Clan-Members » e agent, and both Rodney Stuckey and Ch

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Stan Van Gundy expects the Detroit Pistons front office to be on the same page as the coaching staff. That shouldnt be too much to ask, considering hell be part of both. "One of the big problems at least in our league right now in a lot of places is there is not a great connection necessarily between front office and coaching," Van Gundy said. "This setup -- nothing to do with power -- it allows us to really create a tremendous synergy and a very unified organization." Van Gundy was formally introduced by the Pistons on Thursday as their coach and president of basketball operations. Detroit went 29-53 last season, missing the playoffs for a fifth straight year. That was the end of Joe Dumars tenure as team president. Coach Maurice Cheeks was fired in February and replaced on an interim basis by John Loyer. Van Gundys coaching is well respected -- he went 371-208 in seven-plus seasons with Miami and Orlando -- but now hell have the added responsibility of handling personnel matters. Its rare for one person to have that much control in the NBA, but Doc Rivers does both jobs for the Los Angeles Clippers. "This is the most important decision we have made as an organization," said Tom Gores, who took over as the teams owner in 2011. "Not only did we hire a coach and president of basketball, we are resetting the culture of the franchise. Im so confident that this is going to work." The Pistons have changed coaches quite a bit in recent years, but this is by far the biggest organizational shakeup in some time. Dumars had been president for 14 years before stepping down as this season drew to a close. Van Gundy inherits a roster that has a few talented players but looked dysfunctional on the court for much of last season. Detroits Andre Drummond is one of the games top young big men -- and Van Gundy has experience coaching big men like Shaquille ONeal in Miami and Dwight Howard in Orlando. "I think we have two responsibilities to Andre Drummond that will help our team, and that is, number one, to do everything we possibly can to develop him as a player," Van Gundy said. "And then secondly, we have a responsibility to put a system and personnel around him that allow him to thrive." Greg Monroe is a restricted free agent, and both Rodney Stuckey and Charlie Villanueva are unrestricted. "I want to start the process by sitting down with Greg face to face, talking about how he sees himself, how he sees our organization, and giving me a chance to talk to him about my vision for what goes on and how I think we can create a system that will fully maximize his abilities," Van Gundy said. Monroe, Drummond and Josh Smith can all be effective around the basket, but last seasons Pistons did not shoot well from the perimeter. And Detroit will lose this years first-round draft pick if its not in the top eight -- part of a previous trade with Charlotte. But with a five-year deal worth $35 million, it looks like Van Gundy will have time to turn this team around. "Part of what we hired here is the emotions," Gores said. "Thats what I want. He cares. Hes got a passion. The reason hes so prepared is he stays up at night thinking about things." The Pistons are desperate to become relevant again in the Motor City, where theyve been an afterthought lately. Hiring Van Gundy has certainly created a buzz, but now he and Gores are both under pressure to restore the franchises lustre. "Theres no excuses now," Van Gundy said. "What happens a lot of times in this thing is -- and I know because I talk to coaches all the time. Coaches say, Im doing a great job but this guy is not getting me good enough players. And the front office is telling ownership, We put together a great roster and the coach is screwing it up. "Theres none of that anymore. Its on us to get it done." Custom Philadelphia 76ers Jerseys . -- EJ Manuel followed the worst game of his career with the best. Philadelphia 76ers Jerseys . Leave it to Matt Niskanen, the newly proclaimed Eddie Haskell of the Washington Capitals. http://www.76ersprostore.info/Cheap-Amir...ers-Jersey/.com) - Jimmie Johnson won Sundays AAA Texas 500 while championship contenders Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski as well as their teams were involved in a post-race fight on pit road after the two clashed in the closing laps at Texas Motor Speedway. Moses Malone Jersey . The cause of his death is as of yet undetermined, but police said foul play is not suspected. Shake Milton Jersey . Nat Borchers headed in the sole goal in the 54th minute, getting on the end of a Kyle Beckerman free kick. The defeat cost Sporting top spot in the Eastern Conference. Even a draw would have moved the Kansas City club above Columbus.HOYLAKE, England -- The ovations from the packed galleries remain as warm as ever for Tom Watson at the British Open. His scoring continues to be just as impressive, too. The 64-year-old Watson extended his record of being the oldest man to make the cut at the games oldest major when he shot a 1-over 73 on Friday. That put him at 2-over 146, just on the cut line. "Lets see what happens on the weekend," the five-time British Open winner said, with that glint in his eye. "See if the old guy can maybe get it rolling a little bit." Playing a brand of "old mans golf," as he put it, Watson outlasted Masters champion Bubba Watson as well as Webb Simpson, Patrick Reed and Harris English -- three guys looking to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team captained by Watson. The way Watson has been hitting the ball this week, he wouldnt look out of place on the team at Gleneagles in September. "Im thinking about picking the captain," he said, laughing. He needed a par 5 at No. 18 to stay at Hoylake for another two days and, to the delight of the spectators filling the horseshoe stand around the green, he avoided trouble and made it with ease. "It was pretty special playing with Tom, and the reception he got," Jim Furyk said. "And to watch him grind it out and make a birdie on the way in and make the cut was pretty cool. "I was pulling for him pretty hard on No.dddddddddddd. 18." Royal Liverpool is not among the venues where Watson lifted the claret jug between 1975 and 83, but he is as popular here as at Muirfield, Royal Birkdale or anywhere else on the Open rotation. He acknowledged that he has been looking up at the stands more this year, soaking up the tournaments special atmosphere in his next-to-last appearance at a British Open -- provided, of course, he doesnt finish in the top 10 at St. Andrews in 2015. And who would bet against that? "I am enjoying it," he said. "Today on the practice range, my swing turned around. I really started hitting the ball well. ... It was the best warm-up session Ive had all year. I felt very good going out to the golf course." When he bogeyed No. 10 after hitting his gap wedge over the green from the middle of the fairway, Watson was missing the cut line at 3 over and under pressure. He hit every fairway after that, picking up that crucial birdie at No. 14 and parring his way home. Two solid shots at No. 18 allowed him to enjoy the ovation from all sides as he approached the green. "It was a pleasure playing with a little bit of heat on me to make the cut and doing so well, especially coming down the stretch," he said. The headaches over Ryder Cup selection can wait for a few days. Watson has something else to occupy his mind at the British Open this weekend. 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