Saunders upset about Kings' pre-game video
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
By A. Sherrod Blakely
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Detroit Pistons coach Flip Saunders was fired up even more than usual, and it had little to do with Tuesday's game against Sacramento being Detroit's toughest challenge of the season.
Saunders was visibly upset moments before tip-off because of a slew of negative images on the jumbo screen above half court that showed dilapidated buildings and burned out cars that were intended to depict the city of Detroit.
"I know the Maloofs pretty well," Saunders said of the Sacramento King owners. "I've been in this league 10 years, and they've been nothing but class. I'm sure they had no idea. If they did, they would never let something like that go. That's bull (expletive)."
Said Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace: "Don't tread on 'D' (Detroit)!"
As far whether it factored in his team's 102-88 victory over the Kings, Saunders said, "I don't know if it fired them up. It fired me up. I only been (in the Metro Detroit area) three months, and I took offense to that."
After the game, most players said they did not know about the images until they were told about them after the game.
"Bet they won't do that again," said Detroit's Chauncey Billups.
Said John Thomas, president of Maloof Sports and Entertainment: "It was a terrible mistake. That's not us. It's not the way we do things."
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
By A. Sherrod Blakely
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Detroit Pistons coach Flip Saunders was fired up even more than usual, and it had little to do with Tuesday's game against Sacramento being Detroit's toughest challenge of the season.
Saunders was visibly upset moments before tip-off because of a slew of negative images on the jumbo screen above half court that showed dilapidated buildings and burned out cars that were intended to depict the city of Detroit.
"I know the Maloofs pretty well," Saunders said of the Sacramento King owners. "I've been in this league 10 years, and they've been nothing but class. I'm sure they had no idea. If they did, they would never let something like that go. That's bull (expletive)."
Said Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace: "Don't tread on 'D' (Detroit)!"
As far whether it factored in his team's 102-88 victory over the Kings, Saunders said, "I don't know if it fired them up. It fired me up. I only been (in the Metro Detroit area) three months, and I took offense to that."
After the game, most players said they did not know about the images until they were told about them after the game.
"Bet they won't do that again," said Detroit's Chauncey Billups.
Said John Thomas, president of Maloof Sports and Entertainment: "It was a terrible mistake. That's not us. It's not the way we do things."
