Detroit Pistons: Fans seem confused about when to boo

If you have watched any Detroit Pistons’ games recently then you probably noticed fans booing certain opposing players.

This is a time-honored tradition that I wholeheartedly support, as it is the home crowd’s job to make things tough on the other team.

I also understand booing former players, especially ones who burned bridges on the way out or did something to rankle the fanbase while they were in Detroit.

But some of the booing this season has been a bit confusing to me, exemplified by two former players.

Detroit Pistons: Please boo Blake Griffin, he deserves it

The first case is Blake Griffin, former beloved Alpha Ginger who has turned into enemy #1 in Detroit.

It turns out that all of his flopping and whining is not fun to watch when he is on another team, and his beef with Isaiah Stewart is enough to make fans turn on him.

Griffin tried to force his way out of town, sat on the bench and did nothing for months while the team lost and then finally took a buyout so that the Pistons could pay him to chase rings in Brooklyn.

Blake has taken shots at the organization and fans since he left and really only gave the team one good season that doesn’t make up for any of this other stuff in my opinion.

Griffin embraces being a villain and fans should boo him until their throats hurt.

Detroit Pistons: Why are fans booing Andre Drummond?

I would first like to preface this defense by saying that I was not a fan of the Andre Drummond era in Detroit, not one bit.

Building your team around a rebounder is not a good idea and Drummond never turned into anything else. His time in Detroit was symbolic of the mediocrity the franchise was mired in for over a decade.

But none of that was his fault. Drummond played hard while he was in Detroit, never demanded out and was eventually traded. I have to say, I agree with Blake Griffin on this point:

Drummond gave his all to Detroit, embraced the city and fans and has never uttered a bad word about them even after being inexplicably booed.

I had the same reaction as Andre which was basically, “Huh, what did I do?”

I was the first to celebrate when the Detroit Pistons finally traded Drummond, but I hold no grudges against the guy, as he did nothing but play hard. It’s not his fault the team was terrible at building around him and never should have been trying to in the first place.

Fans don’t boo Reggie Jackson, even though his tenure was far more frustrating and awful than Drummond’s, as at least Andre went out there and performed night after night, rarely missing a game or taking a night off.

Fans don’t boo Luke Kennard, who stunk for the Pistons or any of the other players who were awful during their tenure in Detroit. Andre Drummond was at least a two-time All-Star for the Pistons.

I totally get booing Blake Griffin but the animosity towards Andre Drummond makes no sense. In the end, who really cares, as I am sure Drummond still sleeps at night, but it is not a great look for fans, who seem a bit lost on this one.

I am not saying Drummond should get a standing ovation, but all the booing for no reason just makes the fans look silly and jaded.