Pat Riley has had a remarkable coaching career. 1182 wins, 66% wining pct., 171 playoff wins, 3-time NBA Coach of the Year, and of course 5 NBA Championships.
However, none of those accomplishments are as impressive as maintaining the EXACT same hair for the last 20 years. Sure, it's taken on a touch of grey, but I maintain not a single hair is in a different spot than it was two decades ago during this interview with Chick Hearn.
Having reached this pinnacle of hair achievement, I thought he might the grease a rest and retire. Nope, 3 more years for Pat Riley on the Heat bench.
'This is what I love doing,'' he said, adding it was a difficult decision to continue coaching and one that ``I put a lot of thought into.''[emphasis added]
`After the two rebuilding years, I was absolutely burnt [out]. Three or four years ago, I was looking to get out of it totally. I don't feel that way anymore. [During the years of losing], I wanted to go to Mount Everest. That has changed.''
Riley, 62, who said he has no health problems, said it's purely coincidental that Shaquille O'Neal's contract also runs three more years and that Dwyane Wade can opt out of his contract at that point, too.
I believe what Pat said in the last paragraph as much as I believe Stan Van Gundy left the Heat to spend more time with his family. But hey, when you're Pat Riley and have magnificent hair, you can say what you want.
Riley will coach 3 more years (Miami Herald)
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