Happy Thanksgiving! To celebrate, the All U Can Heat staff is getting together to discuss what they are thankful for and the best Turkey Day side dishes.
Q: What’s one Miami Heat thing you are thankful for?
Alex Villasis: Their discovery and development of undrafted players and second-round picks. Miami continues to find overlooked players who end up becoming key contributors and it’s a big credit to the scouting department.
Max Marshall: That they're a good organization that knows what they want and has an idea of what an organization should look like. As a lifelong New York Jets fan, it’s refreshing to see an organization not be a total joke. Say what you want about the Heat, they are run correctly.
Daniel Riccio: Their commitment to winning. I’ve heard Udonis Haslem on his podcast repeatedly mention there’s either “winning or misery” and no in-between with this organization. Having those expectations and pedigree has kept the franchise competitive for as long as I’ve been a fan.
Stephanie Meadows: There are too many to count, to be honest. The Miami Heat are just a special team. Their ability to care about a player's development, and teach them the tools on how to not only best succeed as a player but in the league itself is very unique and admirable.
Q: Choose three Heat players and compare them to a Thanksgiving dish based on their personality, role, etc.
Villasis: Butler is definitely turkey since turkey is the main Thanksgiving dish and Butler is the main star on the Heat. Pelle Larsson is Mac and Cheese, a reliable side dish you can always go to. And Bam Adebayo is stuffing, a side dish that is essential to thanksgiving as Adebayo is to the Heat.
Marshall: Bam Adebayo is apple pie – solid, you know what you're going to get. The side of vanilla ice cream is a plus like when Bam’s offensive game is going well. Duncan Robinson is sweet potatoes – not always consistent, but when you have good sweet potatoes, like Robinson has his three ball working, it’s hard to stop eating. Kevin Love is turkey – a crafty veteran dish and you know what you’re going to get.
Riccio: Jimmy Butler has to be the turkey— the focal point and main dish, the holiday could go as far as the main course comes out and sets the tone for the rest of the meal. I’m going to go with Tyler Herro as the stuffing, the clear “1A and 1B” between the iconic side dish and main turkey course. For Bam Adebayo, I’ll go with mashed potatoes… the pillar to any good Thanksgiving dinner!
Meadows: Tyler Herro: Turkey. It’s the main dish, and he has transformed into a mature playmaker and has been a star so far this season. Duncan Robinson: Gravy. He can mesh well with different lineups, has become very versatile in playmaking, and is an important part of the team’s offense. Haywood Highsmith: Mashed potatoes. His defense is the glue for the team so far this season and always is a standout, and makes his minutes count.
Q: Let’s say the entire Heat organization (from Pat Riley down) is celebrating Thanksgiving together. Who is in the kitchen, who is watching football on the couch, and who is cutting the turkey?
Villasis: Jimmy Butler is watching football and being very animated at what transpires in the game. Tyler Herro is in the kitchen facilitating the food while Pelle Larsson and Kel’el Ware are cutting the turkey as part of rookie duties.
Marshall: Jimmy Butler is hanging out watching football/playing dominoes. Erik Spoelstra is in the kitchen telling people what to do, and all the rookies are cooking.
Riccio: Butler is watching football, where he can just hang out and bring the vibes. Perhaps some dominoes at halftime? Erik Spoelstra is in the kitchen, cooking up his best dishes and creating the game plan for the entire feast. As for cutting the turkey, that seems like rookie duties, and Kel’el Ware may have to pay his dues!
Meadows: Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, and others are watching football. Jimmy probably brings out the dominos at halftime and the music to entertain everyone. Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley are in the kitchen handling the food and wine. Rookies Ware and Larsson are helping cut the turkey.
Q: It’s fair to say the Heat are consistently overlooked despite the franchise’s success. In your opinion, what is the most overlooked Thanksgiving side dish that deserves more respect?
Villasis: Potato salad deserves more respect as it can get lost with the common side dishes such as mashed potatoes and stuffing.
Marshall: Not a side dish, but the nap after the Thanksgiving meal hits different.
Riccio: Homemade mac and cheese. It seems like a forgotten side and brings an underrated extra flare to any meal, although not always part of the spread for everybody. Anybody can make some simple mac and cheese, but it takes a special holiday flare to add that crisp baked layer to pair with the rest of the food for the holiday!
Meadows: A good salad. Maybe this is a stretch, but depending on what you put in the salad in terms of protein, toppings, and dressing you use, it can be a healthy and fresh addition to your Thanksgiving feast.