The homecoming of Mayce Edward Christopher Webber III

Alas - it took me so long to post that most of the points I wanted to make about the Webber pick-up (too many big men on the Pistons) were made by Jacob, and many of the counterpoints (short term gains) were made by Benjamin. Fundamentally, I agree with Jake. As a basketball move, it is hard to imagine who the Pistons are going to trade out of the front court who will have less of an impact on this team than CWebb. I think Ben's prediction of 2-3 more 16/8 years is optimistic. I am not even sure he will finish this year anywhere near that number. And he is sure to whine about the 20 minutes a game they play him.

Though, it is extremely hard to fault the pistons for this BUSINESS move. They get CWebb for next to nothing, which they will surely make back in jersey sales and bobble heads to Wolverines fans longing for the years when Michigan was the center of the basketball universe (before Webber himself shamed his alma mater). The response he got last night - and he wasn't even playing - speaks to what a great PR move this is for the DETROIT pistons. And I guess it is a good move for Webber himself - though it is sad to see someones desire for a championship ring and want to bask in the glow of home dominate his desire to be a monster basketball player.

In further agreement with Jacob: If he quietly accepts his new role, however, there is some great Odysseus-style story in this move - young local hero cast from home for hubris (accepting booster money/calling stupid timeout) returns years later older, wiser, humbler. It is a better story than payton, finley, and stackhouse because Webber is and will always be the face of michigan basketball for anyone over the age of 22.

In other news: From my position south of the mason-dixon line, I don't care how bad Gilbert Arenas is for basketball - he is definitely the man I want with the ball to win the game at the last second, though at the end of the game it seemed like Okur could have done the same thing for the Jazz.