The Heat over the next two weeks will don alternate uniforms, "wearing names of fallen soldiers on the chests of their uniforms as part of an extended Veteran's Day tribute," according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. Each player and coach have been "assigned a different South Florida Gold Star service member to represent, meeting with survivors from the families." Last night's game against the Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena marked the "debut of the uniforms." They specifically honor those "from South Florida who have died in military service" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 11/8). In West Palm Beach, Tom D'Angelo notes the team will wear patches and pins to continue its Home Strong initiative, in which the organization "honors a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, who has returned home, at each home game throughout the season" (PALM BEACH POST, 11/8). In Miami, Manny Navarro notes Heat F Udonis Haslem is playing for Army Lt. Col. Edmundo Lluberes, a 28-year veteran of the U.S. Military who "tragically passed away" in '11. As part of a "new wrinkle to the Heat’s Home Strong initiative," which Heat President Pat Riley began in '06, Haslem "decided to buy Lluberes’ family season tickets for this season so they could sit near his own family for all 41 home games" (MIAMI HERALD, 11/8).
