Heat can't sit back and hope to keep James
When it comes to the Miami Heat and their strategy for dealing with free-agent forward LeBron James, Greg Cote of The Miami Herald wrote there's only one way to look at it: like a boxer.
"Allusions to boxing are entwined in the Miami Heat. Coach Erik Spoelstra is a huge fan, especially of Manny Pacquiao. Players sometimes shadowbox each other as part of their pregame routine. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been invited to address the team. Club president Pat Riley fought as an amateur back in his youth in the Irish neighborhoods of Schenectady, N.Y," Cote wrote.
"Well, now it's time for Miami's basketball team to put that element of its culture to use.
"You want to keep LeBron James, Heat?
"Fight for him.
"Take everybody else's best punches and make the last one your own.
"James opened the ring to all comers Tuesday when his agent informed the Heat he planned to opt out of the remaining two years of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent effective July 1. That means the biggest superstar in American sports -- the man who has led Miami to two championships and four consecutive NBA Finals appearances -- will be untethered in less than a week and fair game for any other team to sign.
"The line of those wooing teams, Miami's competition, will be long. James instantly becomes the most sought-after free agent, hurdling Carmelo Anthony.
"But this is where the boxing gloves come in.
"This is where the fight starts.
"Riley is plying psychology with LeBron. Last week, he challenged the Big 3 to have the 'guts' to stay together. After displaying all his championship rings four years ago in the recruiting process, 'I'm not dropping championship rings on the table again,' he said. 'They can drop their own.'
"Remember, though. James is astute. He's smart. He doesn't need psychological prodding. He doesn't need his ego stroked with a billboard.
"What he needs is assurances that he will have a lot more help than he got in the Finals, in that final three-game stretch that Riley called 'inept' even though James, a superstar alone, was scoring 81 points. The season ended with James experiencing the very reason he left Cleveland in 2010: the feeling of having to do it all himself.
"The competition for James that will begin officially on July 1 is about what other teams will offer -- but mostly about what Riley and Miami can assure James of. How much life does Wade have left in him at 32? How much willingness to 'reinvent' himself as Riley said? Who will be added in free agency? How will the team get young, deeper and more athletic? Will owner Micky Arison (who upset James by not spending to keep Mike Miller) be willing to pay yet more luxury tax to spend as needed above the salary cap?
"The right answers to those questions are the punches Riley must land."
Gray area
Steve Schrader of the Detroit Free Press recently posed this question: "Why is Eastern Michigan putting in a gray football field?
"a) It wanted a neutral field.
"b) So it can bid to host the Grey Cup.
"c) You can easily touch it up with Just for Men."
Perhaps there should be a fourth choice, something about not wanting to exactly copy the purple and gray stripes for the University of Central Arkansas at Estes Stadium in Conway?
Sports quiz
Where did Miami Heat president Pat Riley play college basketball?
Answer
Riley played at Kentucky in 1964-1967, where he was a two-time first-team all-SEC selection and was the conference Player of the Year in 1966.
Sports on 06/27/2014