Funny how much attention a 30-point blowout gets you.

ESPN announcer Jeff Van Gundy, whom I previously denounced for his comments on the Pistons’ whining and his nickname-bashing, had a convenient change of heart yesterday in the midst of Detroit embarrassment of Phoenix.

I’ve witnessed Van Gundy, on multiple occassions, singing the bandwagon praises of the Celtics, as well as knocking Flip Saunders’ coaching strategies (as if he should be one to talk). But all it took to change his mind was a “revamped” team getting shut down on their homecourt, in front of the entire nation.

Van Gundy was quoted Sunday afternoon saying:

“I love the Detroit Pistons, they’re still the best team in the East to me. They play smart, unselfish, they’ve gotten stronger on the bench. When it comes down to it, I see the Pistons taking on the Celtics for the Eastern Conference finals. And that will be a battle. [...] The Pistons have the advantage because of all their experience – they’re battle-tested.”

He was later quoted saying:

“It’s easy to overlook the greatness of Flip Saunders as a coach, or how the players such as Chauncey Billups have been so consistently strong.”

You have got to be kidding me.

Granted, I agree with him on everything he said, but why does it take a game like Sunday’s to wake the media up and realize that the East isn’t all Boston? I can guarantee you that Van Gundy wouldn’t have been caught saying anything to that nature before the game- not in a million years. Had the score been reversed, and the Pistons been placed in that of the Suns, you can bet your kids that “Detroit Pistons” in his comments would be replaced with “Phoenix Suns”, that “Celtics” would be replaced with “Spurs”, and “Flip Saunders” replaced with “Mike D’Antoni”.

Not that Pistons fans aren’t used to this line of treatment, but sometimes you just need to vent.

I feel better already.

Quoted material courtesy of detnews.com

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