Flip Flopper

Flip Saunders has never insulted, disrespected, or threatened me in any way. I have never had any contact--legitimate or imaginary--with the man. I am not assaulting his character: I am criticizing his ability to coach the legendary Detroit Pistons.

He had more than eight years in Minnesota with Kevin Garnett to do something, and yet the best, the best he managed was to face off against the '03-'04 Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. I'm not going to say its pathetic, because lord knows all I do with my time is flirt with Japanese girls while gorging myself on Pocky, but I'm not the one getting paid millions of dollars to mislead a franchise.

Flip was a decent high school and college player, a better collegiate coach (1981 Big Ten championship with the Golden Gophers), and a damn good CBA coach. The man ranks second in overall CBA victories. But what does all that add up to? Its like winning the NIT.

He had some big shoes to fill with Larry Brown's departure, but despite our regular season records, our team has not evolved in the positive light Joe Dumars fashioned. Instead, our defensive and personal intensity seems to have dissipated, with back-to-back exits from the Eastern Conference Finals. His victories in college led to a successful run with the CBA, but that did not in turn beget a colossal NBA career. Anything but.

After winning the championship during his first year with the Pistons in 2004, Larry Brown had to deal with the departure of three key bench members: Mehmet Okur, Mike James, and Corliss Williamson. Even without these solid contributors, the Pistons still took the Spurs to Game 7 of the 2005 Finals. Incredible. Flip has dealt with a loss of talent too, notably Ben Wallace. But how did the team perform? First by losing to the Heat, then the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers?? Come on!

The Pistons have gone through many coaching changes: from Irvine to Carlisle to Brown to Saunders. But its time to make the next leap: Saunders to Laimbeer.

Just as Saunders proved his mettle by winning two championships in the CBA, Laimbeer has won two championships with the World Champion Detroit Shock. Laimbeer hasn't proven himself as a coach in the NBA yet. To jump from WBNA head coach to NBA head coach, without an assistant coach stop first, is a little drastic. But where Flip doesn't get respect from his players, Laimbeer would get nothing but. There would be the occasional grumbling from players and personnel, given Bill's severity and intensity, but how could they not respect the back-to-back championship-winning, all-star-outside-shooting center who leads them? Exactly. Bill Laimbeer for the next head coach of the Detroit Pistons. Watch him replace Flip mid-season, take the Pistons far, but not winning the championship until '08-'09. You're going to see some mothafucking team discipline. Think Scott Skiles but with a serious threat of violence.