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Detroit Pistons Notes And Quotes

--Prospective owner Tom Gores grew up in the Flint area and attended Michigan State. His roots in Michigan make it even more exciting to him that he's purchasing the Pistons franchise. He beat out several bidders, including Red Wings and Tigers owner Mike Ilitch.

"It really made sense," he said. "The math added up -- the fact I grew up here, there is tremendous talent in the Pistons organization and we see a real opportunity. I grew up here but I want to be a part of the comeback. We've had a hard time, in Detroit and in Michigan."

--The Pistons have endured three consecutive losing seasons, the first time that's happened since the mid-1990s. The Pistons were 40-42 in 1992-93, then 20-62 and 28-54 the next two seasons. In 1995-96, they improved to 46-36 during Doug Collins' first year as head coach. The franchise had losing seasons in 23 of its first 26 years of existence, beginning in 1957.

--F Tayshaun Prince, the team's player rep, anticipates a lengthy lockout this offseason. He feels the owners are asking for too many givebacks and the players cannot afford to budge too much.

"This one could potentially be pretty long," he said. "Obviously we don't want it to be but we have got to stand our ground and really hold firm."

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I had a mission when I came here and the mission was to improve us and get us as good as we possibly could. Sometimes you felt that happened, sometimes it didn't but I know I gave them everything I had." -- Head coach John Kuester, who is 57-107 in his two seasons as head coach.

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

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