The Coach Spo Era Begins

2,186 games coached in the NBA. That is regular season and postseason. A few titles to talk about. A couple hall of fame players to call by first name. And a ticket punched for the hall of fame himself.

Is it any wonder Pat Riley is burned out?

Could he realistically say he wanted to coach this upcoming season? For what? He just went through possibly the worst season coaching he has ever had, but if you put him to it he probably would say it was worth it to get that championship in 2006. Then again, maybe not.

So, he found somebody who was ready for the challenge. Erik Spoelstra is that person and he has been doing everything he could to get himself in this position from watching video tape to breaking down players' shots to shining shoes. Whatever it took. And here he is. He even got an immediate phone call from Dwyane Wade saying congrats and talking about how excited he is for the future.

Gone is the past. The recent past with all its scabs. The Shaq apathy, the Riley tight-fisted control. All of it comes off. There is no safety net - and that is exactly what this team needs.

When Riley made the move back in 2003, it was in favor of little known Stan Van Gundy - Jeff's brother. In fact, even when Riley left it was Jeff Van Gundy who took over for the Knicks - and they didn't miss a beat it seemed. The Riley protege is going to have to prove himself to the rest of the world, but not to Riley. And that is what matters here as the move upstairs is made for good - so we think.

This team needs to be about change and a new growth. A new direction. Riley can't provide that, Spoelstra can. Could the same be said about a retread like Jeff Van Gundy or Mike Fratello or even a Ron Rothstein?

Let the Spo Era begin. The Heat have a top 4 pick and will be looking to climb out of the cellar. Better to do it with a completely new coach than one who is heading to the hall of fame.

Join the discussion about the Heat's new coach, Erik Spoelstra.