I don’t have all the answers, but I try to keep things in perspective, especially in dark times. Udoka was my preferred hire but our own front office’s sexual assault scandal ruined that, so we got Monty. Ok, better than Casey (so I thought) or Kevin fucking Ollie. Monty coming in proclaiming off rip he mainly came because of the money and health care for his wife (he said this) is not an ideal start for giving young guys confidence, but ok.

This team had some winning mojo from summer runs with Cade and Jaden playing together. I’m sure they were excited to start the season and develop. Monty uses the preseason and our first 12 regular season games as training camp (as if he can’t evaluate talent) undoing that chemistry and ultimately, starting the season off cultivating losing by being stubborn and to teach a lesson. Wins were sacrificed, when we could’ve won at least one or two of those games during our now 14 (and counting) game losing streak. The mishandling of lineups only messes with continuity and defining roles, very important for a young talented yet flawed team’s development.

Now we see the stubbornness, inability to make adjustments, scheme properly or adapt (like Suns beat writers and fans warned us) by making premeditated wholesale lineup changes, instead of seeing the rhythm of the game. I warned people Monty blatantly contracting himself is an easy way for a team to not buy in and lose respect for him as a coach… Now they have quit. We NEVER saw this with Casey, and he was no gem.

Obvious changes take Monty 12 games to make? What’s the point of Cade slow walking up the court to start the offense. while defenses set up? We have athletes to get out and run. Cade OBVIOUSLY is not ready to play PG full time, why pigeon hold him into being the primary ball handler? Why is Cade top 5 in mintues per game coming off a lower extremity injury? Trying to have him save your job like CP3 saved your career?? He’s not there yet and needs actual coaching, not playing him into the ground anyway while he fucks up. Why is Ivey always relegated to standing in the corner? Why haven’t they been taught off ball action, off ball screens and weak side movement? Even subtle steps 3 or 4 feet around the perimeter without the ball, while reading and playing off Cade and Ivey’s penetration to create better passing angles is easy to teach; and no, you don’t HAVE to jack up a 3 Ausar. Ray Charles can see starting 3 non-shooters on any team (and imploring them to shoot) is a recipe for disaster.

I genuinely hope 1. this front office gets cleared out 2. Monty just keeps it a buck and admits his mind isn’t into coaching and steps down, and 3. we figure out we can’t just foist Cade into a leadership position and glue the ball into his hands because of where he was drafted. The organization has failed us, this coach has contradicted himself into a corner, is cluelessly outdated in his approach and scheme. Worst of all, the team is frustrated and seem to be pussying out.

Development is fine, but put players in positions to succeed instead of trying to will their flaws into something positive; doesn’t mean the team can put their heads down, FIGHT! Uh um uh Weaver / Tellem / Stefanski assembled this shit show, but players aren’t even in the proper position to highlight any of their actual talent… so they get down on themselves, wither and quit. Unacceptable.

This is an organizational failure from top to bottom, Gores is the common denominator and deserves his own chapter of threads. Even most of our beat writers have turned in their journalistic integrity to write fluff pieces about the “positives” while we get shamelessly obliterated, just be real and honest instead of catering for access and approval. I like Cade, but I’m tired of seeing certain podcasters go into a “help Cade” salvo after games that he’s bricked double digit wide open shots and had high amounts of baffling unforced turnovers.

This entire thing is a shit show right now…But life comes in waves. It’s been 15 years and we feel like we’re drowning but something will give, even if it takes not a soul being at LCA.

Shout out to the LCA ushers, concession workers, dancers, cheerleaders and most importantly, us, the fans. We deserve better. This is a special franchise. Although it may need to be fueled by childhood Bad Boys and “Going to work” Pistons memories, this bullshit will not break my will, love for the game or love for this franchise.

Go Lions, Go Wings, Go Tigs’!

Keep your heads up Pistons fans and lifers, life comes in waves