Never forget: Pat Riley is a smooth, smooth dude

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh recently gave an interview to Elle, the world's largest fashion magazine and a brand synonymous with women's clothing, beauty and entertainment. Of course he did — he'd previously done a very serious photoshoot with Maxim, a popular "men's" magazine, and American election laws clearly state that basketball players must give equal time to publications on both sides of the gender divide.

Bosh spoke with interviewer Andrew Goldman about stuff like the potential for "uh, complications" (wink!) given the size difference between the 6-foot-11 forward and his 5-foot fiancée Adrienne Williams and making sure houseguests don't spill Merlot on all the white furniture in his new Miami mansion. Pretty standard Bosh stuff, really, and not all that interesting (to these eyes, at least).

But there is something nestled at the bottom of the Q&A that's actually kind of great, in spite of (because of?) the fact that it's not about Bosh at all; instead, it's about Heat team president and Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley:

ELLE: The Heat's president, Pat Riley, is pretty dapper. Has he ever offered you any advice about women?

CB: He hasn't, but we were at a Christmas party recently, and he said that he and his wife had been together for 43 years, and she stopped him and said, "No, it's actually only been 42." And he went, "Okay, then I must have just been dreaming about you for one of them." And everybody was like, "Oh, I gotta write that one down."

That's some strong game, right there. Not that it's necessarily a surprise — throughout his post-playing career as the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Knicks and the Heat, Riley always was a dashing sort, a silvertongue with flash and panache — but all the same, it's pretty great to know that even after a long marriage and at the age of 65, Pat's still got a solid rap. Kind of helps you understand why Bosh and LeBron James flew south to team up with Dwyane Wade rather than choosing another destination, y'know?

Of course, any line you'd try — whether on a lady you've just met, a partner of 40-plus years or a free agent looking for a new home — hits much heavier when it comes backed by the weight of some ring-finger ice, and as a five-time title-winning head coach of champions, we all know Pat's got that Gretzky. Word to Jim Jones.

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