was some good-natured jawing about which team was better, the Bad Boys or the current team that has won 50-plus games seven straight seasons. Rasheed Wallace said it would be a hell of a game, but I am not sure. I think the Bad Boys would whip up on the current group, sorry to say. But not for the reason you may think. I hear a lot of people saying the Bad Boys were tougher, more physical. Maybe, but not by a lot. And if the game was played under current rules, the Bad Boys couldn't play the way they played back in the day. They would all foul out and be suspended for the next game. The league is softer, way softer, now and they would have to adjust. The current group would have no trouble adjusting to the prison rules style of the Bad Boys era.

No, the reason I say the Bad Boys would prevail is because from top to bottom they shot the ball better. From 1986 through 1989, the team shot 49 percent. The current team has never shot higher that 45 percent. Shoot, Chauncey darn-near missed the lay-up that concluded the all-era fastbreak at the end of the ceremony. But I will tell you this, if the Pistons do go on to win their second title this season, you have to put this group side-by-side with the Bad Boys. They would no longer be considered the Bad Boys' little brother -- they would be the Bad Boys' equal.

I never get tired of seeing media members get pissed because people won't talk to them.

The other downer, at least to me, was John Salley. This guy has become an insufferable jerk. I am not kidding.
Oh ho ho!

Wow, way to be professional McCoskey.
Doesn't make me question why John Salley wanted nothing to do with you at all....

Is it pretentious or pedantic of me to think that a journalist writing "me and my buddies used to go.." even in a more informal blog is just plain wrong?

I will admit that John Salley shouldnt have been on the team. He really wasnt all that great. Solid role player, but nothing worth being on that team. I'd just as soon drop terry mills in his place(3 Mills was and always will be the shiznit when he was in detroit).

"The Team" was a joke anyways, IMO.

I mean, is Lindsey Hunter one of the all time best Pistons?

Maybe based on games played and longevity, but come on.

If they wanted to do this right, it would have been a true "team", no more than 15 guys, preferrably 3 at each position.

Sugar Bear was quality Gutz.

Come to think of it Glenn, did they ever explain why they were picking 30?

Has anyone found and videos of the presentation posted anywhere? I wasn't home to watch it.

Sugar Bear was quality Gutz.

During those days Grant Hill and and Terry Mills were both severely entertaining players when they got hot. I remember that game in chicago where Terry Mills was kicking ass and that fag Doug Collins cried like a bitch because we finally beat the bulls in a regular season game. I lost faith in him as a coach from then on, but i loved that win. Had it on vhs somewhere, probably gone now.

Man, Collins cried at EVERYTHING.

b-diddy needs to bring back the Collins avatar

I will admit that John Salley shouldnt have been on the team. He really wasnt all that great. Solid role player, but nothing worth being on that team. I'd just as soon drop terry mills in his place(3 Mills was and always will be the shiznit when he was in detroit).
They put all the rotation players from the Bad Boys era on the team. If you're talking 30 best and a 12-15 person "team" and weigh in terms of impact on the franchise, that's the right call. But, by that metric, Corliss Williamson should've been on the team.

I agree that the teal era wasn't well represented. It would've been a hoot if they called out Bison Dele's name and he showed up.

I agree that the teal era wasn't well represented. It would've been a hoot if they called out Bison Dele's name and he showed up.
LMAO

If he shows up with 2pac and elvis, that game gets interesting.

Man, Collins cried at EVERYTHING.
pussy coach, MJ did the right thing ousting him. He had flip saunders potential of never getting over the hump it seemed and never really preached nba title more than "beat the bulls someday". Hopefully flip doesnt have flip saunders potential this year. :emo kid:

If he shows up with 2pac and elvis, that game gets interesting.

Bullet holes and all?

Does Jimmy Hoffa drop them off?

chris acts like salley isnt on tv 5 nights a week


im sure it was fsn's idea to follow him around.

:mccosky:

Billups to be honored

It probably won't go on the same shelf as his MVP award from the 2004 NBA Finals, but Chauncey Billups will receive a very special, and much-deserved award before the game tonight.

Billups is the 2007-2008 recipient of the J. Walter Kennedy Award, the oldest citizenship and community service award given in the NBA. The award is given by the Professional Basketball Writers Association and I am honored to be able to present Billups with his trophy tonight.

This is the third straight year I have nominated and campaigned for Billups to win this award. Finally, my brethren and sistren have seen the light. I can't imagine any other player doing more than Billups does. He not only has done amazing things for underprivileged kids here in Michigan, but he maintains active projects in Denver and Minneapolis. His most impressive project is the academic academy he's lent his name, money and time to in Denver. The camp has nothing to do with athletics. It takes need-based students and teaches and grooms them for academic success. The top students every year get rewarded with college scholarships. Billups also brings in a large group from the academy every year to see a Pistons game.

On top of that, Billups is one of the rare players who might not have a single enemy in the league. They call him the Mayor because of his extraordinary popularity throughout the league.

Billups is the fourth Piston to win the award, the first since Joe Dumars won it in 1994. Bob Lanier and Isiah Thomas also won it. Billups was beaten out the last two years, first by his buddy Kevin Garnett and then last year by Steve Nash.

His most impressive project is the academic academy
That's some impressively impressive writing, courtesy of the Mustache Of Disdain.

the Mustache Of Disdain

holyshit!

MMTYS

That's some impressively impressive writing, courtesy of the Mustache Of Disdain.
Given than in a hoops context, most "academies" are jock schools for ballers, it could be worse. If anything, I'd fault the editor.

Given than in a hoops context, most "academies" are jock schools for ballers, it could be worse. If anything, I'd fault the editor.

You could also blame the person who edits the column.

Posted by Chris McCosky on Fri, May 9, 2008 at 1:55 PM
No more Orlando radio

Note to self: Don't ever, ever, ever go on an Orlando sports talk radio show again. Outside of the newspaper guys who cover the Magic on a daily basis -- good, hard-working, competent lads all -- there is a real provincial, homeristic approach to the media down here. I remember back in 2003 after the Magic went up 3-1, a local radio reporter closed the post-game interview with Tracy McGrady by gushing, "Good luck, Tracy."

Even this year, whenever one of the Orlando foofs asks a question to a Piston, it's usually something like, "How good is Dwight Howard now?" Or, "Are you surprised at how well the Magic are playing against you guys?" The tone of the questioning is always, don't you love us? It's gross, really.

So I go on this talk radio show down here Thursday afternoon. I thought they wanted a Chauncey Billups update. But no, this guy -- I don't remember his name -- says, "Now that the Magic have control of the series..." And I stopped him. Control of the series? How does being down 2-1 with two games still to be played in Detroit give the Magic control of the series. But, you know his line, the Magic were robbed in Game 2 by the evil clock guy in Detroit (nevermind the Magic wetting themselves down the stretch, making two buckets in six minutes, or their 19 turnovers) and they killed the Pistons in Game 3 and Billups was questionable, blah, blah, blah. It was his show, so I tried to be diplomatic. I said from the Magic point of view, sure, they probably feel like the tide had turned. But I said the Pistons didn't feel that way at all. Well, the jackass just couldn't accept that. He must asked me three more times, in three different ways, if the Pistons feared the Magic now. I was like, Dude, they have a healthy respect for the Magic, they always have. But they don't fear them. My God, get a grip.

I was thinking about this -- early in the series, the Magic players made a big deal about not being intimidated by the Pistons, not backing down and all that. But where did that come from? The Pistons never talked like they were out to punk the Magic. They never talked like they didn't respect them. The Pistons were actually surprised that the Magic had that mind-set. So where did it come from? It came from the Magic's own inferiority complex. They are the ones who felt punked. Their media buys into it and perpetuates it. Even this half-baked talk show guy was all, "I'm going to stand up to this Detroit writer. I am going to show how tough I am." Whatever.

Here's how tough this guy was. He apparently kept ripping on me AFTER I was off the air. Real braveheart, this guy. He had no retort when I was talking to him, but boy, he tore me up when he knew I couldn't answer back. Piece of work. But that's how they roll down here.

There has to be a podcast recording of this on the internet somewhere.....

^ lol

I saw a Flip interview where an OMag reporter had this question for Flip, but in the question it was a fuckin 15 minute diserfuckintation about how good the OMag were and how last years sweep was a fluke and forget about any of that domination anymore, yada yada yada and then he aks, How are the OMag better in your mind? Flip says..."They rely on the 3 pointer" and moved on. Reporter got nexted. Loved it. Flip +1

There has to be a podcast recording of this on the internet somewhere.....

Did McCoskey have his revenge?


Many of us in the press room before the game could see this coming.

That's when a hulking Pistons beat writer for the Detroit News nearly beat up undersized Orlando sports radio host Jerry O'Neill before the game. Even the Magic media came up small.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-bianchi1108may11,0,2007707.column

"The Hulking Mustache of Disdain"

I like it.

Did McCoskey have his revenge?



http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-bianchi1108may11,0,2007707.column


scrawled one of the tykes: "Magics are going to beat the Pistons."

Maybe someday, young fella.

Maybe someday.

Damn, this just reminded me I forgot to do my annual "rally" post before the Orlando series.

McCosky blogged about the situation. Says the radio guy thought McCosky was talking down to him. Can't figure out why he'd think that. Neither can McCosky apparently. Shocking.

:mccosky:


Here's what happened

OK, I don't want to turn this blog into like a My Space confessional thing, but I have been flooded with emails from folks wanting to know if I beat up an Orlando radio guy in the press room before Game 4. Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi made reference to it in his column today, which made me laugh. He referred to me as hulking. I guess I never thought of myself as hulking -- overweight, old, grouchy, yeah, but not hulking. Oh well.

In lieu of not responding to all the emails, here's what happened. I blogged on Friday about how this Orlando radio guy had invited me on his show and badgered me with questions about how the Magic had control of the series and that the Pistons obviously feared the Magic after Game 3. I tried to be polite, it was his show. But I shot down his premise pretty vehemently. Well, after I was off the air, this clown ripped on me for a good 15 minutes, I was told. I guess he went on and on about how I talked down to him and how all the Detroit people have this arrogant attitude, or some such garbage.

So, I see him skulking around the press room before the game and I confront him. That's sort of what I do. Not real good at letting things slide off me. I am working on it.

Anyway, I walk up to him and I said, "You always rip on your guests once they are off the air and can't respond?" He said something about how it was his show and for me not to tell him how to run his show. I questioned his courage and some other things and we went back and forth. I was holding my laptop, so it wasn't like I was about to strike him. But I was up in his face, and I suppose I might have cursed a bit. Again, sort of what I do. I remember him saying that I talked down to him, and I said something like, I only talk down to stupid people. I suppose that wasn't very nice.

It was getting pretty heated when Sherrod Blakely from Booth Newspapers stepped between us and guided me away. I am embarrassed how many times Sherrod has had to pull me away -- usually its from a visiting camera guy or an overzealous security guard. God bless you, Sherrod.

The guy's parting line to me was, "Who are you, anyway. Who are you?" I am the guy in Mike Bianchi's column. I am the guy who wouldn't let himself be punked by a know-nothing homer radio clown. I am also the guy who isn't at all proud of his hair-trigger temper, but, what are you going to do? For the record, at no point was I going to hit the dude. Just wanted to hold him accountable for his cowardly actions.

This is amazing.

This is AWESOME

Somebody bold how many times he said "talking down to" lol. It's just what he does.

http://www.espnflorida.com/

Brady Ackerman with Jerry O'Neill

just hit Ackerman Hour 1 and they start hitting it right away

LMAO "McClosky"

Nice find, Wizzle

That guy's show is on live today at 3 pm, if anybody wants to check it out.

I've got it ready to go.....I bet he doesn't bring it up at all

Somebody here should call in (if they take callers, that is.)

PLUG THE SITE IF YOU DO

Dear Diary,

Today I totally almost kicked Myron's ass. He kept on pushing me with all that talk about how I shouldn't have put an elf in our quest party and how elves are gay and whatever. I was so pissed. When he finally made a Legolas crack I totally stood up and stared at him really hard. I was going to say something and Evan (who is always a dick when he's Dungeon Master) was like "sit the fuck down Chris! You've got an arch-Lich around the corner!" Myron just kept smiling at me. God damn you, Myron.

These Orlando radio tools are pathetic. They are discussing different scenarios of how the Magic could have won. They are so upset it's laughable.

They have a web cam so you can watch them, too, if you like watching paint dry.

They are talking about McCosky right now.

Just called him "arrogant", said that he treated them like his "pupils".

"A tall, overweight, blubbery person dropping F-bombs in my face"

LOL

lol....I was about to turn it off

Talking about him again with an Orlando Sentinel beat writer.

They are sending people to his blog now to read what he has written.

I left Chris a note in the "comments" section.

Not listening, but still LOL'ing.

my god these guys are boring

I don't have any idea how someone could think that Chris McCosky is talking down to them.

lmao

I read this elsewhere this morning and thought it was poignant.


McCosky has two modes:

1. Be wrong in advance.

2. Be correct afterward and pretend it was obvious from the get go, even though he said nothing before.

#2 is money.

Be played, or pretend to be a player -- suck is the life of a reporter at the wrong end of the urinal...