Inside The Heat

Media Personality Ranks Erik Spoelstra Among Three Most Powerful Coaches In Sports

Shandel Richardson

Apr 27, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra directs his team against the Boston Celtics in the first half during game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Apr 27, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra directs his team against the Boston Celtics in the first half during game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has perhaps the best job security in all of sports.

Team president Pat Riley has repeatedly stated he has complete trust in Spoelstra. The chances of him being fired are less likely than a blizzard in South Florida.

The stability in the Heat organization called for media personality Colin Cowherd to pay the team and Spoelstra the ultimate comment. Cowherd said Spoelstra is one of the three most powerful coaches in all of sports.

He made the claim on Wednesday's episode of "The Herd Live" on FS1. The other two are Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs and the Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin. The topic surfaced when Cowherd was discussing Tomlin's unwillingness to name Justin Fields as the Steelers starting quarterback ahead of Russell Wilson. Fields began the year as the backup, but has led them to a 3-0 start.

Cowherd said Tomlin is among the few coaches who doesn't have to explain decisions.
Cowherd explained why he left off Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who has won four NBA titles.


"Steve Kerr has to massage Kevin Durant, Draymond Green," Cowherd said. "Steve Kerr doesn't have total control. Steph runs that organization."

Some would counter with Spoelstra taking a backseat to LeBron James when he played for the Heat from 2010-14. James left for the Cleveland Cavaliers after losing to the Spurs in the Finals but Cowherd insists Spoelstra never deferred to anyone.

Cowherd said this was Spoelstra and Pat Riley's reaction to James leaving that summer, "They said, `So what? Bye, see ya."'

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here