Ben Wallace doesn’t like Flip Saunders
Published by The Cavalier October 6th, 2006 in Free Agency, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, Things We Like, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace
It’s a new season, but one of our favorite storylines from last year is allowed to live on, as it’s taken on a whole new formatulation.
As you can probably guess from the above, it’s that wily, joyful group known as the Detroit Pistons. It’s well known that the core of the team’s spirit has left them for the division rival Chicago Bulls, and ESPN’s Chris Sheridan has gotten the full story as to why.
The excerpts below are long and painful, but not for anyone who doesn’t like the team in Michigan.
“No. I just didn’t like the way we handled things,” Wallace said. “I hear [Pistons coach Flip Saunders] saying now that I’m gone he can open up his playbook. I laugh at it. Everyone’s looking for something, and for him to say that, he’s fishing for getting a reaction out of me. It’s funny to me, real comical. I never thought you could win when you’ve got five guys on the floor looking for the ball and no one out there doing the little things. So that’s on him. If he feels like that, go ahead.”
“I have no relationship with him. He’s coach and I’m a player, and that’s as far as it went. If you say your door is always open and we can always talk about things and you’ll be willing to listen, and when I come to him to talk about something that’s bothering me that I think is hurting the team, if you don’t do anything to change it, then that’s the last time I need to talk to you.”
Okay, that wasn’t really that lengthy, but still…
He goes on to note the same thing in several different ways. Basically, between the money from Chicago being more and the laxness of Flip, Ben had had enough. He also says that he called the other four of the “core” Pistons and asked for their advice and blessing on leaving. They gave it and understood the decision - somewhat interesting.
Two things result from this. One, it makes the reunion games that much better - you can bet that little rat Skiles is going to pound the ball inside to Ben, even if it means running alley-oop backdoor cuts for the entirety of the game.
Secondly, the destruction of the Pistons psyche has begun. We’ve been calling it for awhile, at least to ourselves since we haven’t been here: Sheed’s going to melt down and become a cancer again.
Between having to play inside more that he cares to and Flip running that sweet zone defense Sheed loves so much, dude is going to CTC all over the place. That’s “Cut The Check”, for those unfamiliar with the Portland Trailblazer version of Rasheed Wallace.
You seem to forget Ben’s hands are still too small for the Orange roundie…even the new roundie.
I doubt the Bulls will spend much time running plays for Wallace.
Don’t tell me Boney, a Piston fan is hating on Big Ben…
And it’s “Cut the check” as in I don’t care where I play as long as they CTC (cut the check)!
Corrected, thanks.
I haven’t put in 4 posts in one day since probably July - cut me some slack, old friend!
maybe it will be chauncey who has the ultimate meltdown and just ends of shooting someone mid game like the last boy scout or something.
Actually, I’ve wondered about Chauncey this year too. He’s getting a little slower, and I’m betting Flip is going to have him to run more plays for Tayshuan this year, combination of which may wear on him.
Anyone that looks at life like “I gotta make that paper”, instead of being loyal to a team that makes you who you are as a player…then yeah, I’m not going to like it.
It doesn’t really matter though. As you’ll soon see, Wallace isn’t all that he’s cracked up to be. With the new rules anyway, it makes it hard for defenders like him to actually defend.
Of course, there’s no reason that a team should be loyal to the player that made them who they are.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Chauncey is gone after this year. Someone is going to give him $12mil per, and it won’t be the pistons…
Especially when the Pistons only win 43 this year and realize it’s time to start over.
Walang kuwenta si Ben! Ayos lang mawala siya sa pistons. Nanndiyan naman si Chauncey at Rip! Hehe!
Honesty is the best policy… Agnes