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09-12-2010, 04:03 PM
Stan Van Gundy Hits Back at Pat Riley With Harsh Remarks of His Own
by Nick Coman on Sep 11, 2010 6:29:58 PM
Stan Van Gundy doesn't take to being called out. So after Pat Riley called a press conference to hit back at his critics on Friday, the Orlando Magic coach decided to take things to the next level on Saturday.
Here's what Stan Van had to say about Riley's words.
"I thought it was pretty typical. I was kind of amused by it, especially reading down through the interview," Van Gundy told NBA.com. "He goes into Charles Barkley, me and Otis [Smith] and then says he doesn’t worry about what people say. Wait, you called the press conference, you went off and everybody and you don’t care what people say? Clearly, he cares a great deal about what people say. I was laughing when I saw that."
Van Gundy backed up Smith's questioning of LeBron James' competitive drive as well.
"Pat’s thing calling Otis’ remarks stupid, I don’t think they were any different than what several ex-players who played when Otis did had to say. They looked at the game differently back then and backed up what we said," Van Gundy said. "The position LeBron and (Chris) Bosh took isn’t necessarily wrong, but it’s different from what (Michael) Jordan, Magic (Johnson) and Larry Bird would have done. Otis was a part of that generation – he wasn’t at that level – but that’s the way those players looked at (James and Bosh going to Miami). Those (former players) wouldn’t have tried to team up. So what Otis said wasn’t a stupid remark. Unless of course you have a different opinion than Pat, then apparently it’s stupid."
Van Gundy also responded to Riley's complaint that he had made "moral judgments" about the Three Kings.
Along with claiming that the trio had opened themselves up for judgment by intentionally drawing so much attention to themselves this summer, Van Gundy insinuated that Riley was being hypocritical.
"Whether it’s appropriate to do it or not (to pass judgments) is another issue, but if it’s OK for Pat to do it he shouldn’t be judging other people," Van Gundy said. "Pat was upset that he and his guys have gotten some criticism, and he’s sensitive and the funniest part of the whole thing is him saying he doesn’t worry about what people say. My question is then, 'Why did you go and call your own press conference?’"
"Pat getting onto people for making moral judgments made me laugh,’’ Van Gundy continued. "I was with Pat when we had all of those Knicks series and he had no problem making moral judgments on my brother. What I read into that was that I guess Pat is the only one allowed to make those moral judgments and the rest of us can’t do that. I guess we didn’t realize that Pat’s the only allowed to do that."
The Heat will play the Magic October 29 for their home opener in South Beach.
http://www.nesn.com/2010/09/stan-van-gundy-hits-back-at-pat-riley-with-harsh-remarks-of-his-own.html
by Nick Coman on Sep 11, 2010 6:29:58 PM
Stan Van Gundy doesn't take to being called out. So after Pat Riley called a press conference to hit back at his critics on Friday, the Orlando Magic coach decided to take things to the next level on Saturday.
Here's what Stan Van had to say about Riley's words.
"I thought it was pretty typical. I was kind of amused by it, especially reading down through the interview," Van Gundy told NBA.com. "He goes into Charles Barkley, me and Otis [Smith] and then says he doesn’t worry about what people say. Wait, you called the press conference, you went off and everybody and you don’t care what people say? Clearly, he cares a great deal about what people say. I was laughing when I saw that."
Van Gundy backed up Smith's questioning of LeBron James' competitive drive as well.
"Pat’s thing calling Otis’ remarks stupid, I don’t think they were any different than what several ex-players who played when Otis did had to say. They looked at the game differently back then and backed up what we said," Van Gundy said. "The position LeBron and (Chris) Bosh took isn’t necessarily wrong, but it’s different from what (Michael) Jordan, Magic (Johnson) and Larry Bird would have done. Otis was a part of that generation – he wasn’t at that level – but that’s the way those players looked at (James and Bosh going to Miami). Those (former players) wouldn’t have tried to team up. So what Otis said wasn’t a stupid remark. Unless of course you have a different opinion than Pat, then apparently it’s stupid."
Van Gundy also responded to Riley's complaint that he had made "moral judgments" about the Three Kings.
Along with claiming that the trio had opened themselves up for judgment by intentionally drawing so much attention to themselves this summer, Van Gundy insinuated that Riley was being hypocritical.
"Whether it’s appropriate to do it or not (to pass judgments) is another issue, but if it’s OK for Pat to do it he shouldn’t be judging other people," Van Gundy said. "Pat was upset that he and his guys have gotten some criticism, and he’s sensitive and the funniest part of the whole thing is him saying he doesn’t worry about what people say. My question is then, 'Why did you go and call your own press conference?’"
"Pat getting onto people for making moral judgments made me laugh,’’ Van Gundy continued. "I was with Pat when we had all of those Knicks series and he had no problem making moral judgments on my brother. What I read into that was that I guess Pat is the only one allowed to make those moral judgments and the rest of us can’t do that. I guess we didn’t realize that Pat’s the only allowed to do that."
The Heat will play the Magic October 29 for their home opener in South Beach.
http://www.nesn.com/2010/09/stan-van-gundy-hits-back-at-pat-riley-with-harsh-remarks-of-his-own.html