Gary Payton, at 37 years old decided in 2005 to go to finish his career in Miami. This is how with a young Dwyane Wade and one Shaquille O’Neal who was no longer very young he could finally win a ring to end his career. Who better than him, to evoke the culture made in Pat Riley still present in the Heat franchise?
Everyone wants to understand this culture. Everyone wants to know the secrets of Miami. They have all these opinions and all these questions, especially at the moment given that the 5th seed has reached the final. Everyone is trying to understand. But guys, if you want to know, here is the big secret. The culture of the Heat isn’t just the culture of winning, it’s the culture of how to win. It’s crawling to the bottom line if you have to. It’s giving your all without leaving anything in the tank. It’s about being in the best fucking shape of your life. It’s always wanting more of myself, my teammates and even the game. He’s being that type of guy who maybe will get criticized in the media for his attitude, his ego or whatever. Pat knows you will fight on the pitch. ” Gary Payton
Yes, Pat Riley knows how to choose players who match his culture, but as a coach he had his methods too. When he took over the Heat in 2006 to succeed Stan Van Gundy, Payton says everyone expected hyper physical training. Instead, he showed them a movie: Glory Road.
Pat took us to see this movie rather than practice. And you want to know the best? He was playing his own role in the opposing team. He was wearing the Kentucky jersey that was beaten in the movie. The Heat’s culture is really Pat Riley’s culture, you know what I’m saying? ” Gary Payton
This culture, which has borne fruit, not everyone can support it. That said, those who submit body and soul very often take the lead in success. Jimmy Butler is the perfect example.
In the end, with the culture of the Heat, everything really depends on you. It depends on a question that only you can answer. Will I join? It’s all black or it’s all white man. This is why this team does not have the same culture as the others. And to be honest, that’s why this culture isn’t for everyone. You can still target players who don’t fit that mold, but they don’t stick around for long. ” Gary Payton
Indeed, if Pat Riley is very demanding in the choice of his players, he is also very demanding in the expectations he places in them. With him, everything must be synchronized to the last detail.
In a way, this culture propels some guys into legend. The others on the other hand, they expose themselves. This is one of the things with this culture. She will expose your weaknesses very quickly. But that’s the concept, it’s the concept because the way Pat and the rest of them think is that if there’s one piece that’s too loose, it won’t work. ” Gary Payton
And finally, the one who has stuck best and adhered to this culture is good Erik Spoelstra true relay of the Godfather in the locker room of the Heat.
He embraced this culture like an asshole. You have to remember that he wasn’t even an assistant before. He was a guy who helped with workouts, especially Dwyane Wade. He would come out of the video room with D-Wade and he would make him do shoots or stuff like that. He wasn’t even on the bench sometimes. But he was right behind you know what I mean? How many coaches do you know who started in these roles and are now at the head of the organization? How many ?” Gary Payton
If currently, the Heat are down 3-1, Payton is not worried. He still remembers how the Heat’s culture motivated the team in the 2006 Finals when Miami was down 2-0 to Dallas. Now he is the one who is inspired by the culture of Pat Riley to motivate the Heat 2020.
When we got to the field, we were tough. We played with all of our hearts and guess what? We won the game. Then the next one. Then the next one. And even the next one. 4 in a row if you want to count. 4 in a row and a trophy. I have a message for them. Everyone doubts you now. Everyone is already knocking you out of the race. They’re about to crown the other guys. They are polishing the trophy for them. They’ve already put the champagne in the fridge. But they forgot one thing. You are still here. You are still here and you belong to this. The next three games are for culture. Everyone forgot what the Miami Fucking Heat was. ” Gary Payton
If there is no motivation … To know everything about Pat Riley and precisely deepen your knowledge of this culture, we invite you to visit the video of 6th man.
Via The Players’ Tribune
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