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For those following basketball at the time, how does your passion for the Bad Boys compare to the 2004 title team? I never felt as nearly as emotional about the 2004 team and wonder if I'm unusual in that regard?

Laimbeer wrote:For those following basketball at the time, how does your passion for the Bad Boys compare to the 2004 title team? I never felt as nearly as emotional about the 2004 team and wonder if I'm unusual in that regard?

I just missed the Bad Boys, the first game I really remember watching was Jordan's shrug game vs Portland (I was around 9-10 then). After that I was pretty much hooked and watched all that I could (I grew up in the country with 4 channels, so "NBA on NBC" was by far the best thing on and must watch TV). The Sonics with Kemp-Payton were the first team I really got into (also followed the Grant Hill-Alan Houston Pistons), then I went through a spell where I wasn't a big NBA fan after they traded away Kemp & Payton and the first lockout hit, then got into the "Going to Work" team as I loved their attitude and they were the "local" team (grew up outside of Toledo). I still have a soft spot in my heart for the plight of Seattle pro basketball but have been with the Pistons ever since.

For me the edge would have to go to the Bad Boys, not that I'm discounting any championship. I began following the Pistons before they drafted Thomas and Tripucka. It was a long steady build from there on. There was the great draft that yielded both Salley and Rodman. Because it seemed more incremental I guess it seemed more compelling to me. There was also the more pronounced rivalries in play with that team (Celtics, Bulls, and Lakers).

The Pistons were also on the build prior to the Going to Work team, but the Sheed trade kind of came out of the blue and pushed them over the top.

Enjoyed both immensely of course.

It is sooo hard to pick a winner in my heart. I liked the work ethic of both teams. Both played great D. And all the teams we beat to get there were rivals, so the victories were so sweet. I was hoping for more championships out of both teams and looking back, there were certainly opportunities, but I think it just shows how tough it is to get a title in the NBA. But the Bad Boys finally taking out Boston, and the 2004 team crushing the Lakers in the Finals are the most beautiful moments in my Piston memories.

For me, it's the Bad Boys and it's not even close. And that's nothing against the '04 squad; in fact, it's nothing against any team in any sport, past, present, and future. And there's no way to quantify, rationalize, or justify it, either. There's just one, simple, and oh-so-true adage that applies across all of life —

You only have one first love.

It has to be the Bad Boys. Nostalgia aside (grew up watching that team), everything about them was more compelling. They had the three Hall of Famers and a number of other All-Star talents. They had that slow buildup starting in '84 that didn't pay off until '89. HUGE heartbreaks along the way. They had to battle through Bird's Celtics and Magic's Lakers, while fending of a young Jordan. They had the whole counter-culture thing. This was a day when team loyalty was a thing, so you had the deep attachment to the team AND the players. The core of the championship team (sans Aguirre) had been together for a good 3 or 4 years, with Thomas and Laimbeer having been together since '82, and half were drafted by the Pistons. If you were emotionally invested in that team and were along for every bit of heartbreak, man was the payoff amazing.

The '04 team was seemingly the opposite. A bunch of cast-offs came together to win it rather suddenly, all things considered. Only the second season on the team for Billups and Hamilton, 3 MONTHS for Sheed. There was not a huge buildup, no rivals, no comparable adversity. Instead they started out essentially at their peak, and we watched them slowly burn out over 5 years. Both great teams, but only one great story - one followed the blueprint of a great sports movie, the other was just another good sports team that happened to win a title.

Tons of respect for both teams and loved being along for the ride on both, but when you're talking passion or legacies, I don't think there is a comparison.

Nothing can be sweeter than the ride with the Bad Boys. The heartbreak followed by the ending of Birds and Magics dominance. Killing the leprechauns and of course Isiahs performance.

With the Bad boys we overcame the the odds and obstacles but with the 04-08 team it seem liked it was self inflicted wounds that were overcome or in many cases set us back. Its one thing to be beat by Bird or Worthy or MJ but to lose because we were flat, Brown quits or didn't respect the opponet or we choked just leaves a bad taste.

It's not even close. My heart is tied to the Bad Boys. So many memories and stories and heartaches and tears following their rise to greatness while weathering league wide hate and shade. They broke the strangle hold the Lakers and Celtics had over the league.

Bad boys for me as well.They were truly 1 team against the entire league.Fighting off and eventually killing boston and lakers,to then go against the rising jordans bulls.

I also love that 04 team,but it isnt close to the isiah "BAD BOYS"

The Bad Boys had a much harder journey on their way to winning ships. From losing to the Hawks in the 1st round to finally overcoming Wilkins the next year only to lose to the Celtics. Then, finally getting past the Celtics to lose to the Lakers. Then, finally getting past the Lakers. It was truly a 5 year battle to get better each and every year with heartache and accomplishment to get to the promise land. The entire city was emotionally invested in that journey. There can be nothing close to those Championships the Bad Boys won. This is why they have a 30 for 30 2 hour show about it. It was that Epic.

Yall are old!


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For those who lived through both eras, it's impossible not to have much more passion for the Bad Boys vs. 2004. As said above, it's not even close.

2004 was nice, fun.

Bad Boys era was about going to war with a team that was in development since the drafting of Isiah in 1981. Nearly a decade in the making before they won it. You felt like you went to war with those guys. Their task was seemingly impossible - beat Boston and LA. Teams filled with Legends all over the place. Will never experience a journey like that ever again.

Bad Boys

I wasn't around to watch the Bad Boys. From youtube videos and the occasional game on ESPN vintage though it seems like they had a level of camaraderie and heart you just don't see in the NBA these.

For those who were around to watch...just how great a point guard was Isiah? A handful of people on realgm seem to believe more efficient PGs like CP3 and Stockton were better because they had better advanced stats in some regards, but I just don't see it.

The 16 points in 90 some seconds, the 25 point 3rd quarter in the finals...2 back to back championships. It seems to me that when it came down to winning when it really mattered, he was second only to Magic among PGs.

I was born in 89, but when I watch documentary on the Bad Boys, it gives me chills and goosebumps sometimes, that team was a awesome "team". The real GM underate Isiah bad.

I loved that 2004 team tho, I seen it coming together, then when we got Sheed that was all she wrote. To bad LB couldn't have stuck around for a couple more years.

Fishasaurus wrote:It has to be the Bad Boys. Nostalgia aside (grew up watching that team), everything about them was more compelling. They had the three Hall of Famers and a number of other All-Star talents. They had that slow buildup starting in '84 that didn't pay off until '89. HUGE heartbreaks along the way. They had to battle through Bird's Celtics and Magic's Lakers, while fending of a young Jordan. They had the whole counter-culture thing. This was a day when team loyalty was a thing, so you had the deep attachment to the team AND the players. The core of the championship team (sans Aguirre) had been together for a good 3 or 4 years, with Thomas and Laimbeer having been together since '82, and half were drafted by the Pistons. If you were emotionally invested in that team and were along for every bit of heartbreak, man was the payoff amazing.

The '04 team was seemingly the opposite. A bunch of cast-offs came together to win it rather suddenly, all things considered. Only the second season on the team for Billups and Hamilton, 3 MONTHS for Sheed. There was not a huge buildup, no rivals, no comparable adversity. Instead they started out essentially at their peak, and we watched them slowly burn out over 5 years. Both great teams, but only one great story - one followed the blueprint of a great sports movie, the other was just another good sports team that happened to win a title.

Tons of respect for both teams and loved being along for the ride on both, but when you're talking passion or legacies, I don't think there is a comparison.

Very well said. My thoughts exactly. Watching the Pistons growing up was always my passion, and remained so even through the teal uniforms, up until Joe D dismantled the 2004 team. I haven't been much of a NBA basketball fan since, but thankfully the Wolverines have filled the void with their resurgence. I was at game 5 at the Palace when the Pistons won the championship and it was incredible. With that said, nothing compares to the nastiness that the Bad Boys brought!

Fishasaurus wrote:It has to be the Bad Boys. Nostalgia aside (grew up watching that team), everything about them was more compelling. They had the three Hall of Famers

Isiah
Dantley
Dumars
Rodman
and Daly (if you count coaches)

Uncle Mxy wrote:

Fishasaurus wrote:It has to be the Bad Boys. Nostalgia aside (grew up watching that team), everything about them was more compelling. They had the three Hall of Famers

Isiah
Dantley
Dumars
Rodman
and Daly (if you count coaches)

Didn't count Dantley as he was traded before the rings, and his tenure with the team was pretty short. And personally, I just never felt like he was really one the Bad Boys.

But yeah, I should have given some love to Daddy Rich.

I was very young when the Pistons won back to back, my cousin and brother were both huge fans and it's all I heard about or saw when it came to the NBA at the time, so I suppose I was raised on that squad, however a lot of factors play into preferring the 04 squad.

-Much like everyone else I loathed the Shaq/Kobe lakers.
-Rasheed was my favourite non Piston player, when I heard about the trade, I lost it.
-The whole group of outcasts from other squads coming together shtick.
-Ben Wallace
-Lindsey Hunter

Also, I didn't see us as a contender that season, it like I was denying it to my self, but after that trade and once the playoffs started, you could see just how special that team was, especially defensively.

I can't help but get choked up watching moments like this, in the last half it seems like Big Ben was just grabbing everything and dunking it hard.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n9iw4D6txM[/youtube]

I'll be the odd ball and say 04'! Deal with it!