Pat Riley Should Coach Kentucky

If the University of Kentucky has one ounce of loyalty left somewhere on campus, Mitch Barnhart should flip open his cell phone and ask to speak with Pat Riley.

Kentucky has nothing to lose but everything to gain.

Why would Pat Riley, in a sense, demote himself to the college ranks anyways? I mean, he's still has things to accomplish in the NBA, you know like win multiple titles, play broadcaster, coach and GM for awhile, scout, come back to coaching, and then win a title with a different team. Funny, he's done that already. He's 62, approaching the end of his career, what much more has he left to accomplish in his professional career other than trying for a repeat in his 12th season at Miami?

The 62 year old Riley has 7 NBA Titles to his name, most famous for his 4 with the Lakers as head coach. Twenty-two years head coaching, he has over 1100 wins, 17 Divisional Championships, 9 Conference Championships, 5 NBA Titles, and a record seven 60 win seasons. In an effort to repeat as NBA Champions, his Miami Heat are flirting around a 6 seed for this year's NBA Playoffs and are currently sporting a record of 37-32.

In January of 2007, Riley took a leave of absence to take care of some health related issues, namely to have knee surgery. He returned in mid-February to resume his coaching this year. In the press conference he held in January to announce his leave of absence, Riley was asked whether this year, because of missing time due to health related reasons, was going to be his last season, he replies,

“I'm not making any decision on that. I'm not gonna make any decision on that”.

Asked whether or not it's been a disappointment the way Miami has performed as defending champions, Riley responds,

“Well, I'm not happy with it, you know obviously, um, but there's been extenuating circumstances, and uh, you know there a number of reasons that I'll sorta keep to myself, but it's what it is, you know, we're 13-17, uh, you know we've had, uh, you know, defensive lapses that, that, that are mind boggling to me … I haven't been happy with our overall effort & defense all year long, you know, from the get-go.”

I don't know, but he kinda sounds like he might be getting at that point where he's ready to retire … but not retire, you know? Like Brett Favre.

Why not attempt to talk to the hall of fame coach. The way I see it, the only thing missing from Pat Riley's resume that could possibly set him apart from EVERYONE, is winning a college national championship under his direction. And if Riley is at that point to retire but still wants to be involved in the sport, then coaching Kentucky would give him a different feel, a different perspective. He'd be developing the talent rather than coaching the talent. Name me one college prospect who wouldn't want to be coached under the direction of possibly the best hall of fame coach ever? Coaching Kentucky could possibly be the icing on the cake for Pat Riley's legacy, as well it could and should be.

Pat Riley coaching Kentucky to essentially end his career with his alma mater, the school he played for as part of Rupp's Runt, on the very team that was upset by Texas Western, would bring back some much needed passion the University has been lacking since their last title in 98. There's no one I've read as possible replacements that have faced and continue to face pressure as Riley has in his career.

And Riley is not too old for the job either. Since Adolph Rupp retired in 1972, the University of Kentucky has had 4 head coaches who's averaged 8.5 years per tenure with the average age of 52, however, Rupp was around 70 years old when he retired. Pat Riley is 62 should he be on the short list of Kentucky's prospects, which if you do the math, would give Riley a good 8 years before he reaches 70 which would also equal slightly less than Kentucky's average head coaching tenure {8.5} since Rupp retired.

Not only that, but Pat Riley would bring back top 10 recruitment immediately to Kentucky and the glory of Big Blue Nation renewed.

So why not? Give him a ring Mitch. You've got nothing to lose. Just see if he'd be interested. If he hesitates his answer, do everything you can to reel him into Lexington. There would be a renewed, vigorous sense of excitement filling the streets throughout Kentucky should Riley accept.