MIAMI -- The list of coaches with back-to-back NBA championships includes some of the games giants -- names such as Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Chuck Daly, and of course Pat Riley. Erik Spoelstra is now part of their fraternity. And he seems completely unimpressed by that. At just 42 years old, Spoelstra is now a two-time champion coach with the Miami Heat, having guided the club to the last three NBA Finals and last two titles. Only 12 other men in the history of the league have multiple titles as a coach. Only seven others have collected rings in back-to-back years -- and of those, six have been immortalized in the Basketball Hall of Fame. To most people, joining such a group would sound like some major accomplishment. For Spoelstra, not so much. "Not really," Spoelstra said, asked if hed stopped to consider the historical significance of his back-to-back titles. "No." Thats why this week, when Spoelstra would be within his rights to continue celebrating Miamis seven-game triumph over the San Antonio Spurs for this seasons title, hes not on a beach somewhere. Instead, hes in his office, where he plans to be for the next few weeks to prepare for the looming draft (even though the Heat currently have no picks to use Thursday night), the start of free agency and Miamis upcoming summer-league appearances. Hes the guy who started in the Heat video room before working his way up to being entrusted with what Heat managing general partner Micky Arison and Riley, the teams president, have spent nearly two decades building. Spoelstra likes to quip that for the first two years, Riley didnt even know his name. "I dont think that he gets enough credit for his abilities to be able to manage us," said Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who has spent all 10 of his pro seasons working with Spoelstra. "He does a great job of managing egos. He does a great job of keeping us level-headed. It takes a special guy to have guys of this calibre to all stay on one path and not jump off. Thats his strength, his ability to be able manage this team. Thats his greatness with this unit." Spoelstra told his team in the beginning of training camp -- and on a preseason trip to China -- that this path to a championship would have to be different. He was right. His team rolled through the regular season, winning 27 straight games at one point on the way to a 66-16 record. But in the playoffs, the Heat had to grind, first through a 1-0 deficit in the second round against Chicago, then a Game 7 against Indiana in the East finals, then seven more games against the Spurs. "Starting in China together, having an opportunity to visit the White House together, having an opportunity to share the All-Star weekend together, 27-game win streak, and then we get into the playoffs, after that first round that playoff run felt more challenging," Spoelstra said. "In some ways it was extremely gratifying." On the way to the 2012 title, he had a black replica of the NBA championship trophy made as part of his motivational tactics to use during the playoffs. And a similar ploy was used this time around. Another black trophy, this time with a slightly different design and theme, was part of the bond the Heat forged for the playoffs, a reminder of the promises players and coaches made along the way. A marker was used to denote on the trophy how the Heat were advancing along the title path. "It bound our agreement of what we would be willing to do and to sacrifice for each other," Spoelstra said. "We made our marks, in order of seniority. The couple middle rounds, we made with blood red because those series were so dang physical. And the last one, out of ultimate respect for our competitor, absolute, ultimate respect for who we were playing, we made them in silver for the Spurs." It took more than a motivational trick to beat the Spurs. One of Spoelstras best memories of his second championship season as coach of the Heat was the aftermath of the teams most lopsided defeat. It was Game 3 of the NBA Finals, a night where the Heat lost to the Spurs by 36 points and fell behind in the championship series. Spoelstra, searching for answers, retreated to his hotel room. The first knock on his door was from assistant coach David Fizdale. The next was from another assistant, Dan Craig. And the third was from Riley, who was bearing gifts. "I was despondent. I was beside myself," Spoelstra said. "I went back to my suite to break down film after the game. Fiz stopped by so we could work it out. Dan Craig stopped by to bring us film and to work it out. And about 20 minutes later Pat knocks on my door, and he comes in with three bottles of wine and he said Coach, what do you need me to do? So we gave him a laptop and he helped us break down film. "It was one of the most special moments in my professional career." Days later, Riley and Spoelstra were arm-in-arm in the back hallways of AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, celebrating another Heat championship. For Riley, its his ninth overall. For Spoelstra, his third, including the one he claimed as an assistant in 2006. They have no plan to stop now. "Its going to be hard to keep up with what were doing for his whole career," Wade said. "But he is one of the games young greats. And he is on the path of the Pat Rileys and those kind of coaches." Vans Old Skool White Sale . -- The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed cornerback Perrish Cox to a one-year contract. Vans Old Skool Wholesale . Sopoaga hit the upright with his first shot at goal from 15 metres. He then kicked nine goals in succession -- two conversions and seven penalties -- before being replaced in the 62nd minute, three points short of the Highlanders record for most points in a match. http://www.vansshoesclearancesale.com/ .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. Vans Old Skool Pink . That Ginette Reno can sing. Vans Old Skool Cheap . -- Masahiro Tanaka knows that first appearance in a spring training game for the New York Yankees will be scrutinized.TEMPE, Ariz. - Some of the Arizona Cardinals are saying Sundays matchup in Denver is just another game.Inside linebacker Larry Foote and coach Bruce Arians know otherwise.This aint no normal game, Foote said. I know if we get this victory, a lot more cameras are going to be in this locker room. ... Its a statement game.A victory would leave the Cardinals unbeaten and shape the national perception of the team as a legitimate power in the NFL.Arians said its special to play against someone like Peyton Manning on a national stage, with the game the featured afternoon contest on Fox.Its great, he said. You want to be in a five-star game. You want Joe Buck and Troy Aikman doing your games.Arizona is a 7 1/2-point underdog, and the Cardinals will once again be without quarterback Carson Palmer, who remains sidelined with a dead nerve in his throwing shoulder.Drew Stanton will get his third straight start at quarterback for the Cardinals.I know a lot of you guys are picking them to beat us, and they deserve that. They set records last year, Foote said. Theyre trying a new little approach this year, running the ball a little more, but it still starts and ends with Peyton.Arians, though, wants to force Denver to win it on Mannings arm.We get them in a one-dimensional game, he said, I like our chances.The Cardinals opened the season with an 18-17 home victory over San Diego, then, with Stanton playing his first game in four years, beat the New York Giants on the road 25-14. Two weeks ago, Arizona won a home game against San Francisco 25-13.Both the Cardinals and Broncos had a bye last weekend.At 3-0, Arizona is one of two unbeaten teams remaining. Cincinnati is the other.Were a confident group, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. This is the NFL. Theres ups and downs. You play good some weeks, you play bad some weeks. To be honest with you, we havent played ouur best football.dddddddddddd We havent put together a game where we can say, Man, this is our statement game.The Cardinals enter the game ranked fifth in total defence, fourth against the run.The secondary is anchored by cornerback Patrick Peterson, who missed Fridays practice due to illness. Arians said Peterson will get some fluids and will be fine by Sunday.We know Peytons going to know us as well as we know ourselves, cornerback Jarrod Powers said, and its our job to return the favour.Cardinals defensive co-ordinator Todd Bowles likes to vary his defensive sets unpredictably and bring the blitz from all sorts of angles. Disguising a defence against Manning, though, is a tough chore.He beats a lot of teams pre-snap, knowing what youre in, Foote said. With a cerebral quarterback, youve got to try to hide it, hold it and play off the play clock.Arians said that the key to succeeding while playing at high altitude is to stop the Broncos on third down. Foote agreed.Youve got to be on your Ps and Qs, he said. Hes definitely going to hit the open guy. We know that. Weve got to trust our technique, but at the end of the day football is one-on-one matchups. Youve got to beat the guy across from you. Peyton cant beat you if hes on the sideline.Arians said that while the Cardinals know this game is significant, Its not do or die.Were going to come back in first place (in the NFC West) either way, he said. Wed like to have a two-game lead, so were going to go play as hard as we can for 60 minutes, and its been good to us so far.NOTES: Arians turned 62 on Friday. ... Palmer was not at practice. Arians said the quarterback was having a special treatment. ... Starting right guard Paul Fanaika, limited in practice Friday with a knee injury, will start on Sunday, Arians said.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '