Flip's a Frontrunner

[Woodstock Libertarian]

The 2008 Celtics have been accused of being front runners. When the going is good, they lay it on. When it's close, they struggle and collapse. Good examples for both exist.

Example 1.

Lakers game at Staples. Cs got a lead and proceeded to humiliate the purple.

Example 2.

Just about any close road game in the playoffs.

This contrast has got me to thinking more about the concept of being a front runner.

As I was doing so, I came across perhaps my best example to date.

If you go to the KFAN radio station site in MN, and then go to Dan Barriero, he talks in one download about how after downing the Magic, Flip called into KFAN (uninvited) three times in the same day to blow his horn. Barriero also observes that he got no call from Flip after the Pistons lost game 1 to the Cs.

This morning we read Flip declined a routine, network-scheduled interview between the third and fourth quarters of game 3.

Boy, now that seems like an extreme case of frontrunning...

[QuinielaBox]

There may be some truth to that. Flip has not found an answer to Garnett, Pierce, and Allen. He also has Billups hobbled with his hammy. He is relying more on Stuckey (heckuva draft pick by Dumars). His coaching record indicates that his teams cannot advance beyond the conference finals. McDyess and Sheed are not shot blockers. The future of the Pistons is Maxiel, Amir Johnson, and Rodney Stuckey.

I think Cleveland would beat the Pistons this week, too. Lebron would go off on these guys for 40 points a night. West would compete on Billups. All they would have to do is survive Rip Hamilton.