1935 Was A Good Year For Detroit, Not Pistons

February 20, 2010 – With their loss last night, the Pistons slipped to 19 and 35 and pretty much out of the running for a playoff spot. There’s a “For Sale” sign outside The Palace. CEO Tom Wilson, whom once-upon-a-time deceased owner William Davidson picked over Isiah Thomas to run his team, has now fled. And the single symbol for this once-proud franchise’s demise was traded over the All Star break, when Darko Milicic was dumped from New York to Minneapolis for his last months of being well paid for not playing basketball very well in North America.

To further taunt Piston’s director of basketball decisions, Joe Dumars, the All Star game MVP vote finished 1. Dwayne Wade 2. Lebron James and 3. Chris Bosh, two out of three Dumars could have had instead of Darko. It was also telling that Chauncey Billups was an All Star team for the West, that Allen Iverson, although voted in by the fans to much controversy, because he didn’t deserve to be anywhere near Dallas based upon how he now plays, was absent, and the Pistons lone stretch at describing an All Star participant was rookie Jonas Jerebko’s appearance in the rookies versus sophomores game.

When regular season play resumed on Wednesday, Denver visited Cleveland and the third guy that Dumars should have taken instead of Darko, Carmelo Anthony, hit a last second shot to lead the Nuggets over the Cavs while dropping in 40 to LeBron’s 43. At just about the same time, former Piston Brian Cardinal’s value, if not his body, was being shipped to the Knicks from Minnesota as compensation for Darko. New York was expected to waive Cardinal.

In 1935, the Tigers beat the Cubs in six games to take the World Series. Good times for Detroit. The Pistons at 19 and 35 are back to being caught in the days of Bing and Lanier, just south of the playoff line, maybe not even that good. Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Darren Daye and “All Star” Jonas Jerebko are being looked at to lead the rise from the ashes. And maybe a lottery pick. Hopefully Joe chooses well.