Did I like the Allen Iverson deal by the Pistons? Yes, but mostly for personal reasons. Of all the NBA players, I enjoy watching him play the most.
I have always been fascinated by how hard Iverson drives to the basket, and how tough he is physically despite a frail appearance. Even at 33, Iverson has extraordinary quickness and shoots well.
I know Joe Dumars has to shake up his team at some point. But is it too radical a change? Is it too early?
Those are legimate questions to ask. It's understood Chauncey Billups has slowed down, but Iverson isn't exactly in his prime, either. The Pistons are obviously thinking of going smaller, which is the trend in the NBA, and Iverson would help pick up the tempo.
It's just the thought of Rasheed Wallace and Iverson on the same team does seem a bit disconcerting. Michael Curry will have his hands full, that's for sure.
As for freeing cap space for the future, that's good. But there is no guarantee the Pistons will be able to use it. LeBron James and Chris Bosh are going to have a lot of teams after them - including their current ones. It would be a shame if the Pistons had tons of cap space and no way to use it. That means the Iverson trade is just as much about winning now and heating up what had become waning fan interest as the future.
It's still a gamble, but one worth taking.

Random Thoughts

- I didn't like the Lions' loss Sunday, but thought the effort was there. That wasn't the case earlier in the season, which made the Lions' current plight even more upsetting. It's too late for Rod Marinelli and his staff. This is his third season and 15 losses in the last 16 games makes his recovery nearly impossible. But at least some of his message is finally getting through.

- The Tennesse Titans are a bland team offensively, but they have standouts everywhere on defense. They are a classic example of why you want to build an NFL team defense first.