A.I. welcome to the D

I was all ready to do my normal Monday college football wrap up, but with the trade news coming out, it is going to have to wait. Now it isn't totally official yet, but I am going to act like it is, when writing this. If you haven't heard the trade is Billups and Antonio to the Nuggets for AI. Now my first thought was, Why? The timing of it, is wired, two games in, and after a entire off season of talks will the core group of Pistons stay together, nothing was done, and they did. Now after two wins, they are broken up. I didn't like it, I thought AI would not fit here, he doesn't play enough defense, he likes to have the ball in his hand, and he likes to shoot a lot. I wasn't happy. Then I relaxed, talked to a few people, most of them being Piston fans, and then one who isn't, and then I started to like it. On paper, it really should work. AI is the type of guy who can take over a game, you have to fear him, he is cold blooded, he wants to take the big shot, and more often then not, he will find a way to get the job done. Also it creates cap space, AI is a free agent after this year, so his contract will come off the books, while Billups has, I think, two more years after this one, at around 11 mil a year. So that part is good. Stuckey has been playing great, and this opens up a lot more playing time for him, and basically making him the starting point guard. With AI, rip, and Stuck any of those three guys can be in at the two guards spots and you don't miss a beat, you have two guys who can push the tempo, AI and Stuck, two guys who can are at least good jump shooters, AI and rip, two guys who can handle the ball, AI and Stuck, two guys who can get to the basket, AI and Stuck, two guys who can play good defense, rip and Stuck, plus AI off the ball shooting lanes, two good FT shooters, AI and rip, and all three guys who want to win, and two who don't have rings yet, and want one, AI and Stuck. So it can work, and you still have TA TA you can handle the ball as well, if you want to have both AI and rip coming off screens, or AI at the one, and either Stuck or rip at the two, or Stuck at the one, and either AI or rip at the two. So plenty of options, plus it frees up cap space. Not to mention it looks like Antonio might just be cut, and could come right back to the Pistons. So it is a good trade. As for Denver, they get the home town kid, Billups, who is still a good pg in this league, and someone who is stronger at running a offense then AI is, to set up Melo, and let him become more of a complete player. Maybe he can even teach him how to play defense.

The timing of the trade is also good, because having 80 games left, even if it takes awhile for AI to get use to playing here and fit in with everyone, and everyone use to their new roles, there is time to do all of that, and still have lots of time to get on longer win streaks once everyone is on the same page. I mean even if it takes 20 games, and even if the Pistons went 500 in those games, that would put us at 12-10, with 60 games to play. Lots of time to turn it around. So maybe the timing was right. There really isn't a bad part to this trade, say they don't win a title, or even make it back to the ecf, which there was no guarantee they would have anyway, AI's contract comes off the books, you use that money, plus your draft picks, to keep retooling, and Stuck, AA, Amir, and some younger free agents, and draft picks, are your new core, to start another run. There was a rumor that Jason might be in the trade instead of Antonio. Now that would be a much worse trade for the Pistons, since of course Jason, is young and athletic, but it still wouldn't be the end of the world, because he appears to be a energy guy off the bench, and he may never be a star, so he could be replaced, I just hope we don't have to, I hope he isn't in the deal, and I hope he stays a Piston for the next decade. If anything, it will be fun to watch, and it is exciting to think of what could be. This doesn't automatically make the Pistons the champs, but it doesn't take them out of the playoffs either. My guess they will still be at least back to the conference finials, and they freed up cap space. All in all a good move. And after I thought about it, Joe D has made another great move, and this gives the Pistons not only a bigger chance to win a title this year, it gives them more of a chance, to not miss a beat, and to stay a elite eastern conference team for another 6 or 7 years. So may I say, welcome to the D AI, enjoy, have fun, and bring us another title, and you a well deserved first.

Also, real quick, it was also announced that Fulmer will not be back as the Vols coach next year. I wish I could care. I don't like Tenn Football, though I do like coach Pearl and their basketball team. Michigan fans hate him because of the 98 season and his vote basically coasting them a outright national title, I don't really care about that, I just don't like him, and don't like the volvs, so bye. In more MAC news Toledo Tom is also stepping down at the end of the year, I guess the Rockets food budget will now go down, since they don't need to buy that man meals anymore. In 8 years he did get them to 4 bowls, so congrats on that. I wish the big man well. I will do my normal college wrap up in a little bit, or if not today, tomorrow, but I will try my best to do it later. Since there was some things that happened that I need to talk about. I'm right, you're wrong