[Flash is the Future]

Originally Posted by HB

He will be coaching the University of Kentucky in a year or two

That would require him to abandon his post as Team President. Considering his minority ownership in the Heat (I think it's like 15%), I can't see him doing that.

[Jamel Irief]

Originally Posted by wadeshaqeddie

he doesnt coach lottery teams anymore... you may not agree with that, but when a team is lottery, he is much better as a front office guy than a coach. He will acquire the guys needed to win, and rebuilds teams very quickly when in the front office.

He made two great trades in his career that set him up for 5 years of contender status (Zo and Hardaway trades) and then he drafted Wade in a deep draft. Shaq was basically given to him. He had some horrid trades (Mase and EJ for Mash and Brown, Ricky Davis for Gatling) and bad signings (Juwan Howard, Antoine Walker, Brian Grant).

So it's not like he's a great front office guy. He's already sent the Heat to bottom feeder status twice in 13 years.

[The '93 Heat]

Originally Posted by Jamel Irief

He made two great trades in his career that set him up for 5 years of contender status (Zo and Hardaway trades) and then he drafted Wade in a deep draft. Shaq was basically given to him. He had some horrid trades (Mase and EJ for Mash and Brown, Ricky Davis for Gatling) and bad signings (Juwan Howard, Antoine Walker, Brian Grant).

So it's not like he's a great front office guy. He's already sent the Heat to bottom feeder status twice in 13 years.

As a Heat fan, there's tons of holes in this post. Let me preface this by saying that I hate EJ with a passion.

1. EJ was better than Mash (who didn't play before or after we traded him) and Mason was better than Brown. Mason was an all-star for us and helped us win our division.

2. Ricky Davis for Gatling wasn't even a blip on the radar. It shouldn't even be recorded in any trade books ever. Ricky Davis never played for us and Gatling never played for us. What are you talking about? My mind is blown that you would even mention this. If anything it was a great trade because Icky's teams have a habit of being terrible. It was getting rid of a scrub with an attitude problem for an old fan favorite.

3. Juwon Howard was not a bad signing. It was a legal move but Stern (*******) personally vetoed it at the request of the New York NBA franchise. He changed the rules in the middle of the game and vetoed our trade, so it wasn't even a signing. Don't see how it can be a "bad signing."

4. Antoine Walker was not a bad signing. He was a part of a multi player trade. We got a starting PG, a Starting SF, and a first man off the bench in that deal. All of that for a burnout over the hill 30 something Eddie Jones with 2 plus years at nearly 30 million dollars left. How can that be a bad deal? That's one of the greatest steals of all time. Also, Antoine played great for us in the playoffs and we won a championship.

5. Brian Grant was not a bad signing. He was brought in to play PF alongside Mourning and would have been great however Mourning developed the kidney disease. His contract is no worse than a hundred other players from that era of bad contracts. He would have been a great piece alongside Zo.

6. Shaq wasn't "given" to him. Furthermore, it took his coaching to be able to squeeze one last championship out of Shaq after we gave up a good amount of talent to get him.

[Tragedy]

Originally Posted by aznzen

riley is not that old. i betcha he can pull more tails than you and your daddy.

.

I always hate that crap. give me his fame, money and position, and I will pull far more tail than him if he still had his fame money and position.

Take his fame money and position away, and give it to me, and I'll pull 10 times more tail than he would.

So please, leave that lame cliche at home.

[zagsfan20]

Spoelstra is supposed to be one of the great young coaching minds in the league. I think I'd rather have him as someone to grow with the younger guys then a grumpy, impatient, old fart like Pat Riley.

[myst]

Originally Posted by Tragedy

I always hate that crap. give me his fame, money and position, and I will pull far more tail than him if he still had his fame money and position.

Take his fame money and position away, and give it to me, and I'll pull 10 times more tail than he would.

So please, leave that lame cliche at home.

I think you're missing the point. The point is that he DOES have the money and fame, and you don't. You might get more with the money and fame, but you don't have it and he does, so I guess we will never know.

[NewAgeBaller]

Damn so much Riley hate.. I know maybe we're "blind homers" or wateva for supporting Riley (most Heat fans still do), but if he's really giving us so much trouble we'd see that.

He's much appreciated right now, and it was a good move to step down now rather than mid-season where we'd have a 6 page *****-fest about how he's running out on the team again.

[gian]

Riles can't handle the stress of developing a team as a coach and as a GM. Someone has to take over one of the jobs, and Riley the Coach is easier to replace than Riley the GM.

[Jamel Irief]

Originally Posted by adam

As a Heat fan, there's tons of holes in this post. Let me preface this by saying that I hate EJ with a passion.

1. EJ was better than Mash (who didn't play before or after we traded him) and Mason was better than Brown. Mason was an all-star for us and helped us win our division.

What are you talking about? Mash was a stud who was the best player on a team that swept EJ and the Heat. Brown was a starter on that team as well. The Heat couldn't afford to sign Mason since they were taking on those giant contract of Grant and EJ anyways.

2. Ricky Davis for Gatling wasn't even a blip on the radar. It shouldn't even be recorded in any trade books ever. Ricky Davis never played for us and Gatling never played for us. What are you talking about? My mind is blown that you would even mention this. If anything it was a great trade because Icky's teams have a habit of being terrible. It was getting rid of a scrub with an attitude problem for an old fan favorite.

Ricky Davis on the Heat means young legs and they actually probably win a playoff game in 02 (since Grant and EJ alone couldn't get it done) and probably in 03 as well.

3. Juwon Howard was not a bad signing. It was a legal move but Stern (*******) personally vetoed it at the request of the New York NBA franchise. He changed the rules in the middle of the game and vetoed our trade, so it wasn't even a signing. Don't see how it can be a "bad signing."

It was a signing in the sense that the Heat inked a 104 million dollar contract with him, they were just missing Stern's approval. Stern saved Riley from a stupid move.

4. Antoine Walker was not a bad signing. He was a part of a multi player trade. We got a starting PG, a Starting SF, and a first man off the bench in that deal. All of that for a burnout over the hill 30 something Eddie Jones with 2 plus years at nearly 30 million dollars left. How can that be a bad deal? That's one of the greatest steals of all time. Also, Antoine played great for us in the playoffs and we won a championship.

Correct, coupled with the trade in whole it was good. You are probably literally alone in the greatest steals of all time claim. Jwill was an average PG and was done after two years. Toine only gave you one good year. Posey couldn't be afforded again because of other bad Riley signings.

5. Brian Grant was not a bad signing. He was brought in to play PF alongside Mourning and would have been great however Mourning developed the kidney disease. His contract is no worse than a hundred other players from that era of bad contracts. He would have been a great piece alongside Zo.

You couldn't name 10 players with worse contracts from that era. I can name one, Juwan Howard. But you don't think that's a bad contract either.

6. Shaq wasn't "given" to him. Furthermore, it took his coaching to be able to squeeze one last championship out of Shaq after we gave up a good amount of talent to get him.

Shaq held the Lakers hostage. It's not like Riley had to talk Mitch into much.