Lansing - Fans decked out in Detroit basketball memorabilia lined up at about 9 a.m. on Thursday to catch a glimpse of not one, but two prestigious men's and women's professional basketball trophies at Lansing's Capitol Rotunda.
In the middle of its trophy tours, the Detroit Pistons' Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy and the Detroit Shock's WNBA Championship Trophy were on display at the state Capitol last week.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Detroit Pistons' announcer George Blaha welcomed Michiganians to the two shiny displays, celebrated the two teams' achievements and even poked fun at California leader, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"It's true, I was out of control at the game. We bust our buttons with pride," Granholm said. "Not only is this for Detroit, but the whole state is aglow."
Granholm unveiled an interesting photo of Schwarzenegger as a gift to Blaha. The California governor was wearing a Ben Wallace jersey, eating a pasty and holding up a Michigan paper's sports section - plastered with a giant photo of Wallace.
Before the final game, the two governors made a bet: The governor of the state of the losing NBA team must eat the winning state's delicacies while wearing the opposing team's jersey.
And Schwarzenegger even had to wash down the loss with a Vernor's Ginger Ale.
Even residents outside the state came out to see the two trophies. Thomas Mackey, a Rochester, Minn., native was visiting family in the area and happened to see an article in the paper about the display.
"It was time for a change in the NBA Championship, it was nice to see them win," Mackey said of the Pistons. "Larry Brown got them to play more cohesively as a team."
And the more Detroit played together, the louder the fans roared at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
"The Palace was the loudest building in America," Blaha said. "The team didn't make the noise, the coaches didn't make the noise, the fans made the noise."
Blaha said the Pistons played as a team against the Los Angeles Lakers, who were individual stars.
He added the most exciting part of the tour is that fans from around the state can brag two professional basketball title teams.
"The best part is that people all over the state can touch two titles. How often does this happen in professional basketball?" Blaha said. "The Shock showed how good women's basketball can be. How tough and determined female athletes are."
Nothing, Blaha said, could top beating the favored Lakers in front of home town fans.
"To me, the trophy tour around the state is as significant as winning in front of our home fans at the Palace," Blaha said. "It made them feel even more part of the win. The fans deserve the trophy tour."
