Another Pistons coach gets the ziggy: The Flip Saunders era is over

Mlive has a short paragraph up from A. Sherrod Blakely stating Flip was considered a flop. He's out. According to a breaking news email from WDFN, a presser is scheduled for 2PM. But the more stunning news is who will be his replacement...

It's official now.

The Pistons have fired Flip Saunders after three seasons in which he led the team to the Eastern Conference finals.

No replacement has been named, but a press conference announcing Michael Curry as the new coach is expected sometime this week. (Big Al: bold is my emphasis)

Michael Curry? The former Piston who has played with many of the core? The same Curry WHO HAS NO HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE?

I've rarely questioned anything Joe Dumars has done, especially when it comes to coaches. But hiring Curry, who has next to no coaching experience (1 year as a Pistons assistant), let alone head coaching experience, seems like a massive leap of faith on Dumars' part. Massive.

I'm not surprised, or even close to upset, Saunders is gone. I'm fine with it, as it's obvious the team didn't respect him. Not that Flip isn't exactly the best motivator around either, as I doubt he could fire up a fasting fat man to eat a pizza. It was time for him to go.

But hiring Curry? With a core group of starters who are known coach killers? A group of players who believe they run the show, not the coach? I got to ponder this one.

This best not be the only move coming this off season. I can't see a rookie head coach starting the season with this headstrong, difficult to motivate, roster.