Riley, publicly humiliates Shaq!

[LakeShow]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_basketball_heat/2007/11/this-time-riley.html

November 18, 2007
This time Riley was wrong, O'Neal was right

> Posted by Ira Winderman at 3:23:08 PM
Yes, Shaquille O'Neal can be temperamental, egotistical, a 330-pound diva.

But he also deserves respect, for what he has accomplished, and especially for what he helped Pat Riley accomplish two years ago in South Florida.

And that makes what Riley did Saturday night to his center just plain wrong.

Yes, after Riley pounded into his players earlier in the day that there should be a "sharp show" on the pick-and-roll, O'Neal went against orders the first time the Nets ran the play.

But did Riley have to yank O'Neal 58 seconds into the game? Did he have to make the issue a spectacle?

Isn't this the same coach, who, a day earlier in Boston, said of teammates criticizing each other, "I don't think it's good publicly, just keep it in-house."

Imagine if Riley yanked Dwyane Wade each time he freelanced on defense these past two games. Wade's playing time would have been cut in half.

Yes, O'Neal is a load to handle, and because of more than his bulk.


But public humiliation? From a coach who twice walked away from his team?

Riley was wrong. He wouldn't have done it with Abdul-Jabbar or Ewing; he shouldn't have done it with O'Neal.


O'Neal was within his rights to be angry. You shouldn't show up your teammates, and a coach never should show up his players.

[Dex]

Boo-hoo.

Pop has no qualms pulling Tim, Tony, or Manu to the bench if he feels it will prove a point.

And instead of whining about it, usually they figure it out.

[bdubya]

Imagine if Riley yanked Dwyane Wade each time he freelanced on defense these past two games. Wade's playing time would have been cut in half.


Hell, he'd be out with chronic whiplash.



Riley was wrong. He wouldn't have done it with Abdul-Jabbar or Ewing; he shouldn't have done it with O'Neal.


He would have never NEEDED to do it with Kareem or Ewing.

[jman3000]

i dont remember the last time he did it... but i used to love when pop would substitute the entire starting lineup a couple minutes into the game... it gets the message across and is funny as hell.

[Amare_32]

Maybe because he was outplayed by Sean Williams. Shaq's problem is he does not take the regular season seriously. All he says I am pacing myself. Well last year he paced himself to a Bulls sweep. I never heard Jordan,Kareem and Ewing take off a game to paced themselves for the playoffs.

[boutons_]

Shack has been too fat and too rich for too long, he's got his bored head up his lazy, overweight ass.

He's under contract, he needs to do his job that pays him several $100K per game.

[Amare_32]

Shack has been too fat and too rich for too long, he's got his bored head up his lazy, overweight ass.

He's under contract, he needs to do his job that pays him several $100K per game.


All I know is that it will be a travesty if he starts at the ASG over Dwight Howard who is more deserving. Hell Howard should have started last year. Shaq barely played last season and still made the ASG.

[LakeShow]

i dont remember the last time he did it... but i used to love when pop would substitute the entire starting lineup a couple minutes into the game... it gets the message across and is funny as hell.

Yeah, but did Pop ever pull just Duncan from a game because of a defensive lapse or any kind of bad play?

[Fabbs]

Yeah, but did Pop ever pull just Duncan from a game because of a defensive lapse or any kind of bad play?
Like they said, this is hardly the 1st time Snaq has pulled this.
Chronic Fattigue Syndrome.

[Walter Craparita]

I'd wipe the tears with $100 bills.

[LakeShow]

Like they said, this is hardly the 1st time Snaq has pulled this.
Chronic Fattigue Syndrome.

True, but it's nothing new. I have a problem with what Riley did. Sure, call a timeout and chew him out but immediately pull him from the game and single him out? I don't think that's cool. Shaq is not the player he used to be and he's going thru a lot right now with his pending divorce, Give him a break, no need to treat him like that. Imo

[JamStone]

Certain coaches can get away with it. And, Riley may have been one of those coaches in the past. But, I do think he walks a thin line doing it now with the way the season is going and the possibility of him losing his players.

[LakeShow]

Certain coaches can get away with it. And, Riley may have been one of those coaches in the past. But, I do think he walks a thin line doing it now with the way the season is going and the possibility of him losing his players.

I think he's very close to losing his players now. I don't expect him to last the season.

[Fabbs]

True, but it's nothing new. I have a problem with what Riley did. Sure, call a timeout and chew him out but immediately pull him from the game and single him out? I don't think that's cool. Shaq is not the player he used to be and he's going thru a lot right now with his pending divorce, Give him a break, no need to treat him like that. Imo
While i sort of agree, perhaps Riles has tried that. Rather then Riles motive being a dick, i think he feels everything has been tried with Snaq regarding conditioning and this was Riles final attempt to drama queen Snaq into action.

When he left the Lakers i thought he could have two more very good years but then should go into backup Center mode. Why the Heat gave him a 5 year deal is beyond me but hey, they will always have that 2006 Title.

[exstatic]

I think he's very close to losing his players now. I don't expect him to last the season.
He'll just quit and walk away again. :rolleyes I think Shaq ia a lazy fuck, but then again, Riles should know that by now. I don't think it's a coincidence that Miami won their title with Shaq's contract winding down, and have been shit since his new one was signed.

[bdictjames]

I want to see one game, just one game, where Shaq gets 30 shots. Then I will call that he was half the dominant player he used to be.

[PoleSmoking]

Boo-hoo.

Pop has no qualms pulling Tim, Tony, or Manu to the bench if he feels it will prove a point.

And instead of whining about it, usually they figure it out.

I gotta agree. Players are paid to do what the organization wants, not what the player wants. Coaches are paid by the owner to get the players to do what's best for the team & organization.

If a player isn't on the same page as the rest of the team, it's the coach's job to put someone else in there.

[kingsfan]

Shaq is not the player he used to be, first Wade calls him out then Riley. His days are numbered.

[ShaqDynasty]

Pat Riley is a fluke coach who fakely pulled me out of the game that he was supposed to pull me out of. He's a terrible coach, all of those championships he won as a coach he just a few lucky fake bounces to go his way. Except for the 2006 championship, because when we won the championship we were just beating a team we were supposed to beat.