Friday, June 18, 2004
Class In the Midst of Championship Fatigue
OK...at the risk of offending my fellow blogger...I'm tired of it all. I'm tired of the Piston overkill in the media right now.
But before I sound off, I will admit why I'm tired of it. Because I'm jealous. I'm jealous of the fact that it's not the Red Wings with another parade in the streets. I'm jealous of the fact that hockey is taking a back seat to hoops in this town.
Is this what we did when the Red Wings won their Stanley Cups? Did we go this insane? Did we go this overboard? Most likely yes, and I totally lapped it up, as evidenced by my extensive collection of Stanley Cup T-shirts and books.
But upon closer inspection, I realize what it is that's ticking me off: the bandwagoners and the unnecessary competition.
First off all, the Pistons won. You know that. Beat the high, mighty (and arrogant) Lakers. Won it all. NBA Champions. Woo-hoo. I am happy. I am happy for the team, for those who worked so hard to get to the summit, and for those die-hard long time fans of the Pistons (like my esteemed colleague and friend Paul). When you get a championship, you celebrate. You party like it's 1999.
But I am NOT happy for the casual fans and the media. I am not happy for the people who jumped on board the train at the end Game 3 of the NBA Finals, who don't know charging from blocking and who don't even realize how significant it is that a zone defense is now legal in the NBA. These, for some reason, tend to be the loudest and most in-your-face fans, who aren't just whooping it up about the superiority of the Pistons in the NBA, but about the superiority of the Pistons among the teams in the area.
Suddenly, it's all about how we're "Hoopstown" and not "Hockeytown" (as we arrogantly called ourselves, but I prefer to look at the reason for that as the culture of hockey that exists in this city, not just because of a single NHL team). Suddenly, as the bandwagoners shout to any reporter's microphone within reach, we don't care about that losing hockey team, much less the baseball team that's currently on the road or the football team that hasn't even done anything (of course, the football team has yet to play this year). Basketball's beeeettttter!
Which is why it is very refreshing to see the actual Piston members conduct themselves in the way they did.
First of all, let's go back to coach Larry Brown, who actually thanked his predecessor, Rick Carlisle, and players who left or were traded away before Brown took over this year, for setting the foundation that he laid the finishing touches on.
Then, as if maybe this organization recognized the same things that I'm railing about, they showed up at the parade and rally honoring the other teams in the area. Brown wore a Detroit Tigers hat, and later changed into a Detroit Lions jersey. Rasheed Wallace wore a Detroit Red Wings jersey, which is quite an amazing feat to wear something like that in the heat and humidity that were present for the parade. They tipped their hats to the other teams, and true to the no ego, team first manner in which this organization operates, shared the spotlight. They demonstrated, not just gave lip service to but demonstrated, that it's not all about them, even in the moment when they rightfully could have claimed it was.
You know, the Red Wings never did that in their Stanley Cup celebrations.
As an aside, it should be interesting to note one other thing. Rasheed Wallace could be a rent a player. He was brought in at the trade deadline and he's going to be a free agent. Larry Brown is a known coaching nomad, and it has been speculated that he might also step away, having achieved what he has desired for 20 odd years in the NBA. Both of these guys could have new addresses by next season.
And yet, these were the two guys who decided to honor to rest of Detroit by acknowledging the other teams. (Note to the rest of league: they like it here. These guys are staying.)
The what-have-you-done-for-me-lately's, who will not remember that this is actually Lindsey Hunter's second tour of duty with the Pistons, will continue to shove it in our (my) face about which sport reigns...at least until someone else wins an championship in this town and/or they put their Ben Wallace wigs in the closet somewhere and pick up a Steve Yzerman, Joey Harrington or Pudge Rodriguez jersey. But for the Piston players, coaches, staff; for the die hard fans who worship at the altar of Bing, Lanier, Thomas and Dumars (most especially Dumars!), who have seen this team play at Cobo, the Silverdome and the Palace and stuck it through the lean years, you have one thing to do.
Party. Party it up, baby!
