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"This is painful for every single one of us to go through this, there are couple of guys crying in the locker room right now, it is not a matter of want." That’s the quote from Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra right after the Heat lost another tough game, this time a 1-point heartbreaker to the surging Chicago Bulls.
No matter what you may think about Spoelstra’s competency as a coach or his ability to lead a team that already has too many leaders, it is now painfully obvious that the Heat’s young coach is in dire need of a course in Media 101. How he could actually let those words leave his lips at a post-game press conference and not realize the reaction it would spur could be a very telling microcosm of Miami’s on-the-court woes as they try to fulfill their own prophesy.
It was crystal clear before the season began that Miami was excited and ready for a makeshift championship basketball team. They were ready for the superstars, they were ready for the around-the-clock coverage, and they were ready for a parade at the end of the season. However it is now clear the one thing they were surprisingly not ready for and are handling quite poorly is the amount of pressure boastfully requested by the Heat to begin with.
LeBron James set up the kindling with his “Decision” on ESPN, but the Heat organization is the one that struck the match when instead of holding a normal press conference to introduce the "Big 3," they decided to produce an episode of MTV’s “My Super Sweet Sixteen,” sans the birthday girl.
When a champion and consummate pillar of stability like Dwayne Wade can sink to a level of self-pity and utter, “Outside, the Miami Heat are exactly what everyone wanted, losing games. The world is better now since the Heat is losing,” it’s a sobering sign that this team can’t cash the checks they wrote in last year’s off-season.
The Miami Heat is currently in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference and is only 4 games out of 1st. It is not at all out of the realm of possibility that LeBron and Wade can figure out a solution to the teams close-out woes before the season ends and recapture the #2 spot or even take home court in the East altogether. And even if they do enter the playoffs as a #3 or #4 seed, it would be highly unwise for anyone to doubt the ability of a team to catch fire during a playoff run, especially one with so much talent on their roster.
Although what is undeniable right now is that Wade, James, and Bosh were not ready to support the weight of the world on their shoulders when they concocted this team during their tenure with USA Basketball. They will now have the opportunity to show the sports world just how much resiliency they can muster while trying to make good on an implied promise they may not have intended to make in the first place.
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27 comments:
my team is competing...that is all i ask for at this time. I dont expect to win by 20+ every game. This too shall pass
the dojo does advertising for full sail?
No one is saying they should win by 20 but you have to admit the fact that they are having such a problem closing games out with those 2 players is at least a little worrisome at this point in the season.
Why in the hell is Wade not taking at least some of those shots?
And those are google ads, they change all the time.
I didn't realize D-Wade had a vagina, maybe we should call him "V-Wade"? Or "D-Vagina"?.....please, please, please let the Knicks get them in the first round!
agreed, wade should be involved or taking more but, the team wasn't supposed to win with our "supporting cast" when they assembled according to everyone who reported or gave their two cents, now they are supposed to win or should be winning? As far as Spolestra's comment, what should he do? Try to protect them from the media blitz they face on a daily basis? You talk about your highs and lows, smiles and cries just the same. That's how character is built, not just on winning. I see it as a service Spo is doing them by telling them wanting it, good. Do it, much better. I would be more upset if the Heat were getting blown out by worse teams than losing against the better teams in the league.
Man that's more spin than a dradle on Hanukkah Johnny!
It's the Heat that shoved the fact that they are "suppose to win" in everyone's faces. Now they are upset when people give it back to them in a down time? Seems like they can dish it out but not take it. Another sign of immaturity.
And crying during a regular season game. Come on that's just odd. And comes off as unbalanced behavior. The coach should have the wherewithal to protect them, not everything that goes on in the locker room is for the media, in fact most of it is not. There is zero to be gained from Spoelstra telling the media that players were crying. He should have way more sense than that.
Again, no reason they still can't win the whole thing this year. Just pointing out that they have not handled themselves very well in a situation they created.
Point taken
Where are the cliff notes on doing what they did in the offseason? They are writing that book, just wait until they're finished. Everyone stops and watches an accident, eventually it has to be cleaned up by someone. Books have chapters, just another one in a long season that's just going to get more interesting in the playoffs. Unlike Broko, would you really want to play the Heat in the first round, Koko? Are you that confident in your team as Broko? It's one thing to lose close games against good opponents. It's another to lose to teams that you should beat.
Honestly, if I had to pick a team to play in the first round I would definitely choose the Hawks. We seem to have their number. But we're in the lower tier so that's not possible. A team from the upper tier, I would definitely pick the Heat.
Many reasons:
-The Knicks play their best against teams with poor ball movement.
-They always play well in Miami.
-Miami does not have great outside shooting.
Of course all those things are subject to change, but if you're asking me right now I'd definitely pick Miami. If you asked me a few months ago, I would've said Chicago.
Is this article written witout one bad week of playing?( blowing 3 double digit leads to chi,ny, orl)
I do agree this team has handled pressure horrible and dont play the villain role very well.
But Winning cures all.
I also agree that Spolestra shouldnt air out all the laundry within a locker room , but when things get tough ,things easily become emotional for some.
But winning cures all.
As far as the Heat intro , im sure the rest of the world hated it. But ask me if I care. As a lifelong HEAT fan that was a great moment in our history. We have these guys for 6 yrs. and that was our intro to them ! I love to see that shit. Its fun , like endzone celebrations , home run trotting , this is all reality entertainment to me. Should we all be that serious??? How dare they do that !
Bottom line is we are closing blowout games to good teams poorly. End game execution has been laughable at times.
But this season is far from over , and Im glad these guys have had a tough week in the season and care about it enough to get emotional.
And oh yessssss , I pray that we play the Knicks in the first round. Cmon 6th seeders , lets make it happen baby !
Plus, we are playing with house money. I do not expect the Knicks to win a championship this year. Most Knicks fans do not either.
They are building a team that should compete seriously starting next season.
The Heat need to win right away because that's what they advertised. They blew a lot of hot air and now they need to back it up.
Oh noooo we have to win it all this yr Koko. What are we going to do now?
Just like fox news , thank god espn doesent shape my brain like most republicans !
Of course I want the HEAT in the first round. I don't want them later in the playoffs after they've beaten some good teams and are starting to gel. If we are gonna have to face them, first round is ideal. Plus I know the Knicks aren't winning a Championship this year, but if we knock them out first round, it's just as good as a championship. If we loose then I don't have to put up with watching them anymore for a while.....its a win/win! If only we could slip to the 8 spot and Miami could get the 1 seed.....I would feel more comfortable with our chances.
Being a fan of the Miami Heat is awesome!!!!
I love all the coverage we get and and I'm already sucked in for the next season of this years 'cant miss t.v.'
Go Heat!!! Keep shootin Bron!
Yea "keep shootin" LeBron. Then maybe we can take all those bricks and build shelters for the homeless so Spoelstra has a place to stay at the end of the season!
White Men Can't Jump quote, nice
No Juan, this article is not written if the Heat are not acting like first-rate amateurs. It’s cause and effect. If news doesn’t happen, it’s not written about. But it is happening. The media does not make it up. The media did not out players as crying in the locker room. The media did not make an unprecedented spectacle of their free agent acquisitions at the beginning of the year. The media is just covering what’s happening but then Wade and LeBron get up and say things like “well I could make up something right now and you guys would never know.” What kind of statement is that? I’m starting to think much less of Wade lately with how he’s reacting under pressure.
I told you guys at the beginning of the season, you’re now gonna know what it feels like to be a Yankees fan. But when you paint a giant target on yourself as the Yankees do very often and how the Heat did this year, you’ve got to handle the criticism better than this.
After the Yanks got CC, AJ and Tex in 2009, if they did not win it that year it would have been a huge failure. And yes, the Heat have to win this year, or it’s also going to be looked at as a failure. It doesn’t matter if you care or not, that’s how it’s going to be perceived. You can’t have all the pre celebrating and then expect everyone to just forget about it when the team does not pull through.
Nobody is beating the Heat in the playoffs except, maybe the Spurs.
Since when do NBA players care until playoff time anyways?
Everybody is getting their shots in on them now, but get real. Nobody wants to try to match up with Lebron in the playoffs period. Now that he has Wade and Bosh... Good luck.
Nothing happening in early march means anything. Come playoff time, the Heat will kick everybody's ass and the pundits will point to some "closed door meeting" or some "turning point" as the reason, when in reality, it will be simply because they are way better than anybody else.
That could definitely happen Regs. And yeah, if those guys start clicking again in the playoffs they are going to be very tough to beat.
Although it’s starting to look like Kobe has the Lakers in WINNING mode again. If they have a completely healthy team including Bynum, I don’t see anyone beating them.
The media never made a spectacle of them signing?Always good humor Koko .
So the Yankees are a failure for outspending every single other team the last 9yrs(something heat can't do)and winning only once?
You think majority analyst predicted the heat to win?
Nope
NO! Juan the media did not. The Heat put on all the spectacle that anyone could handle.
Don't blame the media because your team bit off more than they could chew. The Heat proclaim themselves champions before the season even starts with an embarassing, glorified Bar Mitzvah and you expect the media to not cover or discuss it?
If you build it they will come.
And as all Yankee fans know, if you don't win a championship the season is a failure. Yes, that's how it is. That's the Yankee mentality. We expect to win every year. Sure that creates a lot of dissapointment because it's impossible to win every year, but we've also had 27 years in which they succeed, more than anyone else ever. I'll take that.
And who's talking about analysts? I don't care if zero analysts pick the Heat to win, that's not the point. The point is the Heat themselves threw it in everyone's face that they were now the best team. If they don't end up with the ring, then yeah they failed.
You gotta put your money where your mouth is. We'll see if the Heat can do that, it's far from over.
So he media wasnt all over the whole free agency thing every minute updating where who was being interviewed?
WRONG.
It lead to the final conclusion , almost like a dramatic ending to a movie amid all the chaos.
Yes the Heat celebrated this final conclusion , but never , not once did they say they were the best.
To the contrary they have been quoted from day one as saying Boston and the Lakers are the BEST teams and they need to reach there level.
So yea they never threw it in anybodys face that they were the greatest cause they NEVER said it.
Celebrated that a group of very talented friends joined together to play for the next 6 yrs after weeks of interviews and espn overblown coverage.
Yes.
As far as prime time goes , this move ressurected the NBA to evels it hasnt been in decades , and they are 4 games behind the mighty Celtics. Is it really time to judge an ending for movie yet to be concluded??
Cmon movie guy
"This is a classic example of sensationalism, looking for a headline," Spoelstra said after the team's two-hour film session and workout on Monday at AmericanAirlines Arena. "I really think you guys are probably reaching for this. Guys were very emotional about it in the locker room. Heads were down. I saw glossy eyes, but that's about it. I think everything else is probably an exaggeration."
WOW, just WOW! I don't even think I can process level of arrogance Coach Spoelestra has. He says guys were crying and then blames the media for exaggerating. YOU SAID IT DIDN'T YOU! Talk about not owning up to anthing at all. Yeah it's all the media's fault. Gee I wonder why the Heat are looked at like the villains.
And it's not even the same as the Yankees anymore. The Yanks are looked at as villains because of the organization's commitment to winning and their play on the field. The Heat are villains for all the wrong reasons.
What point are you making Juan? That the media was covering the free agency story? Uh yeah, duh, they are covering their sport. What else are they suppose to do? How does that relate to how the Heat and their fans acted before they even played a game this season?
LeBron created "The Decision," The Heat created "Douchapalooza 2010" The media does its job and covers the events. Now of course the media does go off half cocked sometimes when it comes to politics, because that shit's corrupt as hell. But in sports, the media is just reacting to what's going on 95% of the time. Without the fuel, there's no fire and the Heat have provided a powderkeg for the media and fans to ingnite this year.
And YES they did throw it in everyone's face. Don't be obtuse. That's not even up for debate. They come out on stage like they just won a championship after the signings. You're really going to be that naive and say that doesn't throw it in the face of every other team?
And what story? Forget about a story, I'm judging their behavior right now. Even if they go on to win it all, they still handled this period very poorly. That doesn't change.
Time to own up to something and just lay in the bed they made. Either they will live up to the challenge or they won't.
I neve said they have handled things poorly if you see by my first statement.
But your making it seem like we guaranteed a championship.
You even quoted someone (not sure who)as saying "supposed to win" in everyones faces.
Majority of people didnt declare the Heat as the best team , neither did vegas odds. Check it
You think New York wouldnt have celebrated th signing of this big three.
They wore an opponents name on there fake jersey for two seasons hoping he would come.(sad)
2yrs maybe 3 , you think they wouldnt had a spectacle for the futurue of the franchise by signing these coveted guys for 6 yrs, at a paycut???
No one ever guaranteed anything.
The only guarantee is that we will be a good team for the next 6 seasons , and so far we have been exactly that. We were in first place a week ago in our first season.
Things are still on the up and up for Heat fans.
Trust me
Hey maybe I will start wearing Dwight Howard Heat jerseys from here on out.
That would almost be as sad as the Knicks championship run
HAHAAHAHAHAHAA
Championship drought that is!
Oh yeah , almost forgot
HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA
Ok so you agree that they have handled the pressure poorly. Great, that's the entire point of the damn article to begin with.
And they are continuing to handle it poorly led by a coach whose clueless comments now match his expressions during games.
Also, I never quoted anybody saying "supposed to win." A quote is not needed when the Heat did what they did before the season.
Here's what Stan Van Gundy said today:
"My suggestion would be if you don't want the scrutiny, you don't hold a championship celebration before you've even practiced together."
You can't argue with that Juan, that's exactly what the Heat did. It was unprecedented. And if you're going to flaunt in an unprecedented manner then you better back it up. You can't have a spectacle like that and then be ok with 2nd place. That event was much louder and more in your face than any quote could ever be. If you don't understand that, you're in total denial.
And again you're going to Vegas odds or analysts. They have zero to do with it. If it was just the media who crowned them before the season started then the players would have a reason to be angry with the hate and pressure that's been put on them. But it's their own damn fault.
And when the Knicks turn MSG into the American Idol stage for a meet and greet, then you can say we did it too. But they have not and will not do that. New York doesn't need that garbage. The city is a big enough stage, they would've held a press conference just like anyone else. Don't put your teams mistake as a given for anyone else. And after the deserved backlash from that thing, I'm pretty sure no team would even dream of doing anything but a normal press conference.
Time to stop backtracking and just deal with the situation the Heat put themselves in. They have to stop blamming the media and just live up to the team they advertised to be.
The Heat put themselves in this position & brought all the attention onto themselves by throwing a huge championship celebration style party after announcing the signings. Johnny5 & Juan, you can't deny that truth. High five for their low 5.
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