Dallas-Mavs.com Forums - View Single Post - video ticks off Pistons before game (LMAO)

EricaLubarsky · 11-10-2005, 12:41 PM

Detroit Free Press - Although the Sacramento Kings apologized Wednesday for displaying negative images of Detroit during pregame introductions, the NBA began an investigation into the incident that could result in fines.

Before the Pistons beat the Kings, 102-88, Tuesday night at Arco Arena in Sacramento, fans were shown a montage of negative images of Detroit on the scoreboard above center court. They included abandoned buildings, boarded-up houses, burned cars and piles of construction rubble.

Pistons players said they hadn't paid attention to the video display. But when they heard about it, they weren't happy.

"I still have a lot of pride," guard Chauncey Billups said. "That's where I live. That's my home now. I still have a lot of pride in that city. I love that city. I'm always going to defend the city of Detroit."

Pistons coach Flip Saunders said the incident fired up the coaching staff for the game. Wednesday, after hearing from the owners of the Kings, he cooled down a bit.

"Their organization has always been very first-class," Saunders said. "Opening night, sometimes they get really excited about trying to do some things, and some of their people, they just really weren't quite thinking all the way. They overstepped their bounds a little bit."

Kings president John Thomas saw the video for the first time live from his seat.

By halftime, he had pulled the tape for a private screening and began the process of finding out how it happened. By Wednesday afternoon, the Kings had purchased full-page newspaper ads to issue a direct apology to Detroiters.

"The Sacramento Kings sincerely apologize to (Pistons owner) Mr. Bill Davidson, the entire Pistons organization, the fans, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, and the people of the great city of Detroit," the ad - which appears in Thursday's Detroit News and is scheduled to run in Friday's Detroit Free Press - reads in part.

Thomas also e-mailed Pistons president Tom Wilson to offer his plea, and Gavin and Joe Maloof - the brothers who own the Kings - called Saunders to offer an apology.

"This isn't the way we do things," Thomas said. "I can tell you that after this grievous error, we have deep, deep regret. We're reviewing all our systems so that this will not happen in the future."

11-10-2005, 12:41 PM	#2
EricaLubarsky Inactive. Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 42,576	RE:video ticks off Pistons before game (LMAO) Detroit Free Press - Although the Sacramento Kings apologized Wednesday for displaying negative images of Detroit during pregame introductions, the NBA began an investigation into the incident that could result in fines. Before the Pistons beat the Kings, 102-88, Tuesday night at Arco Arena in Sacramento, fans were shown a montage of negative images of Detroit on the scoreboard above center court. They included abandoned buildings, boarded-up houses, burned cars and piles of construction rubble. Pistons players said they hadn't paid attention to the video display. But when they heard about it, they weren't happy. "I still have a lot of pride," guard Chauncey Billups said. "That's where I live. That's my home now. I still have a lot of pride in that city. I love that city. I'm always going to defend the city of Detroit." Pistons coach Flip Saunders said the incident fired up the coaching staff for the game. Wednesday, after hearing from the owners of the Kings, he cooled down a bit. "Their organization has always been very first-class," Saunders said. "Opening night, sometimes they get really excited about trying to do some things, and some of their people, they just really weren't quite thinking all the way. They overstepped their bounds a little bit." Kings president John Thomas saw the video for the first time live from his seat. By halftime, he had pulled the tape for a private screening and began the process of finding out how it happened. By Wednesday afternoon, the Kings had purchased full-page newspaper ads to issue a direct apology to Detroiters. "The Sacramento Kings sincerely apologize to (Pistons owner) Mr. Bill Davidson, the entire Pistons organization, the fans, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, and the people of the great city of Detroit," the ad - which appears in Thursday's Detroit News and is scheduled to run in Friday's Detroit Free Press - reads in part. Thomas also e-mailed Pistons president Tom Wilson to offer his plea, and Gavin and Joe Maloof - the brothers who own the Kings - called Saunders to offer an apology. "This isn't the way we do things," Thomas said. "I can tell you that after this grievous error, we have deep, deep regret. We're reviewing all our systems so that this will not happen in the future."