McDyess: 'We Didn't Give It All We Got'

mcdyess deserves much better than rasheed wallace, and other guys that dont care or like wallace is too stupid to keep himself on track

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I'm a diehard Detroit fan. I must say Detroit has played in a "zombie" state at times over the last two years of competition--the record shows it. Detroit lost to some lesser capable teams. In just about every case it appeared they lacked energy and direction. This is not intended to take away from the ability of any team. It is intended to recognize the talents, high achievements, and standards of Detroit's players, coaches, and management.

It's easy to see that Antonio McDyess is frustrated. We're all frustrated because we know the superior capability of this team. Antonio's candid assessment is on target; but the coach bears a great deal of the responsibility for Detroit's demise last night. Flip Saunders is a good coach however it appears his coaching style and ability to get the team geeked up (motivated) for certain games is weak. At times during the season he looked as tough he wasn't coaching at all. Admittdly, as fans it's tough to tell what's actually going on behind the scenes. There are certain fundamental things the coach should demonstrate such as enthusiasm, creativity, game tempo management, employing techniques to stop opponent point runs (especially when our team is in the lead), and keeping the team focused and motivated, to name a few. Coach Saunders seems to lack the timing/tactics to affect opponent tactics or the aggressiveness to inspire Detroit when they seem to lose intensity.

In the final analysis, the players, coaches, and management are the team, each has specific responsibilities to ensure the team is a winner. To this end overall, the team did well in achieving a winning record the last three seasons. Athough they amassed excellent records, Detroit should have been better.

Last night, the players did a fine job in meeting Boston's challenge. They fought hard in garnering a 10-point lead in a superb come back in the final moments of the game. The team executed their offense and defense with precision. The Palace was filled with excitement, and Detroit was the team of old. But it all came to a halt with a timeout and Boston's coaching leadership and insightful strategy.

A team of Detroit's talent should not have lost a 10-point lead in such a crucial game...at home. Yes, Coach Doc Rivers did a great job of motivating his team, using timeouts to impact Detroit's point runs, and showing the passion necessary to lead his to the win. It was a real work of art. But, losing two games in the Palace with everything in Detroit's favor is inexcusable particularly for a team of their caliber.

Detroit management needs to reevaluate Coach Saunder's performance especially during close games. The question is, does he assert himself at appropriate times when the team needs direction, or does he rely more on the team's talent to work through chaotic periods? A 59-23 season record is impressive. But for a top team such as Detroit, this is the standard. Getting to the NBA finals is the expectation and it's the coach's job to ensure the team is equipped to accomplish this goal.

Joe Dumars, time and age is running out on Detroit's outstanding players, namely Wallace, Hamilton, Billups, and McDyess. It's easy to see that change is needed--a coaching change that is. Coach Saunder's inherited an NBA Championship winning team. Under his leadership, Detroit has become merely a playoffs contender. This is Coach Saunder's third year as Head Coach, and his second year in failing to reach the finals. In the words of Antonio McDyess, this is "another wasted year." Three years to be exact. The search should be on for a new coach. Please don't put the fans through a similar wasted fourth year!

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This team has gone as far as they can go with the current roster. Rasheed needs to go and Flip needs to follow. They need more players with heart like McDyees. He wants to win. He has overcome many obstacles to get this close so many times and lose. They need a coach who can get the best out of the talent, not one who is their "buddy". With their experience, they should have won the east.

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u guys who think that Rascheed needs to be let go by the Pistons, are really crazy and stupid. The Pistons would not have been there without him.

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Let's just say that Rascheed is very emotional and needs to tone it down a little bit at times, but without him, the Pistons would not have been where they were.

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Rasheed is the passion on this team and when held back from suspension threats, it showed. Up the fines if that is what you want (but make them fair) but don't penalize a player for passion. My heart broke last night for Dyess. If I could buy him a championship, I would. But he is the champion of dedication in my book.

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The Pistons need to find or develop a center ... someone tall and physical enough to match up with big guys like Duncan and Garnett and Howard. Rasheed took on the job this year and worked hard at it, but it took it's toll. Ultimately it wore him down. Was disappointed that they never played Amir Johnson or Walter Hermann in any of these games. Theo Ratliff was a bust. They could have done better with Amir in that role. Wasnt that what they groomed him for all season?

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hey lets not dump on sheed,he is hard working and very emtional.The same way he was at Carolina.If you didnt like him then why draft him hes the same guy.The team sometimes sleep walk thru games yes I am including Billups who in my opinion attempts to turn it on and off.Lets sit Billups and play Stuckey ?

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You can not be serious to say: without rasheed Detroit would not have been there. The East is not very good if you did not notice, and rasheed is really nothing more than a role playing small forward. He gets in foul trouble nearly every game, rarely goes in the post or even has double digit rebounding games. If I'm not mistaken he is 7'!
His rare contributions are often overshadowed by his frequent disappearing acts. I would rather have someone in there such as Maxiell who may not be as talented as rasheed, but brings effort every single night!

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i love mcdyess. i thought i love'd rasheed, but if he doesn't love the game then well i don't know. he'd claim to love it if someone asked him, but if you look at how's he's played and acted these past three eastern conference finals, you'd think someone was paying him to play and act out of character. i also agree with mcdyess where he mentions that they do well all season and go into a zombie state. it's absolutley true, i watch every piston game with a few exceptions, and when they're on you can just tell. not a single game in the conference finals were they on. to me the only two who gave any heart at all was rip and mcdyess. before game six you could sense they were'nt going to win. anyone could of told you they were going to lose after game three. i went to game three, it was the worst game i ever seen, it was even worst live, with some booing fans, angry drunks, and fights every other section. i think they should trade rasheed, but its whether joe will or not, because in all honesty (even though there'll always be a place in my heart for rasheed) who would want him? he brings a lot of baggage that no championship-caliber team would want. the only place i could see him going is to a young team because he's such a wonderful coach and could really show the young guys how to play. the problem is, is he would be upset losing and might be a negative attitude, which is never good with young teams. but i'm just a piston fan so what i say really doesn't matter, guess it feels good to vent. i feel you mcdyess

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I feel for McDyess he truly wants to win and it shows. As for Rasheed, we must keep him. We would not be where we are without him. He has a passion for the game and he gets bogus calls because he is Rasheed Wallace. With SA you could not even breath on Duncan, Parker or Ginobolli without getting a foul called on you. Same with Shaq and D Wade, then LeBron and now Garnett, Pierce and Allen. Certain players get called for fouls because of who they are and Rasheed is one of them. If I were on the team I would get Technicals too because of all the bad calls against Rasheed. But we need to keep this team intact and forget about moving Rasheed or Rip. It would be nice to have Big Ben back because he was so lost in Cleveland and in Chicago. Bring back the "Fro." We can send Flip packing and bring in Avery Johnson. I think the Pistons can win with this lineup if we have a coach who will make sure we play the whole game not just 3/4 of it. Boston in my opinion is a one year wonder. They are done after this year.

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I love the detroit pistons...i hate to see them lose.....mcdyess is right....they go so far but com so short...Wallace needs to keep his head in the game and not his mouth....Billups needs to lead that team...tashaun and hamilton still did wat they always do....so thats not enough they need to give more!!!
WE THE DETROIT FANS NEED TO SEE THE INTENSITY POUR FROM RASHEED...IF THAT DOESN"T HAPPEN THEN NO CHAMPIONSHIP...AND MR. BIG SHOT...LEAD UR TEAM LIKE YOU DID IN 2004!!!!1

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3 out of 5 pistons were on there game in game six and dyess was not one of them. he didnt grab the boards or take his jumpers. sheed got to emotional and let it take him out of the game. I love dyess and sheed and there is no one I would rather have out front. The problem is that these 5 core players are un-coachable as a core offensively. we need to bring in a larry brown or a chuck daly(for example) to properly motivate a team that is defense oriented. flip is a offensive coach that is coaching defensive players. Its why we couldnt stop lebron last year and pierce this year. flip cant write up those kind of defensive stops that the pistons made there living on 2003-2005. But as for dyess he has the right goal. ride it out and try to make the best of it. Joe D is the best pres. of basketball operations in the nba and wont give up on his goal. nothin but love for the best starting five in the league cant wait to see what happens next year.

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For everyone that is blaming Flip for not "motivating" professional ball players enough to go out and play hard in a do or die conference finals game, they need to get a grip. Larry, Michael and Majic used to say "if you're not motivated enough on your own for a game like this, than you need to be in another profession." As for everyone that says Rasheed is the heart and sole of the team, I have to ask this question: Isn't Garnett the heart and sole of his team? I urge you to name a player with me fire and desire to win. Isn't Kobe the heart and sole of his team? Do they do things to disrupt and totally disregard the chemistry and balance of their respective teams? I think not. If Rasheed is the heart and sole, than the Pistons need a transplant.

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