Breaking News: Pat Riley Will Take Leave Of Absence.

[LakerRaider]

It was just reported on Cold Pizza. People on one of ESPN's (Entertainment & Sporting Network) shows called Cold Pizza credited Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune for reporting this story.

Could Stan Van Gundy be returning to coach the Miami Heat??? Who do you think would be able to coach the Miami Heat??? Stan Van Gundy??? Larry Brown??? Rick Adelman??? Mike Fratello??? Let everybody know.

InsideHoops.com update: Riley is having a press conference at 3PM today to announce it

[GoRapz]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/690000/images/_692122_pizzatwo300.jpg

anyways, why is Pat leaving?

[eboloid]

So, Riley will take a break so he can spend more time with Van Gundy's family while Stan guides the Heat to a first-round exit?

[Howard5Dirk41]

It was just reported on Cold Pizza. People on Cold Pizza credited the Chicago Tribune for reporting this story. Could Stan Van Gundy be returning to coach the Miami Heat??? Stay tuned.
if stan van gundy has any dignity he will not come back.

[Qwyjibo]

Meh.


Once the Heat are back to being in contention under another coach, Riley will swoop in, get rid of him, and take over once again.

[Take Your Lumps]

I think that 29-point loss vs. Orlando finally did it...

[All Net]

This for good or short term?

[kentatm]

So, Riley will take a break so he can spend more time with Van Gundy's family while Stan guides the Heat to a first-round exit?

riiiight. pay attention.

[wang4three]

Unfortunate. The team is just out of sorts and horrible right now.

[JSub]

Shaq and Riley got their rings. They should just retired.

[francesco totti]

heat wont make it to the playoffs i think

[Take Your Lumps]

Toine will take over, according to 'sources'

http://img280.imageshack.us/img280/9674/fatconductor1en.jpg

[ThaKid]

weird

[bumpyknucks]

Toine will take over, according to 'sources'

http://img280.imageshack.us/img280/9674/fatconductor1en.jpg


:oldlol:

[Shepseskaf]

Reportedly, its because Slick "got tired of the losing and players' attitudes." What a freaking weasel. If I'm the replacement coach, I'm looking over my shoulder because if things start to get better he'll give me the hook to try and grab all the glory again.

[BFRESH44]

Ron Rothstein taking over for the timebeing....

It's like the late 80's all over again.


Reportedly, its because Slick "got tired of the losing and players' attitudes." What a freaking weasel. If I'm the replacement coach, I'm looking over my shoulder because if things start to get better he'll give me the hook to try and grab all the glory again.

LOL, NA.... That's BS speculation off that bastard Sam Smith.


Riles is having the hip replacement surgery that he put off on for like a year now. That's all it is. It's gotten to the point where it's unbearable. That's the word that being reported on South Florida radio stations (via 790 the ticket) and papers which is 10000%% the most credible reports..

[Take Your Lumps]

He's having surgery on his hip and knee.

I still think Toine should take over :lol:

I bet he would bench his best shooters so they could shoot 4's from the bench!

[Shepseskaf]

LOL, NA.... That's BS speculation off that bastard Sam Smith.


Riles is having the hip replacement surgery that he put off on for like a year now. That's all it is. It's gotten to the point where it's unbearable. That's the word that being reported on South Florida radio stations (via 790 the ticket) and papers which is 10000%% the most credible reports..
I don't want to be heartless, but I'm still skeptical. Why didn't he get it taken care of after last season? Funny how when the losing starts to pile up, all of a sudden he has to leave.

I wouldn't even be saying this if this wasn't a pattern of behavior from Slick in the recent past.

[Smokee]

Reportedly, its because Slick "got tired of the losing and players' attitudes." What a freaking weasel. If I'm the replacement coach, I'm looking over my shoulder because if things start to get better he'll give me the hook to try and grab all the glory again.


where did you hear that from?

if its true thats pretty bad for Miami's morale the rest of the season. for a GM/Coach to quit on his team? thats laffable :oldlol:

[VCDrivesAPorscheToWork]

way to kill two birds with one stone Riles. Wade also pulled one of these with his wisdom teeth surgery when the Heat played the Suns. way to go! and Shaq wont be playing in the Suns game.

[r32soul]

espn is reporting that riley is taking a leave of absence because of knee, hip surgery...but that's not what chicago sun times is saying though...

[Shepseskaf]

where did you hear that from?

if its true thats pretty bad for Miami's morale the rest of the season. for a GM/Coach to quit on his team? thats laffable :oldlol:
I was listening to the Jim Rome show, and he was quoting from an established media source. I believe it was the Chicago Tribune. Maybe its from Sam Smith.

[BFRESH44]

I don't want to be heartless, but I'm still skeptical. Why didn't he get it taken care of after last season? Funny how when the losing starts to pile up, all of a sudden he has to leave.

I wouldn't even be saying this if this wasn't a pattern of behavior from Slick in the recent past.


Ya, trust it, It's not what you think, or anything else that's people are going to speculate over ala "he's leaving because they're losing" BS. :oldlol:

Riles coached this franchise through some miserable seasons(I'm talking about teams that featured Anthony Carter, Eddie House, and Chris Gaitling as top rotational guys) while the rebuilding session took place. He then then handed over the reigns to Van Gundy when he felt like he actually had young talent in place (Wade, Bulter, EJ, Odom, Grant, Skip).

He didn't punk out at all. Complete mis-characterization.

He's simply getting his hip replacement surgery because it's has been locking up as of late. That is a b1itch. He thought he could bear the pain, but it hasn't turned out that way.

[Voice of Reason]

I don't want to be heartless, but I'm still skeptical. Why didn't he get it taken care of after last season? Funny how when the losing starts to pile up, all of a sudden he has to leave.

I wouldn't even be saying this if this wasn't a pattern of behavior from Slick in the recent past.

I agree...this speculated move is suspect. Also fair game to criticize or target Riley if other players who put off surgeries in the offseason to get them done during the season get criticized. I'd like to believe he doesnt take a leave of absense if Miami Heat are the hottest team in the league. But whatever.

[insidehoops]

Riley is limping around lately. He's injured. He's probably about to have surgery.

[BradMiller52]

It's just the media saying he's running away. In all reality it's probably a hip surgery and I wonder if he'll be able to get back when they're a contender again with a better record and Shaq is back. It reminds me of all the "Ron Artest wants out" talk after he had 2 or 3 bad games and people speculated he was pouting, when in reality it was injuries.

[sportstownusa]

should have taken care of it during offseason if he truly wanted to avoid risk of missing action during the miami's defending of their championship.

[TheOakman]

Its a sexier stroy for ESPN and the other outlets if they can play it up that Riles is quitting on the team. But in reality it is the surgery which is putting Riles on the shelf.

I think he will definitely be back. Why would he quit on the team with Shaq coming back in two weeks. Not to mention that the East is so weak that there is no reason to believe that with a relatively healthy Shaq and D-Wade, this team cannot make a serious playoff run, and this is coming from a Knicks fan, so there is no love lost for the Heat.

[SupermanOnSteroids]

its most probably just a nba vacation for riley. but it just might end up doing some good for the heat b/c when riley gets back, he'll have a fresh attitude and bring some added energy for the team in time for the playoff run.

[Joey Zaza]

2 completely different thing - leaving for hip replacement surgery is finite. It has corners. "Surgery is this weekend, Riles hould be walking again, with therapy, by the end of the month and able to travel with the team by Feb" - or whatever"

Indefinite leave of absence is "I'm not going to coach until I feel better"

I would be less likely to think that riley is weasling his way out of coaching a bad team if he didn;t do it before.

[icemanfan]

2 completely different thing - leaving for hip replacement surgery is finite. It has corners. "Surgery is this weekend, Riles hould be walking again, with therapy, by the end of the month and able to travel with the team by Feb" - or whatever"

Indefinite leave of absence is "I'm not going to coach until I feel better"

I would be less likely to think that riley is weasling his way out of coaching a bad team if he didn;t do it before.
or steal a team that has a shot from a coach like last year. Low life is better than no life at all I guess.

[shadow]

haha right, so all of a sudden his hip's killing right in the middle of his defending champs being embarassed most nights by other teams. Frankly even if he isn't running away I hope they keep spinning it like that. Guy pulled a ***** move on van gundy, he deserves some crap for that, or so says karma.

The thing about the surgery excuse is, once its done, and if the team does start to win again, he can come back in anytime and say he's feeling good again.

[TheBigAristotle1]

It's a shame too, because they have a lot of young players who they should be developing.

[icemanfan]

haha right, so all of a sudden his hip's killing right in the middle of his defending champs being embarassed most nights by other teams. Frankly even if he isn't running away I hope they keep spinning it like that. Guy pulled a ***** move on van gundy, he deserves some crap for that, or so says karma.

The thing about the surgery excuse is, once its done, and if the team does start to win again, he can come back in anytime and say he's feeling good again.
agreed 100%

[BFRESH44]

Ya'll dudes don't know anything about the Van Gundy/Riley swap (aside from what you hear/see on ESPN) so you can't present the "he snaked him" scernario as a fact.

I know people within the organization (family members to one of the active assistants) and from what I know/was told (pretty much 1000% credible) Van Gundy completly stepped down on his own.

The "I need time to spend with my family" was infact BS though. He simply didn't want to deal with the pressure of the failing with the team again and all the high expectations.

His picture perfect coaching situation was running with the the Lamar Odoms, Caron Butlers, Eddie Jones, D-Wades, core...No expectations, just going with the flow.

He felt he couldn't get the veterans to respond to him, so he stepped down.

Riley made the trades, but he did not throw Stan under the bus....

If anything it was the players(Shaq, Zo, GP, and Antoine most notably).

[shadow]

agreed 100%
great minds think alike :D

[icemanfan]

Ya'll dudes don't know anything about the Van Gundy/Riley swap (aside from what you hear/see on ESPN) so you can't present the "he snaked him" scernario as a fact.

I know people within the organization (family members to one of the active assistants) and from what I know/was told (pretty much 1000% credible) Van Gundy completly stepped down on his own.

The "I need time to spend with my family" was infact BS though. He simply didn't want to deal with the pressure of the failing with the team again and all the high expectations.

His picture perfect coaching situation was running with the the Lamar Odoms, Caron Butlers, Eddie Jones, D-Wades, core...No expectations, just going with the flow.

He felt he couldn't get the veterans to respond to him, so he stepped down.

Riley made the trades, but he did not throw Stan under the bus....

If anything it was the players(Shaq, Zo, GP, and Antoine most notably).

ummmm sure :rolleyes:

[BFRESH44]

Yeah, "sure".

Like I said, all ya'll dudes can do is speculate but with no grounds for facts.

Your automatic assumption is that Riley threw him under the bus because that's the obvious route to go.


Stan Van Gundy is not going to serve as no damn puppet. Man is not the type to keep quiet. He would've been called out Riley or infact Jeff Van Gundy would've too...

Stan also hasn't fielded any other coaching offers...

Think about it.

[geeWiz15]

Pat Riley is an overrated disgrace.

as soon as his job gets hard he ducks out.

I wouldn't even consider trusting my team to this guy. him and Larry Brown both. at the very least I can give Eddie Jordan credit for being stable and having perseverance. I don't care how good a coach's reputation is, if he's quitting on the team whenever things get tough, what are the players supposed to do?

honeslty, I ask you guys who consider Riley a greater coach than Jerry Sloan because of Riley's "versatility," I ask you, what versatility? the guy can win with teams that are supposed to win. real versatile. he can win with Magic Johnson, Shaq, and a 12 man roster full of defensive stoppers. WOW. I swear people who think Riley is the best coach in the league must think Clinton's the best president ever. "but look at what the economy did while he was there! he's gotta be!"

[Eldrunko247]

Riley sheds his skin once again. If you go to Wilkipedia and type in snake you'll find Riley's picture.

[HALLandOATES]

I really wish we didn't have to play Suns tommorow. Ice cube : " tommorow will be a bad day".

[sportstownusa]

He [Van Gundy] simply didn't want to deal with the pressure of the failing with the team again and all the high expectations.



Little bit later...



Like I said, all ya'll dudes can do is speculate but with no grounds for facts.

and what kinda fricking lame justification is that vangundy didnt want to deal with all the high expectations? then why would he ok shaq coming to town in the first place? bigger question...why would he be a coach if he was not ready to accept the pressures of high expectations?

[Smokee]

i'm siding with the people skeptical on Riley's hip being the reason. It makes no sense and how gullible can you people be? like a hip surgery has to be done at this moment in the season? like he cant still coach in a wheelchair after surgery? or with a cane?

i mean if he had cancer thats one thing. but hip surgery? wtf? :rolleyes:

[shadow]

Yeah, "sure".

Like I said, all ya'll dudes can do is speculate but with no grounds for facts.

Your automatic assumption is that Riley threw him under the bus because that's the obvious route to go.


Stan Van Gundy is not going to serve as no damn puppet. Man is not the type to keep quiet. He would've been called out Riley or infact Jeff Van Gundy would've too...

Stan also hasn't fielded any other coaching offers...

Think about it.

So van gundy willingly walked away from perhaps his sole opportunity to win an NBA title as head coach?
Unless you know the details of his contract situation, or any handshake deals that might have gone down you really can't do anymore than speculate like the rest of us.

[sportstownusa]

BFresh = B-Gone

[BFRESH44]

Little bit later...

I take my sources within the Miami Heat organization and South Florida media over what ya'll dudes hear from Ric Bucher and Steven A Smith etc...

I know my team. Been following the Heat as a youngin since damn near the inaugural seasons...

Through the Rothstein later years, Kevin Loughery taking over, and then Rileyscoming aboard in 95 and on...





and what kinda fricking lame justification is that vangundy didnt want to deal with all the high expectations?

LOL. I agree it's lame, but that was from my sources and the word around South Florida that's what it was.



then why would he ok shaq coming to town in the first place?

Pat Riley and Randy Phund handle all the personnel descions of the Miami Heat organization, not Stan Van Gundy.



bigger question...why would he be a coach if he was not ready to accept the pressures of high expectations?


When the oppritunnty was first presented to him, there was a team in place that he was comfortable with and had no high expectations(03-04 Heat team) right off the bat, as opposed to this past 2 heat squads with Shaq at the helm.

[VCDrivesAPorscheToWork]

B-Fresh needs to realize that everything in life, especially in the public eye, depends on perceptions of what one does, and not intentions.

Riley may very well really need this surgery and it might have come at a terrible time, and he is not quitting.

but people will speculate... it's the natural way that happens. don't get bent out of shape over it.

[BFRESH44]

So van gundy willingly walked away from perhaps his sole opportunity to win an NBA title as head coach?
Unless you know the details of his contract situation, or any handshake deals that might have gone down you really can't do anymore than speculate like the rest of us

In the end it's still a pretty stress filed job, dude...And when you don't meet expectations you catch unwarranted blame/flack. After the Game 7 ECF when the Heat got ousted by the Pistons..He caught blame for some odd reasons. People were stupidly negating the injury concerns down the stretch...

Could Riley have slid him some dollars not to talk? LOL, maybe so. But I doubt it. Not from what I've herd from what I consider credible sources.




B-Fresh needs to realize that everything in life, especially in the public eye, depends on perceptions of what one does, and not intentions.

Riley may very well really need this surgery and it might have come at a terrible time, and he is not quitting.

but people will speculate... it's the natural way that happens. don't get bent out of shape over it.

LOL. It is in all in good and fun discussion dude...Aint nobody getting bent out of shape.

I'm just presenting info on this particular situation on what is know DOWN HERE.

I enjoy taking part and debating/discussing this stuff.

[sportstownusa]

I take my sources within the Miami Heat organization and South Florida media over what ya'll dudes hear from Ric Bucher and Steven A Smith etc...

I know my team. Been following the Heat as a youngin since damn near the inaugural seasons...

Through the Rothstein later years, Kevin Loughery taking over, and then Rileyscoming aboard in 95 and on...






LOL. I agree it's lame, but that was from my sources and the word around South Florida that's what it was.




Pat Riley and Randy Phund handle all the personnel descions of the Miami Heat organization, not Stan Van Gundy.





When the oppritunnty was first presented to him, there was a team in place that he was comfortable with and had no high expectations(03-04 Heat team) right off the bat, as opposed to this past 2 heat squads with Shaq at the helm.

unless you are Isiah, you consult the coach and usually dont make trades if the coach doesnt approve. And if the GM feels like the coach is a dumbass for not approving, then the coach will get fired.

And why would ANY GM hire a guy who wouldnt want to win a championship?

Pat: Hello Stan, im glad you are taking this job
Stan: yea, me too. I don't have to worry about high expectations.

1 season later:

Pat: Shaq's coming to town.
Stan: ****, i better get out of here. High expectations

[BFRESH44]

unless you are Isiah, you consult the coach and usually dont make trades if the coach doesnt approve. And if the GM feels like the coach is a dumbass for not approving, then the coach will get fired.

And why would ANY GM hire a guy who wouldnt want to win a championship?

Pat: Hello Stan, im glad you are taking this job
Stan: yea, me too. I don't have to worry about high expectations.

1 season later:

Pat: Shaq's coming to town.
Stan: ****, i better get out of here. High expectations

LOL, I agree with your perception on that matter.

The first year with Shaq went fine as that wasn't as pressured filled of a situation.

But it was when Riley went and got the personalities like the Antoine Walkers, J-Wills, Gary Paytons, when Stan began to say "uh oh". Thinking he couldn't coach and get all those veterans to respond to him.

And then Riley stating that a team that won 59 games and went to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals despite being hampered by injuries (thigh bruise to Shaq, Wade sustaining the freak rib injury) was not a championship team. And that the guys being acquired the following year(Toine, J-Will, Posey etc) make the Heat a championship team, so anything less is a failure...That's pressure, So stan said, "I'll let Riley take over with these guys he went out and got.


Was Riley itcing to coach? Hell yes. But he didn't throw Stan under the bus...


And going back to Riley situation now: It's NOT a situation of him taking a break because they Heat are 13-17. The man is in discomfort, hurting, and needed to address it with the surgery. Simple as that.

This isn't a "fax in your resignation" type ordeal ala in New York style....:oldlol:

He'll be out for a couple/few weeks recovering and it'll be a done deal...

[MTing]

http://www.nba.com/heat/news/riley_absence_070103.html
:cry:

[francesco totti]

I think miami will suffer alot, and amhappy the will..i hope they do not qualify to playoff

[Trentknicks]

Unlucky for the Heat....
Wonder how many people this fools.

[zoom17]

Unlucky for the Heat....
Wonder how many people this fools.


what a pointless bump :oldlol: