Riley to Heat Haters: “Get a Life”

Pat Riley looks like he is ready to suit up and get on the floor

Ohio, Charles Barkley, Mo Williams and the rest of the new Miami Heat haters, Pat Riley has three words for you.

Get a life.

The Heat's team president told reporters Friday he was tired of hearing all the Heat bashing going on and can't wait until his new "Showtime" takes the floor this season to shut everyone up.

Of course we are paraphrasing because the diplomatic Riley doesn't want to sound too cocky, but we can read between the lines.

"I know one thing," Riley said. "We will show up and we will play games. And our team will be ready. And I think that's the way we can answer all the critics."

Riley sounds like he is ready to come off the bench and suit up as LeBron playfully suggested a few months ago.

Riley specifically cited Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith and former NBA star turned analyst Charles Barkley as examples of people who took what the Heat president thought were unwarranted shots at the way the Heat went about business this summer.

He also mentioned Magic coach Stan Van Gundy -- Riley's former protege in Miami -- as well. Riley could have thrown Dwight Howard in the mix, too.

The Heat will get to settle that score very early in the season as they open their home schedule with the Magic.

On the day after Miami signed LeBron James to a six-year contract that lured him away from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Smith said, "I thought he was, I guess, more of a competitor."

Riley responded to that Friday, saying Smith made, "an absolutely stupid remark. He never made any kind of comment like that when he signed Rashard Lewis and he brought him down from Seattle with an $128 million contract."

Sick 'em, Riley.

There have been countless other critics of James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the rest of the Heat in recent weeks, and Riley said he's having trouble understanding the need for venom.

Riles, it isn't that hard too understand. It's called jealousy.

Not everyone can grab three of the best players of this era and assemble a super team that has a legitimate shot at going 82-0. The haters are jealous of the South Beach celebrations and for the crazy cool pre-game introductions the Heat will have this season.

Mostly, they are angry that they aren't Pat Riley or affiliated with the Heat.

"I take a little bit of umbrage to some of the things that came from people in our game that all of a sudden have become the moral conscience or moral authority on the decisions that every team or some individual might make concerning his life or his career," Riley said.

Barkley went a step further, saying James "is never going to be the guy" in Miami because he'll have to share the spotlight with
Wade and Bosh. James responded a month later on Twitter, saying "Don't think for one (minute) that I haven't been taking mental notes of everyone taking shots at me this summer. And I mean everyone!"

Riley said he thought Barkley allowed his remarks to become personal attacks.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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