Detroit News article
July 4, 2006
by Bob Wojnowski

Two faces. Two franchises. Two identities.

Gone in a day.

Whoa. And woe. Welcome to a strange new world, considerably less recognizable in the aftermath of the Dizziest Day in Detroit sports history.

Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman is off to a well-earned retirement after 23 seasons, the largest name removed from Detroit’s playing fields.

The second-biggest name bolted the Pistons a few hours later, when center Ben Wallace agreed to a reported four-year, $60 million contract with the Chicago Bulls late Monday.

Hey, anyone checked today on the next legend in line, Pudge Rodriguez of the red-hot Tigers?

If you’re still spinning and dazed, miffed and concerned, it’s understandable. This was staggering but shouldn’t have been shocking, and doesn’t have to be devastating. The Pistons responded modestly Tuesday by reaching a deal with former San Antonio Spurs center Nazr Mohammed, a lower-priced replacement.

It’s amazing that two high-profile fates were revealed simultaneously, but the truth is, the signs were there. Yzerman, 41, was ready to retire. And Wallace, 31, was ready to leave.

Yell if you want. Curse Yzerman’s balky knee and Wallace’s cranky mood. But nothing could heal Yzerman and nothing, it appeared, could please Wallace.

It’s too bad the man with the fearsome ‘fro, the guy who formed the Pistons’ no-nonsense, all-defense championship foundation, won’t finish his career here.

But this is how it works in professional sports, especially in the salary-cap era.

Wallace selfish, smart
Is Wallace being selfish? Sure, a little. He’s also being smart, landing a few million more per season than the Pistons would pay. In his departure, he reminded us how unique Yzerman truly was, able to adapt to so many coaches and so many styles.

Basketball is different, though, harder for players to hide their age and their offensive deficiencies. I’m not saying Big Ben had to go. I’m saying he had to adapt to stay, and he seemed unwilling or incapable of doing it.

Let’s be clear here. Wallace will be missed. He might be missed a lot, unless Joe Dumars can cleverly reshape the roster. Wallace’s energy was important, noticeable when it was there, just as noticeable when it wasn’t. And it wasn’t there for chunks of the playoffs, when his free-throw shooting plummeted and his defense wavered.

The Bulls overpaid, but it’s a worthy gamble for them. And now the Pistons must adjust, compensating for downgraded defense with upgraded offense. Dumars was willing to make Wallace the team’s highest-paid player, starting at about $11.5 million per season, but I think he was mostly trying to appease, and that’s a dangerous way to do business.

The Wings were prepared for their upheaval, and general manager Ken Holland is about to be tested. Beyond filling Yzerman’s slot, and perhaps landing a replacement for Brendan Shanahan, who could leave as a free-agent, Holland has to find a goaltender.

The Pistons and Dumars likely are prepared because Wallace had that faraway look for a while. After the season-ending loss to the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals, Wallace walked out of the dressing room wearing his Pistons jersey over his dress shirt, and the symbolism was blatant.

Big Ben weary of Saunders
I don’t think this is just about money, either. It’s partly about respect. Wallace didn’t exactly exhibit a healthy respect for coach Flip Saunders. He refused Saunders’ request to re-enter a game late in the regular season, then vented during the playoffs about Saunders’ lack of emphasis on defense.

Wallace’s petulance after being pulled from that game in Orlando was a clue, and everyone should have been quicker to recognize it. It also was a statement. Saunders and Dumars were willing to deal with it but weren’t willing to turn over more power to Wallace with a salary-cap-strapping contract. The Pistons already ceded too much control to the players, who grew weary of Rick Carlisle, then weary of Larry Brown.

Wallace was the weariest of Saunders, and there’s a decent chance that wasn’t going to change. The more Wallace indicated he was done with the Pistons, the more they realized they had to be done with him. Still, this doesn’t make them better today. In fact, with their fabled starting five broken up, they’re in sudden flux, a big piece of their toughness headed to rival Chicago.
If Wallace’s frustrations here merely were philosophical in nature, and he can be revived, the Bulls just became another Eastern Conference nemesis, along with the Heat and Cavaliers. We’ve seen what Wallace can do when fully motivated. After Carlisle left, Brown integrated him in the offense and the big man responded. Wallace wanted a larger role from Saunders, but as his shooting turned poorer, his mood turned sour, and I’m not sure there was an easy way to fix it.

Who will be the next star?
It’s a little sad, but this generally is how the game is played. Change happens, almost always. Someone leaves, someone arrives, someone grows. Maybe Henrik Zetterberg becomes a bigger star for the Wings. Maybe Richard Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince becomes a bigger star for the Pistons.

We’ve been lucky here. Yzerman and Wallace were two of the most determined, prideful athletes we ever had the joy to watch. They led and controlled in subtle ways, with quiet demeanors and maximum effort. They helped revive franchises, won titles and became the most-recognizable faces on two wildly popular teams.

Neither the Wings nor the Pistons will be the same. That doesn’t mean they can’t recover. Both teams had worn similar looks with similar rosters for a while, trying to recapture something they once possessed instead of grabbing for something fresh.

After Detroit’s strangest day, everything seems suddenly unfamiliar. It’s like living on a comfortable street for a long time, then learning your favorite neighbors are moving. It’s disconcerting, but not necessarily crushing.

The Pistons know. When irreplaceable star Grant Hill left six years ago, someone named Ben Wallace showed up, altered a direction and forged an identity. There’s a point there, somewhere. You might find it comforting, when your head stops spinning.