Pat Riley is skipping Miami Heat games, let me remind you that this is his job, to scout college players. He took last night's game off to do so and left his team out to dry to lose to the Orlando Magic 103-94. Shawn Marion also sat out the game with a "sore back" Why isn't Riley getting more heat for SKIPPING GAMES? Teams last year were being ripped for "tanking" and putting their team's in positions to lose. This guy has gotten absolutely none of that whatsoever. What is the general consensous on taking your job off? Is it worthy of a fine or suspension? How about an investigation on the Heat for tanking? Or because it's Pat Riley, the coach of one of the teams that saved David Stern's ass in the 1980's it should slide?
hes the president of the team and they need to scout games. The season is lost and they best thing is to start scouting. Look forward to next year, Ron R can coach the team the rest of the way. I see no problem with this.
I agree, he needs to be fined big. I don't think a suspension would fix anything, as he is missing games as it is, but this shouldn't be allowed to happen without a penalty. Tape the games, TIVO them, whatever... don't leave your team for it. I understand that he is the team President and that scouting is a big part of his job as well, but as the head coach, he shouldn't be walking away from his team to watch potential draft picks.
That wasn't the attitude last year when the Bucks, Grizzlies, Celtics and other teams were accused of tanking. The book was thrown at them by the media and David Stern. How is this any different? There's clearly a different level of qualifications between the head coach and assistant coach. When the head coach starts taking games off, deliberately there is a competitive disadvantage, which is tanking. It isn't his sole responsibility to be scouting games. If he couldn't handle being able to balance coaching and scouting college players he shouldn't have taken both responsibilities in the first place when he stole Van Gundy's job. There's a reason that teams higher directors of scouting operations and give them a staff to assist. Why can't Riley, like any other normal "President" or "Directer of Baskeball Operations"..whatever he is go to games on his off-days? This guy's act for the past couple years has been pathetic and quite frankly I'm sick of it.
dude relax, miami's season is done, they dont care anymore, and so what if his taking the time off, he wants to build a solid team next year, i dont have a problem with it
I agree that people should be criticizing Riley more for this. He got away with a similar attitude when he basically gave up coaching a shitty '02 team and handed the reins to Stan Van Gundy (which he took back when he fixed them up). However, you're taking it a step too far by calling for fines/suspensions. As despicable as it is and as obvious as it may seem to us, its damn near impossible to prove that Riley's got the intent to purposely throw the season away. Milwaukee, Boston, Memphis, etc. were criticized harshly for how what they did last season and rightfully so. But even they weren't punished, for the same reasons. David Stern didn't throw the book at them like you said, because he couldn't figure out a way to do so.
They should fine Jim Boylan before they fine Riley. Riley being the team's president gives him a good excuse to miss games, and scout players. Its his job. Although, Stern could make his scouting job a lot easier and just give him the #1 pick : D
