MIAMI -- Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra may be a last-minute Christmas shopper, but he deserves a pass since he was probably too busy planning for his team's much-hyped matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers to free up enough time to go shopping.On Tuesday night, in the Heat's first home game at the AmericanAirlines Arena since their victory against the defending champions, Spoelstra made sure he had a thoughtful gift for his team waiting for them. A DVD box set of the "Band of Brothers" mini-series and the original book written by Stephen E. Ambrose were bundled together in cellophane and holiday ribbons for each of the players. Taking a page from his mentor Pat Riley, who always sought to motivate and inspire his team, the young coach's intentions were clear.
The story of the Easy Company, an elite collection of riflemen sent ahead of the others to combat in World War II, is one that is easy to imagine would be a favorite of Spoelstra's. In enemy territory, these soldiers only had each other as they pulled together as a family to survive. With the Heat choosing to hold training camp at Hurlburt Field in Florida's Panhandle and their continued efforts to honor returning troops at home games throughout the season, the players have had plenty of contact with these brave Americans who risked their lives protecting their country.
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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/29/erik-spoelstras-christmas-gift-to-players-sends-inspiring-messa/
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