It’s been 15 years since the Detroit Pistons won the Larry O’Brien trophy. The Goin’ to Work Pistons created a new generation of fans.
Labor Day is the perfect time to look back fondly at the “Goin’ to Work” era of the Detroit Pistons. After the “Bad Boys”, the “Goin’ to Work” era was the most sustained success the Pistons have enjoyed. Not only did the team win a title in 2004 but made the Eastern Conference Finals six years in a row from 2003-08.
This kind of success now seems like something out of a dream, as the Pistons have been mediocre or flat-out terrible ever since. Some people would look back at the “Goin’ to Work” era as a boring time for the NBA, and the Pistons as a symbol of the old, defensive-minded league from the 90’s that has largely been eradicated by small ball and love of a fast-paced, three-point laden game.
But for the Pistons’ faithful it was a team whose identity represented the city itself, an exciting and deep squad full of colorful characters who have become part of the legacy of Detroit. There was a lot to love about this team, but here the three things that made the Goin’ to Work Pistons enjoyable to me.
Fear the ‘Fro
No single player represented the Goin’ to Work era more than Ben Wallace. Overlooked and underestimated from the beginning, Big Ben was undrafted and came to the Pistons from Orlando along with Chucky Atkins in what most thought was a hugely lopsided trade for Grant Hill. At the time many Detroit fans had never heard of Wallace and thought the Pistons got a garbage return on a sign-and-trade of their superstar. No one would have guessed that the undrafted guy from Virginia Union would end up being the cornerstone of the franchise, but that’s exactly what happened.
While the Orlando/Hill experiment couldn’t get off the ground due to wobbly ankles, Detroit started building their identity around a guy who couldn’t shoot. And for those who don’t remember, Ben Wallace really could not shoot. For reference, his 41.4 percent career free throw shooting mark is three points lower than Andre Drummond’s, nuff said. But we couldn’t have cared less.
Wallace was a defensive savant, a rim protecting wall, whose abilities to switch and guard taller players allowed the Pistons to be pioneers of the type of position-less basketball that many teams strive for today. Some wonder if a player like Wallace (if there ever is another one) would find a place in the current game. I think Big Ben would be even more valuable now, as his ability to switch would allow teams to go small, much like Draymond Green has for Golden State.
More from Pistons History
- The best Detroit Pistons to wear each uniform number
- Top 8 long-range sharpshooters in Detroit Pistons’ history
- An awful trade that came back to haunt the Detroit Pistons
- The 5 most disappointing seasons in Detroit Pistons’ history
- Every player to record a triple double for the Detroit Pistons
However, the thing that made Wallace enjoyable was not just the lockdown defense, big blocks and dunks, but the fact that he did it in one of the league’s most iconic haircuts. The first thing I looked for at the beginning of a game from this era was whether Big Ben had the ‘Fro out. The ‘Fro was a thing of beauty, wild and impenetrable, when it was out, we knew it was go time. He brought it forth from its braided shackles for the big games, the must-wins and the crowd loved it while opposing teams wondered how Big Ben grew 15 inches in height between games.
When I think of the Goin’ to Work era, I think of Ben Wallace and that ‘Fro and what it meant to the city. The city of Detroit has always been one of blue collar swagger, so Ben Wallace was a natural ambassador. To me, nothing symbolizes this era more than Big Ben’s ‘fro. It was truly a thing of beauty.
Mason and DEEEEETROIT BASKETBAAAAAALL
Anyone who has been to a modern NBA game knows that the entertainment is largely the same. It’s a cacophony of too-loud music, desperate pleas for you to get on your feet and make noise (during the timeouts for some reason), a t-shirt cannon that fires medium-sized shirts with bank ads on them and the dreaded Kiss Cam. But if you went to a game during the Goin’ to Work era you were treated to a truly unique event.
This is the era that gave us John Mason, the beloved Pistons’ public address announcer who is credited with coining the phrase “DEEEEEEEETROIT BASKETBAAAAALL.” Although most opposing teams and fans probably cringe when they hear it, Mason’s signature phrase has become known throughout the league and his style has been largely emulated ever since.
Mason took what was a normally a boring, overlooked part of the game and made it part of the experience, but his influence didn’t stop with a single catchphrase. Mason’s team introductions were the best in the league and never failed to give me goosebumps and have me jumping around the room like a maniac. By the time Big Ben’s chimes thundered through the arena, the place was a madhouse and the fans, like the players, were ready to go to work.
The empty red seats in Little Caesars Arena are all too visible these days and the sparse home crowds make it hard to imagine that there was once a time when Detroit had one of the best home court advantages in basketball, but they did and a big part of it was Mason, who always seemed to know when to go big and how to get the crowd on their feet without a free t-shirt. He is the voice of the Goin’ to Work era of Detroit basketball.
The Need for ‘Sheed
Rasheed Wallace is the exact kind of player who you absolutely hate until he is on your team. He whined to the refs constantly, picked up untimely technical fouls, chucked up too many three’s at times and probably never fulfilled his enormous potential. But Sheed was one of the things that made the Goin’ to Work era so enjoyable.
More from PistonPowered
- Which Detroit Pistons could save Team USA in the Olympics?
- Detroit Pistons could have major roster churn after 2023-24 season
- The best Detroit Pistons to wear each uniform number
- Full Detroit Pistons NBA 2K24 ratings
- Detroit Pistons: Who will sign the remaining NBA free agents?
Despite his antics, Wallace had an incredible basketball mind, a dominant post-up game (when he decided to do that sort of thing) and was really the final piece of the Pistons’ puzzle; the guy who brought it all together. He played amazing defense and always seemed to be in the right place to the point you thought he might have the other team’s plays, but he brought a lot more than blocks and steals.
Rasheed Wallace gave the Pistons attitude. He’d deliver hard fouls. He’d get in the other team’s face. He gave lively interviews and generally didn’t really care what you thought about him. He took pressure off his teammates by always putting it on himself. If he thought he’d been called for a bogus foul (which was every foul in his mind) he’d scream “BALL DON’T LIE!” after karma refused to reward the player with a made free throw.
Before the games, ‘Sheed would dance in the center of the circle and get everyone going. In many ways, his personality was everything that Ben Wallace’s was not – brash, overstated and cocky. They were the perfect duo in that regard and the Pistons probably would not have won a title if ‘Sheed hadn’t joined the team in one of the all time great Pistons’ trades. Most fans hated Rasheed Wallace but that was exactly how he wanted it and exactly why we loved him. “It was time for the world to seeeee, Rasheeeeeeeed!” and he didn’t disappoint.
There was so much to enjoy about this team, I feel like I barely scratched the surface. Before you go back to work, enjoy your Labor Day and remember a time when the Pistons ran the NBA and did it with style.
What’s your favorite memory of the Goin’ to Work Pistons? Let us know in the comments section or join the conversation on the Piston Powered Facebook page and on Twitter @PistonPowered.