 
Rjk
Member
Username: Rjk
Post Number: 1239
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 1:03 pm: |    |
You're right, my bad. I spent a few years in Orlando some years back and was confusing the date of when their stadium was built with when the JLA was built.
Regardless, my point still stands. There's a night and day difference between the JLA and the Place. Even if the city built a stadium with tax money some ten years later it wouldn't be anywhere as nice as the Palace. |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 6219
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 2:38 pm: | |
I'm not sure if Bill Davidson was Michigan's richest man, but he was the richest in SE Michigan.
He was not a fan of Detroit city government (especially after his failed racetrack at the State Fair Grounds), but he was a fan of Detroit institutions (such as the DSO).
Were his children as involved in his businesses as the Ilitch family is in theirs? I'm curious to find out if the family business will remain in the family.
Also Mr. Davidson owned the Tampa Bay NHL franchise and Pine Knob (DTE Energy Theatre). |
Burnsie
Member
Username: Burnsie
Post Number: 1195
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 2:53 pm: | |
Take a look at the fine print on the corner of your storm-door window car window. It may well have a "G" for Guardian on it.
Largely forgotten is how Davidson once closed a Guardian glass plant in Detroit or very close by, putting many people out of work and transferring the work out-of-state. It's covered in the book "Working Detroit," put out by WSU Press.
So, who owns the Pistons now? A relative of Davidson's? |
Alan55
Member
Username: Alan55
Post Number: 2619
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 5:16 pm: | |
Decades ago, Davidson hired a plant manager from a rival glass plant and told the man that if he would get Davidson's new plant up and running, Davidson would give him a substantial bonus. The man did just that - got the Guardian plant running.
After a couple of years, the man approached Davidson and said, "Well, I think it's time I received my bonus."
Davidson simply said, "No."
The man replied "What do you mean, "No"? You said you would ive me the money if I got your plant running, which is exactly what I did."
To which Davidson retorted, "So, what do you want me to say, I screwed you? OK - I screwed you." |
Patrick
Member
Username: Patrick
Post Number: 2444
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 5:32 pm: | |
^^^^ Proven story or just more pro-union bullshit? |
Thefishwrap
Member
Username: Thefishwrap
Post Number: 20
Registered: 11-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 6:10 pm: | |
For those asking about who owns the Pistons now -- he has a wife and son that are apart of both businesses, and they will assume responsibility.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20090314/S PORTS0102/903140438 |
Pam
Member
Username: Pam
Post Number: 5115
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 8:41 pm: | |
quote:Proven story or just more pro-union bullshit?
What does that story have to do with unions? They aren't mentioned. |
Softailrider
Member
Username: Softailrider
Post Number: 295
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 10:09 pm: | |
Wonder How Isiah Thomas feels about Mr. D. When Isiah retire he was under the impression Davidson was going to give him or sell him ( not sure which it was) partial ownership of the Pistons. Mr. Davidson didn't give him shit. |
Jtf1972
Member
Username: Jtf1972
Post Number: 128
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 10:52 pm: | |
The Pistons are not a Detroit team. They were until Davidson moved them. Since then, Detroit hasn't had a team.
The "Detroit" Shock is a joke. They never even played a single game there. Why not put a team in Poughkeepsie, NY and call them "Detroit?" |
Atwater
Member
Username: Atwater
Post Number: 407
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 11:07 pm: | |
Those of you speaking ill of him really don't know who this man was. He was beyond generous-
"But his leadership ability, innovative ideas and massive philanthropy spoke volumes for him. He gave away more than $80 million in the 1990s alone, including $15 million to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York in 1994 to create the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education - the largest donation ever made to a single institution of Jewish education in the country.
Others benefiting from his philanthropy include Shaarey Zedek, Hadassah, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, Jerusalem Architectural Park and Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Israel. The University of Michigan has been one of his largest secular beneficiaries."
http://www.jnonline.us/main.as p?SectionID=23&SubSectionID=58 &ArticleID=6369 |
Alan55
Member
Username: Alan55
Post Number: 2621
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 11:08 pm: | |
Patrick: "^^^^ Proven story or just more pro-union bullshit?"
Actually, Patrick, it was an pro-Kiwanis Club post.
(What? Makes about as much sense as your post.) |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 6222
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 11:19 pm: | |
Atwater, with due respect... he was beyond generous... but unfortunately most of that generosity was "beyond Detroit".
The 3 richest families in Michigan are the Devos and Van Andel families, and Bill Davidson. The Devos and Van Andel families have been VERY generous to Grand Rapids.
However, when it comes to Bill Davidson, some folks here ask... what has he done for Detroit?
Now granted he has been a benevolet benefactor to the DSO, and the Piston's have been good to Detroit kids... but when you're the richest man in the state... the question does and will come up...
And the truthful answer is that he has been far more generous to Ann Arbor, New York and Israel than he has to Detroit.
That's not disrespectful... it's reality. Now granted, it would be nice if he left some legacy in his will to Detroit in whatever fashion... but for some reason I don't see that forthcoming... but I hope I'm wrong!
(Message edited by Gistok on March 14, 2009) |
Xstigmatax
Member
Username: Xstigmatax
Post Number: 11
Registered: 10-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, March 15, 2009 - 4:23 am: | |
Wow the ignorance on this board especially from people like Jtf1972 continues to amaze me day in and day out. Some of you need to get over yourself and the whole "they are not south of 8 mile" mentality. If this was Chicago and the Pistons played at the All State Arena you would not hear stuck up asses saying "they are not a detroit team they play in *insert suburb*"
I'm curious whats going to happen to the lightning, you know the NHL team that won the cup the same year as the DETROIT Pistons won. There had always been a hope he would move them here to the palace now they will probably be sold off. |
Brg
Member
Username: Brg
Post Number: 65
Registered: 02-2009
| | Posted on Sunday, March 15, 2009 - 9:44 am: | |
Let me help with the answer to your question. Davidson sold the Lighting last year.
As for moving them to the Palace, to compete against a team with an entrenched fan base that goes beyond SE Michigan would have been financial suicide. Have you ever hear of the Detroit Vipers? |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 1044
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, March 15, 2009 - 2:47 pm: | |
Sorry Atwater, much of Bill Davidson's fortune came at the expense of workers. Bill Davidson hated unions and any and all workers who spoke up for their rights, union or not. When you deprive the very workers who make your living for you, you are not generous and not a benefactor. I'm sure Mr. Davidson took hundreds of millions of dollars from workers by denying them their rights and jobs. It would be easy for me to swindle or embezzle a large sum of money, give it to an organization or charity and declare myself a generous benefactor. It's unfortunate and hypocritical that organizations like the UoM take his money and say nothing about his business practices. Of course, the UoM Business School endorses those very practices. Bill Davidson is no hero to me. I had too many friends who lost their jobs and livelihoods because of his selfish and cruel methods. RI whatever...... |
Brg
Member
Username: Brg
Post Number: 67
Registered: 02-2009
| | Posted on Sunday, March 15, 2009 - 3:39 pm: | |
Not to speak ill of the dead, but I have read nice tributes to Mr. Davidson. I have seen Joe D., Wilson praise him as a great boss. There has been the talk about what he has given. The one thing that is not being discussed is his bread and butter. What made Bill Davidson the man he was? Guardian Industries. Everyone who wants to talk good about the man has not mention the business that made him a billionaire. I too have read the stories about Mr. D. being one of the sharks out there. If anyone didn't know better they would think that Davidson is known only because of the Pistons.
So....the question for the day is....if Davidson didn't own the Pistons and the Palace, would any care about his passing knowing his business rep? |
Oldredfordette
Member
Username: Oldredfordette
Post Number: 5973
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 15, 2009 - 5:25 pm: | |
I don't care about his passing now. My last post on this particular dead corporate bastard. |
Iheartthed
Member
Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 3860
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, March 15, 2009 - 6:51 pm: | |
How much was Davidson worth? I thought Matty Maroun was the single richest person in Metro Detroit. And where do the Fords rank among the richest families in Michigan? |
Rjk
Member
Username: Rjk
Post Number: 1243
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 15, 2009 - 7:03 pm: | |
http://www.forbes.com/lists/20 08/54/400list08_The-400-Riches t-Americans-Michigan_7Rank.htm l |
Firstandten
Member
Username: Firstandten
Post Number: 781
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, March 15, 2009 - 7:03 pm: | |
My problem with showering all of this praise on Mr. Davidson is much of what other posters are saying.
You get a young MBA grad out of a school...say Michigan for example. I'm sure this person has taken a business ethics class which is part of many MBA programs and looks at the business model which Davidson used to grow his main business. Guess what ? Whatever that person learned in class just went out the window.
Why spend money and time on R&D to increase my companies knowledge base when I can just infringe on other companies patents, steal other companies secrets and steal key employees from other companies. So what If I get caught,I got what I needed, I'll just pay the fine and chalk it up to the cost of doing business.
Yes, he was a generous person and that is a matter of public record. But so was his anti-union, lack of business ethics ways of doing things also a part of that same public record. |
Atwater
Member
Username: Atwater
Post Number: 408
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 5:20 pm: | |
An obituary from an international site (The Jerusalem Post) :
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/S atellite?cid=1237114834371&pag ename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShow Full
Brg, lots of people care about his passing. He gave huge amounts of money to the Jewish community in metro Detroit, New York and especially Israel.
Oldredfordette, will you do so much in your lifetime to help your community as this "corporate bastard" did in his? |
Hpgrmln
Member
Username: Hpgrmln
Post Number: 678
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 5:35 pm: | |
"Oldredfordette, will you do so much in your lifetime to help your community as this "corporate bastard" did in his?"
I think a certain someone is playing "hate the very rich" out of jealousy over the fact they have nothing close to his wealth.
I admire guys like him.They inspire others to strive for their best.Im not bagging groceries, demonizing the guy who owns the store. Id more or less consider the fact that he owns it and use that as a reason to aspire to the highest potential.
You can be jealous and hate on guys like him, or you can see what he accomplished and use that as motivation to try harder. |
Brg
Member
Username: Brg
Post Number: 72
Registered: 02-2009
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 5:41 pm: | |
Atwater, I am not knocking what he gave. I am questioning why he gave so much.
Notice that a few of the posters are commenting on the ruthlessness that Davidson demonstrated as a businessman which allowed him to live in luxury and to give so much.
I checked out the obit from the Jerusalem Post and this like other stories about Davidson skips about him being the CEO of Guardian Industries. If they bring up stories about Guardian then they have to drag out the dirty dealing that Davidson used to acquired his fortune.
I'm a Pistons fan. I love the Pistons but years ago I read an article about Davidson that blew me away. He basically cheated to acquire his billions and he didn't care. He was a robber-baron.
Back to his love of giving large sums of money, I end this with Matthew 19:24: And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. |
Thecarl
Member
Username: Thecarl
Post Number: 934
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 7:23 pm: | |
funny thing, brg - bill davidson's interest in scripture ends where matthew begins! |
Sstashmoo
Member
Username: Sstashmoo
Post Number: 3478
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 7:47 pm: | |
Quote: "He gave away more than $80 million in the 1990s alone,"
In lieu of claiming it as income which would be subject to Federal tax liabilities. He didn't "give" it, he deferred it. |
Sstashmoo
Member
Username: Sstashmoo
Post Number: 3479
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 8:00 pm: | |
Quote: "Oldredfordette, will you do so much in your lifetime to help your community as this "corporate bastard" did in his?"
How is building something for one race of people and deferring funds to one race of people helping the community? |
Thecarl
Member
Username: Thecarl
Post Number: 935
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 8:06 pm: | |
eesh. i worked for guardian, and i must say, the workforce was quite homogeneous. i even remember a recruiter asking if a hiring manager at guardian would be offended if a minority candidate was sent over for a position! i always thought that anyone who owned a company should be able to hire whomever he or she wanted - until i worked there. it just didn't seem right to me. |
Pffft
Member
Username: Pffft
Post Number: 1267
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 8:22 pm: | |
Atwater,
What did Davidson do for "this community"...other than charge us to attend Pistons games (and to park)? |
Atwater
Member
Username: Atwater
Post Number: 409
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 9:10 pm: | |
quote:How is building something for one race of people and deferring funds to one race of people helping the community?
Well, that "one race of people" was his community.. |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 1061
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 2:41 am: | |
This has nothing to do with how much wealth Bill Davidson had - it has to do with how he acquired his wealth. I don't give a shit if he's the richest man in the world. If he broke and hurt people in the process - shame on him. I'm not talking about a few people, it's inevitable some people will be hurt. I'm talking about all of his union busting and anti-labor tactics over his lifetime. He was ruthless. That's not a hero in any way, shape or form. If you love him for his sports teams and accomplishments, without researching his background, you're awful shallow. As I said before, if you acquire something illegally or by harming others, and you give it away receiving adulation and recognition in return, you're no less culpable or criminal. Do you think recipients of his money will turn around and say: 'oh, this money is tainted by his greed and avarice, so we're going to return it?' Not likely. They make the case for why he was so great to make the case for why they deserve his money. As far as I'm concerned, Bill Davidson was nothing less than a scab. |
Gencinjay
Member
Username: Gencinjay
Post Number: 112
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 10:18 am: | |
"I'm curious whats going to happen to the lightning, you know the NHL team that won the cup the same year as the DETROIT Pistons won. There had always been a hope he would move them here to the palace now they will probably be sold off."
Hope? Maybe in the Palace organization, but nowhere else. The NHL would never allow another franchise near Detroit. It would be almost impossible for any new team to convert Red Wings fans. It would have been a faliure of epic proportions.
I worked a summer at Guardian Photo. Never talked to the man personally but I was quite amused when I used to see him walking the halls and found out he was the owner. He looked nothing like you would expect an owner of such a large company to look like. Always disheveled in a wrinkled suit. |
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