The Riley (read: Shaq) Factor
"Riley's 2-0!"
The headlines are screaming about the great Riles return to the sideline, which coincided - coincidence? - with the return of Shaq. Sure, the Heat are 2-0 under Riley. But they're 3-0 with Shaq back in the line-up. And, when Shaq goes out, the other team starts winning. Every time. Riley may get the headlines, but the truth is Van Gundy (Stan) was a great coach. Whether he left for "family reasons," and the guy doesn't strike me as the type to do such a thing, he's the very epitome of a coach. In my business when someone leaves to spend more time with their kids, it means they were canned. And Riley strikes me as the type to axe someone and reclaim the limelight for himself. He loves to prance up and down the sidelines in Armani suits and a bad slicked back mullet, preening for the cameras.
But Shaq deserves all the credit. Alonzo has had a great season so far, blocking skads of shots and grabbing rebounds like a crack addict. But with Shaq in the game, opponents don't challenge him. His very presence unbalances them and sends them into bad decision land. He just needs to stand there with his hand in their face and the basket disappears. Every time he goes out of the game, the Heat have a lead. With Alonzo in the game, the other team invariably makes a comeback. Then, when Shaq, who has usually gotten himself in foul trouble, returns, the Heat resurrect their lead. Forget Riley. At this stage in his life, he's pulling a John Salley, riding the coat tails of the most dominant center in the league and a pod of all-stars to surround him, including the best attacking off-guard in the league in Dwyane Wade. Let's not forget that this is the same Riley who quit his team two years ago, when they had a losing record. A record that Van Gundy turned around, overachieving, making it to the second round of the playoffs. Where Shaq, sick of Kobe's antics, saw a team one mighty center away from the finals. And it would have panned out had Wade not been hurt and Shaq not been hobbled. And it was Riley who took this team and drastically restructured it, filling it with veteran egos.
Unfair to Van Gundy I say. You can't blame Shaq for wanting the coach of the Showtime Lakers, and owner of 4 championship rings, to come out of retirement. And you can't blame Mourning for wanting more playing time, which he probably saw himself getting under his old coach. But Van Gundy deserved better. And I hope he can spend a year or two raising his kids and return to the sidelines soon.
Chandler Colfax!
The headlines are screaming about the great Riles return to the sideline, which coincided - coincidence? - with the return of Shaq. Sure, the Heat are 2-0 under Riley. But they're 3-0 with Shaq back in the line-up. And, when Shaq goes out, the other team starts winning. Every time. Riley may get the headlines, but the truth is Van Gundy (Stan) was a great coach. Whether he left for "family reasons," and the guy doesn't strike me as the type to do such a thing, he's the very epitome of a coach. In my business when someone leaves to spend more time with their kids, it means they were canned. And Riley strikes me as the type to axe someone and reclaim the limelight for himself. He loves to prance up and down the sidelines in Armani suits and a bad slicked back mullet, preening for the cameras.
But Shaq deserves all the credit. Alonzo has had a great season so far, blocking skads of shots and grabbing rebounds like a crack addict. But with Shaq in the game, opponents don't challenge him. His very presence unbalances them and sends them into bad decision land. He just needs to stand there with his hand in their face and the basket disappears. Every time he goes out of the game, the Heat have a lead. With Alonzo in the game, the other team invariably makes a comeback. Then, when Shaq, who has usually gotten himself in foul trouble, returns, the Heat resurrect their lead. Forget Riley. At this stage in his life, he's pulling a John Salley, riding the coat tails of the most dominant center in the league and a pod of all-stars to surround him, including the best attacking off-guard in the league in Dwyane Wade. Let's not forget that this is the same Riley who quit his team two years ago, when they had a losing record. A record that Van Gundy turned around, overachieving, making it to the second round of the playoffs. Where Shaq, sick of Kobe's antics, saw a team one mighty center away from the finals. And it would have panned out had Wade not been hurt and Shaq not been hobbled. And it was Riley who took this team and drastically restructured it, filling it with veteran egos.
Unfair to Van Gundy I say. You can't blame Shaq for wanting the coach of the Showtime Lakers, and owner of 4 championship rings, to come out of retirement. And you can't blame Mourning for wanting more playing time, which he probably saw himself getting under his old coach. But Van Gundy deserved better. And I hope he can spend a year or two raising his kids and return to the sidelines soon.
Chandler Colfax!
posted by Chandler Colfax! at 9:07 AM
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