PurpleHaze
All-Star
Expert: Van Gundy working his Magic in Orlando
Former Heat coach getting last laugh after Riley pushed him out of Miami
ASK THE NBA EXPERT
By Sam Smith
updated 11:21 a.m. PT, Thurs., Nov. 22, 2007
Pat Riley is one of the great coaches in the history of professional team sports, a brilliant motivator and fierce competitor who is a certain Hall of Famer. His legacy is in no danger no matter how the future goes for the Miami Heat, which doesn't appear very positive this season.
But as Heat team president, Riley made one major mistake.
He hired Pat Riley as his coach early in the 2005-06 season.
Yes, the Heat finished that season winning the NBA title, however fortunate that was with the historic collapse of the Dallas Mavericks, who remain one of the best ever in that category.
It wasn't that Riley did a poor job as coach. Quite the contrary. He was Pat Riley again, which was the problem from the start.
He couldn't quite take not being Pat Riley, and it cost him one of the best young coaches in the game, Stan Van Gundy, who is the early front runner for coach of the year with the league's early surprise team, the Orlando Magic.
the rest here...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21923813/
Former Heat coach getting last laugh after Riley pushed him out of Miami
ASK THE NBA EXPERT
By Sam Smith
updated 11:21 a.m. PT, Thurs., Nov. 22, 2007
Pat Riley is one of the great coaches in the history of professional team sports, a brilliant motivator and fierce competitor who is a certain Hall of Famer. His legacy is in no danger no matter how the future goes for the Miami Heat, which doesn't appear very positive this season.
But as Heat team president, Riley made one major mistake.
He hired Pat Riley as his coach early in the 2005-06 season.
Yes, the Heat finished that season winning the NBA title, however fortunate that was with the historic collapse of the Dallas Mavericks, who remain one of the best ever in that category.
It wasn't that Riley did a poor job as coach. Quite the contrary. He was Pat Riley again, which was the problem from the start.
He couldn't quite take not being Pat Riley, and it cost him one of the best young coaches in the game, Stan Van Gundy, who is the early front runner for coach of the year with the league's early surprise team, the Orlando Magic.
the rest here...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21923813/
