I'm having trouble coming to terms with the exit of Big Ben Wallace from the Detroit Pistons. He accepted an offer from the Chicago Bulls for $60 million thus ending a great era in the history of my favorite basketball team.
Too crushed to even begin to write my own op-ed, I'll instead give you links to what some other writers with greater composure than I possess are saying:
Michael Rosenberg over at the Freep says that there are no winners in this situation:
And just like that ... everybody loses?
The Pistons lose Ben Wallace, which means they lose their best chance at winning a championship next season.
Wallace also loses his best shot at a championship, as well as the opportunity to retire as a Piston. He could have been a lasting icon in this city, had his number retired, come back in 10 years to rousing ovations.
Rob Parker at The Detroit News writes:
The initial response to Ben Wallace's exit from Detroit was probably good riddance.
After all, Wallace took the bigmoney and ran, breaking up the best group since The Beatles.
In reality, Pistons fans should simply wish Big Ben good luck.
It would be silly to be upset at Wallace for taking a four-year, $60 million deal from the Bulls. The offer made by the Pistons -- a reported $49.6 million for four years -- was respectable, but not enough.
This was all about business, not basketball.
The Detroit News also had a really nice photo gallery in honor of Big Ben.
I'm going to go cry in my Vernor's -- well I would, if I had some.
Posted by: Sarah | Jul 07, 2006 at 05:36 PM