Riley Selected into Hall of Fame

No-Brainer #2 of the day was the selection of coach Pat Riley into basketball's Hall of Fame today. It's been a tough year, but Riley surely will get some solace from receiving this honor. I can't imagine many people more deserving of the honor than Riley.

He's won 5 titles as coach with 2 different teams, most recently leading our beloved Heat to the 2005-2006 NBA Championship. Riley also holds the NBA record for most victories as a coach, currently with 1208. What makes Riley exceptional is his years of experience handling talented teams and balancing the egos on those rosters. He is a master motivator, with a seemingly endless supply of techniques and ploys to help complacent or indifferent players back on the path to success. Without him, Miami doesn't win the 2005 title. Stan Van Gundy wouldn't have been able to pull those guys together and help spark a comeback in the Finals.

Riley will be inducted along with All-Time greats Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon, two dominant centers that faced off against each other as Riley coached in the 1994 NBA Finals between the Rockets and Knicks. It's good company to have. Also, Dick Vitale, a staple of College Basketball telecasts, will be inducted in the Hall of Fame. Annoying as he may be, that honor is well-deserved as well.