Detroit Pistons Sighting

Hey guys this happened a couple hours ago.. I'm at the Ritz Carlton in New York (Central Park South) and I just saw the ENTIRE Pistons team! I couldn't believe in. One of my good friends and I were coming back from the bar from having a few drinks, ad we walk through the doors, as there was a black limo parked right outside(something I didn't pay much attention of because you see limos all the time here).

Anyway I walk in and stand by the elevators and noticed there was a good handful of people outside by the elevators also. I noticed an older male (probably in his 50s) wearing black warmups wit the Pistons logo on it. I didn't think much of it until I saw the black Pistons gym back by his feet. For a split second I noticed it and wondered "why is this guy decked out in pistons gear?".

Anyway I see a about 3 black guys walk into an elevator and I look carefullly to see if I recognized anyone. I first looked to the guys in the back and didn't recognize them, then as the elevator door was closing I noticed ANTONIO MCDYESS infront of them. I nudged my friend "Yo man that's antonio mcdyess!". Anyways I was completely surprised by seeing him I was thinking "WTF???".. Anyway I guess someone inside pressed the wrong button and the elevator door opened again. I looked at Antonio and i said "Hey Whassup man??" and He looked back, smiled and said "Wussup man" and the door closed again. Anyway that was really Trippy and I was telling my friend. "Ay man, thats antonio mcdyesss dude".. Sadly my friend doesn't follow NBA basketball and had no idea what the hell I was talking about.

Meanwhile, there were a bunch of other people near the elevator area, maybe 5~10.. I assuming 3~4 of them were hotel staff helping the players get in and the rest were trainers and other pistons staff allowing the players to enter their rooms first..

So as we waited a bit longer, (all the while I was tripping out by myself), I see Flip Saunders walk out of another elevator. I did a double take on him as I saw him coming from the corner of my eye. I noticed he was around my height (5'11~6') and not as tall as I imagined.. I remeber thinking, YO! thats FLIP SAUNDERS.. LOLLLL

So anyway Next thing, I see Chauncy Billups come in, surrounded by a couple other people, He also looked at me and noticed this asian cat wearing a Gray Beanie with the words Rockets in bold red. I wanted to shake his hand but I didn't want to be all weird about it as they're just trying to check into their rooms. He didn't have to wait long for the elevator as it opened and he entered. I noticed he looked skinnier than he looks on TV, not as RIPPED like he looks at the games, but that might be because he was wearing long sleeved athletic gear/jackets(its cold in NY), like the rest of the players.


So Chauncy went up, then came RIP.. By this point i was trippin the F out!! I couldn't NOT look at them, even though trying to play it cool and not act like a school girl on TRL.. Of course I made a good amount of eye contact and acknowledgement with each of these players and Most notably FLIP Saunders. I noticed him looking at me on MANY different occasians.. once again. I think it had to do with my Rockets beanie.. They probably could tell I was an NBA fan and that I knew who they were.

OK anyways, back at RIP.. He came in... did his thing, He also didn't look that tall, Maybe around Chauncy's height or very slightly taller.. Chauncy was actually taller than I expected(I expected him to be short). So Rip came.. And they sent him up with a couple people, and Flip Saunders joined him in the elevator. Once again I noticed Flip looking at me as the elevators were closing when I looked that way.

So by this point, I was already familiar with the routine, on waiting, and letting all of the players go up first, before we get on our own elevator.. Perfectly content on the entire "show".. Then came Tayshaun Prince.. I was like WTF.. tayshaun looked pretty tall, but not 6'8~6'9 tall as I figured he was. He also looked lanky like Rip and Chauncy, atleast all of their faces.. While I did my best minding my own business, I remember over hearing them talking about who should go first, I think Tayshaun was telling a trainer or someone else that they can go up first, but the guy told him "Tay, you need the rest.. etc etc" and then Tayshaun went up. I thought it was interesting they called him "Tay" instead of Tayshaun.. Soon afterwards the rest of the trainers/docs went up along with a couple of tall black dudes who I didn't recognize on first glance, I'm sure one of them: the guys behind Mcdyess or the guy who came last and went up with the trainers was probably Jason Maxiell.. I just remember they wer all very dark skinned black dudes..

Anyway all in all It was a real surreal experience.. When I got in our own elevator I was telling my friend Ay man thats the freaking Detroit pistons mannn... WTH??.. And he's like "Yeah man its the Ritz Carlton, celebrities come here all the time" and I was like "Damn I should have said something more"... I kind of regretted I didn't actually shake their hand or anything.. but they looked pretty tired and I didn't wanna be all weird and try to shake all their hands.. I already said wussup to Antonio and it would be kind of weird if I reached out and said wussup to each of the guys as they came one by one... They gonna be like "WTF is up with this guy? saying wasssup to everybody?" LOL.. anhyway That was crazy, All this happened over a good 10~15 minute period of time... So surreal, waiting for elevators with nba players, not just walking past them at a mall like the galleria, but being so damn close to them, within 5~10 feet.. as we all just waited.. CRAZ?Y