European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 02, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse Mike Lupica newsboy Pat Riley came to new York fou years ago and almost immediately restored credibility to Madison Square Garden and the kicks. Now he has left town with much of his own credibility gone. It s not where you Start it s where you finish Riley did hot have the contractual right to leave the kicks for another team or negotiate with another team that anyway in violation of Aba rules. He. Had friends approach the Miami heat on his behalf. And then Riley himself wrote Down a list of demands and it was the most Beautiful thing to happen on paper arct und Here since judge Kimba Wood s Boyfriend wrote dear All this happened during a season when Riley gave speeches about greed Andy selfishness and questioned the dedication of his players during the same season when Riley gave speeches kicks making a commitment to one another he did everything he could to get a commitment from the always said that if Riley left the kicks it would t be about. Money. Then when Riley left the ,-.7 kicks All these experts said of no this in t about Money Riley had decided he.", could t win with this kicks team and winning was supposed to be everything to him. The kicks were going South we were told and Riley did t want to stick around for that. But the real Story had nothing to do with the kicks. Riley was the on looking to go South because that is where the big Money is. ,. Only he did not say that and will not say that. If he wants to make a Money grab go ahead just Tell the truth Riley won t do it. He came into town a great hero and leaves a cheap hypocrite even if he docs come with an expensive Price tag. His resignation letter made it sound As if he had to leave the kicks because of a struggle for Power with Dave Checketts president of the kicks and president of the Garden. Lie. There in t a coach in the league with More Power than Riley Charles Oakley said to me a couple of weeks ago. I laughed when i read his letter of resignation. I think the whole teamdid.". ,. You could go into Riley s Book the Vinner within and Wade through the new age Claptrap and hang him with his own words especially words about the disease of me. I love that one. But there is no need. Riley has done it to himself now with his actions and a list of demands that must make Micky Arison the heat owner wonder if he is trying to hire Shaquille o Neal. In the end Riley is As obvious a Hustler As Mike Keenan who beat him out the door at the Garden by a year. They Are equally dishonest about their Pat Riley sex Knick coach could be out in the cold when it comes to heat Job. Reasons for leaving. The Only difference Between them is that Keenan at least produced a title a -. Riley had been legally Clear to negotiate with the heat Good for he was not. And he did a Legal right to have a Friend of his Dick. Buttra act As with Arison he did not have a right under the Laws of his league to shop himself around to the heat or to anybody while under contract to the kicks. You want those rights in your contract those options. Have a smart lawyer put them in. That s what a real Sharp Winner within would do. And he would be a Winner in court if it Ever came to that. I have said the same thing All along even before this ridiculous paper Trail caught up with Riley and his gang Why did he sni fat the kicks offer because he knew probably All the Way Back in february that he had a better one. Period. It is amazing that David Stern the Aba commissioner has t slapped around Arison arid Riley and the heat already. Judge Ito would have acted quicker on this one. When they say it s not about Money George Young of the giants once said that s All about Money.". There was a moment once when Checketts pointed out to Riley that s3 million was twice As much As any of the other top coaches were making. I m not like other ," Riley snapped. He is a great Couch. Before i found out he was Halfway out the door during the playoffs i still wanted him to stay As coach of the kicks finish the Job be came Here to do. He has the Best portfolio since red Auerbach i used to Point out All the time. But today he is just in there with. Rudy Tomjanovich and Phil Jackson and Larry Brown. And Don Nelson. And Lenny Wilkins remember the season. Riley called his players selfish. He called them greedy. And they were so much better than he was so much More worthwhile it is not even funny. Apparently Riley quit them before they Ever quit him. While telling Anthony Mason to worry less about his new contract and " More about the kicks. While worrying about a Lack of values not just in the. Aba but in society. Notes /. Is Deion Sanders still in baseball it s almost eerie How similar John Mcenroe s Yelling at umpires voice is to his singing voice. I love Phil Rizzuto and miss him. Already on Yankee games and always laugh at people who Don t understand the hold he has had on us. But my favorite part of his retirement from the Booth if it turns out to be a real retirement from the Booth is the stuff about How he needs to spend inure rime witly his kids. I mean i think it s a Little Ianc in the. Game to worry about taking everybody to the zoo. When do the jets give George Sauer and Don Maynard a Call since the Start of the season Dallas Green has lost Bobby Bonilla and Bret Saberhagen and Brett Butler and has been asked to reinvent the mets on the Fly. It is unlikely he will be invited Back by he Irricana Joe Mcllvain have hired Grcich in the first place. Y. But Green has made the mets respectable again this season j As he did last season / once and for All he Carcin a great baseball Man and will go put that Way. Still trying to hang the Yankee failures on Don Mattingly is pretty funny. Yeah if Mattingly had just hit a Little More they Wouldhave turned into the 27 Yankees -. Does t it sometimes seem As if the. Chris Jones has More big hit the last. Month or so than the whole Yankee team. Jones is a new York met by the Way pc take nothing for granted Here. I sleep a lot better at night knowing future grand slam Tennis ". Tournaments will be kept Safe Tarango and the missus. I know i m not nearly As excited about windows "95" As i ought to be. It is hard to see How any ballplayer in the National league has been More valuable to his team than Mike Piazza has been to the dodgers. When Piazza has been healthy anyway. V any year Bill Bradley wants o run for president is just Fine with me. Al Cowlings signing autographs while sitting in a White Bronco answers any questions you still had about that lump., ". Maybe he could use Kato Kae Iii As a Hood ornament. Letters -. Dear Mike i Mike Tyson s character was not the victim of any Assassin in the Media in was suicide. J. Mike Kicky new York City maybe he thinks that if he gives the Media a Tough look it will go Down us easy As Mcneley did. Dear Mike How Many judges Are left in the Pool for the Simpson trial Rick Sinclair Suffern let me Pur it to you this Way i m nor waiting for judge Ito s Book the Way i. Would for a new Elm orc Leonard. Dear or. Up sir when Cal Ripken ties Lou Gehrig s consecutive game Streak he should take the next game off out of respect Tor the Iron horse. Mary Naer Franklin Square sure and Henry Aaron should have quit swinging for the fences when he got co 7.1-1 Home runs out of respect Torr it 1 line. -. Hey Mike what s the Deal with by a socks.-1 is there a reason he wears them. Up to his Knees Tom o Neill it. Jefferson station you must be so darn proud you finally made the column with that question. You can Jive Sonio lip to Iho lip by writing to m in .jic.i. C o the stars and stripes sports department t a a Job Apoate 03211. Sept sep 2-3 Beyor d Thiec a Page 17
