Pistons draft "sleeper"

I am at a loss for words. It’s like I took a few too many “What the fuck Just Happened” strength Gas-X and my seemingly ever present verbal diaria has just stopped cold in its tracks. I have nothing to say about tonight’s debacle. And yet, here I banter.

We had the opportunity to go David Copperfield on Stern’s ass tonight. We’d let Joe Dumars reach into his top-hat and pull out a hidden gem, that 29th pick extravaganza! Let him yank it out, dust it off, and display it proudly to the rest of the NBA as if to say “Bet you didn’t see that coming!” I was hoping and waiting to be plesantly surprised. Instead, I am plesantly sick to my stomach. The stars were all lined up for us. I was already on the Pistons website and had pre-ordered my # 7 Chris Douglas-Roberts jersey. Instead, I now have to settle for Walter Sharpe, a 6′9 misfit out of Alabama Birmingham who played 12 games last year before being declared academically ineligible for the spring semester. Lets see.. High Basketball IQ, check.

The kid has narcolepsy. I’m typically a very forgiving person, but I mean…c’mon. That’s really not good for a professional athlete. I can just imagine it being 4th quarter crunchtime and in stumbles Walter Sharpe, still wearing his pj’s from his 3rd quarter snooze on the bench. Bill Walton would be courtside next to Mason screaming into his ESPN headset- “Refs, make the 3 second call! That kid’s camping out in the lane!” And Jeff Van Gundy would add, “Ya, he…really is…pitched his tent right down there in the key, got his bear and blanket, and is reallll deep into his rem cycle, Bill. Let’s hope the ref’s don’t wake him” At least the Pistons marketing team will have fun making Walter Sharpe nightlights and onesies pajamas for the little tyke’s. Narcolepsy? Geezzz..Let’s see…Offensive and defensive awareness, check.

Dumars is the real culprit here. I understand trading down to 32 where they they hoped CDR would still be available. In essence, they would pick up a free pick- draft DJ White for the Sonics and get their real prospect plus a 2nd rounder for the price of one! And hey, it worked! At 32, there CDR was, eagerly waiting for his name to be read off. And instead, we picked Walter Sharpe aka Goodnight Moon aka Sleeping Beauty. I am so dissapointed. Our picks weren’t even on anyone’s draft board. Did you see the way that little munchkin sudo-commisoner stumbled with our picks’ name? He read his little notecard, peeked back into the war room, and whispered “Are you sure?” Oh yes, the Sonics smirked. They…erk…..Dumars was sure. Solid front office management, check.

This night in review was arguably worse than the Darko debacle. I could care less about passing up on top franchise potential players in Melo, Wade, and CBosh. Let the history go. At the time, Dumars was making an educated decision based on all of the talent available. But tonight, tonight was a different story. Let the 2008 NBA draft forever be known as the “Thursday Night Massacre in Motown.” I see all these teams doing things to improve their chances to capture another title next year. Milwaulke gets RJ. Toronto deals for Jermaine O’Neil. The Portland Trailblazers bust their load as they ponder acquiring every single NBA prospect to ever exist via trade. And Detroit, we take the sleeping bandit.

High Basketball IQ. Offensive and defensive awareness. Solid front office management. They all get big bold check marks from Joe D. But from a fan’s point of view?

Ughh. Let’s see here…

We’ve got another waisted season. Check. We’ve got a lack of a potent post presence, yup, that’s a check. We’ve got fan’s starting to lose hope in the organization that brought us sweet sweet redemption in 04. Check. Maybe Bill Davidson needs to start checking some things off his list too.

Like finding a new president of basketball operations.