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"Charles Barkley, to me, went way over the top. I thought way, way, way over the top," Riley said. "I think Charles is probably the only guy in the league that can get away with what he gets away with. For some reason, he just gets away with it. And calling these guys a bunch of punks, it's a personal attack.
"They are not that. LeBron isn't that. Dwyane is surely not that, and neither is Chris. And Charles knows that. And for him just to say that is wrong."
Sun Sentinel - Pat Riley fires back
I've been waiting for the great Riles to speak about his summer coup. He's got a point about the 'punk' comment. Bosh and Wade appear to be decent guys. And LeBron is more of a weak-willed spoiled brat than a punk. But a veteran like Riley should have known the WWE style introductory press conference would have ruffled some feathers.
Here's Riley's response to Magic GM Otis Smith's criticism of James not being a competitor:
Comparing Rashard Lewis to James, Wade or Bosh is laughable. What Riley meant to say was:"I thought that was an absolutely stupid remark," Riley said. "He never made any kind of comment like that when he signed Rashard Lewis and he brought him down from Seattle with a $128 million contract or anything like that."
"You're just jealous that you pissed away $128 million on Rashard Lewis while I signed three elite players for less."
Riley knows what it's like to be the villain. Remember his repeat championship guarantee in '87? Plus his 90s Knicks teams were hated. Oh boy, this season is going to be fun.
The rest of the links:
ESPN Boston - Gaffney, Lafayette give it their best shot | Pierce HS jersey to be retired | Summer Forecast: Pros and Cons |