I Called In Sick Today

[JubilantLankyLad 1,957]

Dumars is going for the gusto, Cavs and Celtics (+Orlando potentially) showed that they are much better teams than Detroit so Dumars decided that going forward the only way they were going to get back to being one of the elites in the East was to go for free agents. I get it, its a calculated gamble hes hoping Stuckey develops into a solid piece and they can use that cap space to pick up 2 studs. Problem is Stuckey is'nt going to be anywhere near the calibre of Billups, Billups is a really good leader can post up most point guarnds, knows how to run an offence and is a clutch shooter. And Dumars underestimated how much Billups was the linchpin in that team, without him they are'nt half the team as tehy are with him.

oh crap, not this again.

[Sal Paradise 57]

tornado watch in my area all night. if I don't post again, I'm dead.

[Randy Reed 0]

Football draft this weekend.Is Detroit going to take a WR for the 9th time in 11 years or will they gost post Millen and take the QB?Will Minnesota forget to draft again?Will the Bengals pick have a longer rap sheet than 50 cent?Does anyone really care about the draft?

[Randy Reed 0]

tornado watch in my area all night. if I don't post again, I'm dead.

Or in Kansas, Toto.

[brvheart 1,755]

tornado watch in my area all night. if I don't post again, I'm dead.

Don't you have a cellar? Or an old coal room? How about one of those underground shelter things like at the beginning of Twister?What kind of shack would you live in without one of those?

[Piddle Duck 0]

That is not my point. I wasn't saying that the players are going to be shopping for a house in sunny downtown detroit. My point is the detroit economy is falling off a cliff. Which wouldn't be so bad, if it wasn't also a miserably cold and snowy place for the majority of the NBA season. It has to be about the most undesirable destination in the NBA for a free agent.

So what does the cost of houses in a city no NBA player would have to live in if they came to Detroit matter then? I guess I am confused then why you pointed out house costs. NBA players don't care about the weather, they care about the $ and if Detroit has the money then they will put up with snow and cold in the winter. Still snow's in Boston and Cleveland and the economy is f'ed there as well but you won't have problems bringing people in for the right $. You got 2 NHL players signing 11 year contracts with the Red Wings this year and they don't live anywhere near the $18K Detroit you spoke of. They live in Bloomfield Hills where the median real estate cost is still over $300K after the market has dropped 20% in that area. Sorry, I have lived near Detroit for over 30 years and get a bit edgy with this common misconception that just because the city of Detroit is f'ed then the suburbs surrounding it with different governments and city council's are in the same shape. I live in a city where on a nice Friday or Saturday evening I walk downtown and see Tigers, Pistons, and Wings players constantly walking the street and having a grand ol' time. The actual city of Detroit is a non-issue, especially for the Pistons since they don't play in the city of Detroit but one of the nice suburbs about 40 miles away from the border of Detroit.

[Piddle Duck 0]

Football draft this weekend.Is Detroit going to take a WR for the 9th time in 11 years or will they gost post Millen and take the QB?

No. They sadly will be taking Stafford instead of Curry. I guess they had a press conference today at a local Duhnams store to unveil their new logo and uniforms. I guess a ton of fans showed up and started chanting Curry through the whole thing. They don't need a QB right now. They will still suck this year and get a chance at more decent QB's next year.

[silkyjonson 1]

ITS ALL I HAVE PEOPLE, I AM A LIONS FAN FFS.

[El Guapo 8]

Shame the food is so bad there.

Now this is just ridiculous. Panera sandwiches are amazing. I have had 5 or 6 different ones, and they have all been great. Their breads are really good too.

[Tactical Bear 3]

Shame the food is so bad there.

I'm sure it's not top-shelf gourmet shit or anything, but I don't mind getting a half-sandwich and some zoup when I'm there. I usually just need a little snack, and as long as there's meat, cheese, bread and something to dip it in, I'm fine. I'm not exactly a gourmand.

Football draft this weekend.Does anyone really care about the draft?

I took the day off more than 3 months ago. Every year we party like the world is coming to an end on NFL draft day, and I don't even like NFL football. I bought a wallet today at the mall, and when I got to my car and started transferring all my crap over, there was already a 52 year old man's driver's license in it. It was a real license. He was an organ donor.

[hank213 1,823]

I'm sure it's not top-shelf gourmet shit or anything, but I don't mind getting a half-sandwich and some zoup when I'm there. I usually just need a little snack, and as long as there's meat, cheese, bread and something to dip it in, I'm fine. I'm not exactly a gourmand. I took the day off more than 3 months ago. Every year we party like the world is coming to an end on NFL draft day, and I don't even like NFL football. I bought a wallet today at the mall, and when I got to my car and started transferring all my crap over, there was already a 52 year old man's driver's license in it. It was a real license. He was an organ donor.

You now have an alias to use in your blossoming criminal career. Please tell me his name was something like Blacky.

[Tactical Bear 3]

Quickly, before my review session:(Incoming Phone Call from a Number Wang Doesn't Recognize)Wang: "Yello?"Voice: "Hey Derek!"Wang: "Who is this?"Voice: "It's Ash." (Dancer. New York City.)Wang: "Hey there, Smash. What's up doll?"Ash: "I'm gonna be in town over the summer. I got into grad school in the fall, and I'm going to take some time off work before I start at Columbia."Wang: "Ah. Cool."Ash: "My boyfriend and I broke up."Wang: "Ah, that's too bad."Ash: "You seeing anyone?"Wang: "I don't think so."*****(Wang Places Phonecall)Maggie: "Hey."Wang: "Hey. Are we not talking?"Maggie: "What?"Wang: "Well, we haven't spoken in a while, so I just wanted to see if we aren't speaking, or if we just happened not to have any contact for the last 10 days."Maggie: "I don't know."Wang: "Okay, well let me know? It's not a big deal either way. Just checking."Maggie: "Okay Derek."Wang: "Hey Mags? Before you go? I just want you to know how awesome you are. Call me if you need anything, or if you just want to talk. I'll always be around." Maggie: "Derek..."Wang: "Call me if you're ready, Maggie. It's hard for two people to find each other."Maggie: "Derek, I..."Wang: "Take care of yourself, Mags."*****

[El Guapo 8]

hmmmmmmm

[silkyjonson 1]

Maggie: "Hey."Wang: "Hey. Are we not talking?"Maggie: "What?"Wang: "Well, we haven't spoken in a while, so I just wanted to see if we aren't speaking, or if we just happened not to have any contact for the last 10 days."Maggie: "I don't know."Wang: "Okay, well let me know? It's not a big deal either way. Just checking."Maggie: "Okay Derek."Wang: "Hey Mags? Before you go? I just want you to know how awesome you are. Call me if you need anything, or if you just want to talk. I'll always be around." Maggie: "Derek..."Wang: "Call me if you're ready, Maggie. It's hard for two people to find each other."Maggie: "Derek, I..."Wang: "Take care of yourself, Mags."*****

Easily the gayest conversation ever posted on this forum. But I enjoy your willingness to put it all out there.

[JubilantLankyLad 1,957]

*****(Wang Places Phonecall)Maggie: "Hey."Wang: "Hey. Are we not talking?"Maggie: "What?"Wang: "Well, we haven't spoken in a while, so I just wanted to see if we aren't speaking, or if we just happened not to have any contact for the last 10 days."Maggie: "I don't know."Wang: "Okay, well let me know? It's not a big deal either way. Just checking."Maggie: "Okay Derek."Wang: "Hey Mags? Before you go? I just want you to know how awesome you are. Call me if you need anything, or if you just want to talk. I'll always be around." Maggie: "Derek..."Wang: "Call me if you're ready, Maggie. It's hard for two people to find each other."Maggie: "Derek, I..."Wang: "Take care of yourself, Mags."*****

I'd just like to say that I found this conversation very confusing, mostly because I skipped over the character names at the beginning of each line, depending on context to inform me on who was speaking, and apparently I was wrong, almost every time, right from the "are we not talking?" bullshit. If you hadn't including names in the dialog (which REALLY screwed me up) I never would have known you were such a faggot.

[Randy Reed 0]

I'm sure it's not top-shelf gourmet shit or anything, but I don't mind getting a half-sandwich and some zoup when I'm there. I usually just need a little snack, and as long as there's meat, cheese, bread and something to dip it in, I'm fine. I'm not exactly a gourmand. I took the day off more than 3 months ago. Every year we party like the world is coming to an end on NFL draft day, and I don't even like NFL football. I bought a wallet today at the mall, and when I got to my car and started transferring all my crap over, there was already a 52 year old man's driver's license in it. It was a real license. He was an organ donor.

What color eyes, you know, just in case.

[speedz99 145]

step by step, day by day, fresh start ooooover a different hand to play...

I called that Al would be hot from the first day of the show...when she was probably around 10, so I guess I shouldn't be proud of that.

Hey Speedz..I just wanted to say, for the record. I was wrong. The AI-Billups trade was disastrous for Detroit.

Aye, fair enough. The cap room issue is a point well taken on my end as well.

You into writing recommendations...we will be visting there in June.

If they say an alumni rec would be helpful I'd be happy to.

[Sal Paradise 57]

Don't you have a cellar? Or an old coal room? How about one of those underground shelter things like at the beginning of Twister?What kind of shack would you live in without one of those?

nope, nothing. our "tornado hiding area" when I was younger was our central hall closet. yeah, might survive a category 1.it's a pretty well known thing amongst my better friends that my dream house only has 3 real necessities because I've never had them: a basement, carpeting, and central air/heating. one day. or not.

I called that Al would be hot from the first day of the show...when she was probably around 10, so I guess I shouldn't be proud of that.

oh man I fucking LOVED her.

[speedz99 145]

it's a pretty well known thing amongst my better friends that my dream house only has 3 real necessities because I've never had them: a basement, carpeting, and central air/heating. one day. or not.

[Sal Paradise 57]

that almost made me choke on my chicken.oh and speedz, Al is a full 2 years older than us. not creepy at all! (a little creepy if you find her attractive when you watch the show now. which I don't. not at all.)

[SuitedAces21 2,723]

not that anyone cares, but i got a letter from UMKC today. i was accepted into graduate school in the masters in Criminal Justice and Criminology program. big fucking deal, right? so i'm a wee bit excited. i go downstairs, you know to share the news with him.hey dad, i got into graduate school. (huge smile on my face).HOW YOU GONNA PAY FOR IT?and then i remembered why i hate my dad, and why i feel like nothing i've ever done was good enough. figured i'd tell you guys seeing as you're my only friends. back to self loathing and crying.

[SBriand 4]

not that anyone cares, but i got a letter from UMKC today. i was accepted into graduate school in the masters in Criminal Justice and Criminology program. big fucking deal, right? so i'm a wee bit excited. i go downstairs, you know to share the news with him.hey dad, i got into graduate school. (huge smile on my face).HOW YOU GONNA PAY FOR IT?and then i remembered why i hate my dad, and why i feel like nothing i've ever done was good enough. figured i'd tell you guys seeing as you're my only friends. back to self loathing and crying.

Congrats?

[speedz99 145]

oh and speedz, Al is a full 2 years older than us. not creepy at all! (a little creepy if you find her attractive when you watch the show now. which I don't. not at all.)

And I certainly am not at all having trouble deciding which is a more attractive picture. Because that would be weird.

[speedz99 145]

hey dad, i got into graduate school. (huge smile on my face).HOW YOU GONNA PAY FOR IT?and then i remembered why i hate my dad, and why i feel like nothing i've ever done was good enough. figured i'd tell you guys seeing as you're my only friends.

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoonLittle boy blue and the man on the moon...

[BigDMcGee 3,353]

What specifically do you disagree with? That they are still an elite team compared to the Celtics and Cavs with Billups?

Detroit with Billups is a better ( or at least comparable team) to the Celtics with out Garnett. Would they be as good as the Cavs? no. But no one else is either. They'd have just as good of chance at beating them as any other team in the east would this year.

So what does the cost of houses in a city no NBA player would have to live in if they came to Detroit matter then? I guess I am confused then why you pointed out house costs. NBA players don't care about the weather, they care about the $ and if Detroit has the money then they will put up with snow and cold in the winter.

I think you guys have a misconception about salaries in the NBA. Not only is there a cap, but there is a an absolute max a player can make, per year. The only difference, in money, that a max player can make, for any one year, is from their home team. They can make like 10 percent more or something on that order if they stay with their home team. But if Detroit, New York, Texas, all have the cap room to sign a max cap type player, than they all will pretty much sign identical contracts, and then it comes down to where does a player want to play. I know you Detroit area natives are sensitive about the detroit area, but the fact is, it is not an attractive destination. Now, if they were poised to win a championship, like Cleveland or the Celtics, then you'd see veteran players coming to Detroit, to try and get a ring. But that's not going to happen next year, I hate to break to you. What Detroit will be poised to do is over pay for guys who fall between the mid level exemption and the max contract. But I don't think that's worth dumping Billups for. I don't think there's a single player in the free agent pool next year ( not 2010, but next year) that is worth losing Billups and salary dumping for. Now, if they are trying to put themselves in position for the great 2010 sweepstakes, to get one of the big free agents then... well, it better work. They better get a big name, because if not, they've blown up their team looking for the fools gold of cap room. And it won't be one of the biggest names. Because places like NYC and Miami are going to have cap room too, and they are most attractive destinations for max cap players. I know the NBA has many teams that are in bad financial shape, some of them are in extraordinarily bad financial shape. I know that the salary cap is actually shrinking next year. I don't know, for sure, if the Pistons are one of the teams that are in bad shape, but I am assuming, given the shape of their economy, I would guess they are. So I think it's more likely they are dumping salary out of financial self interest than it is that they are going to sign a big name free agent of billups caliber.