Deron Williams likes Jerry Sloan

[The Sheik]

-= original quote snipped =-

BTW, the Ahmad Rashad interveiw was the same one where Ahmad was talking about a nickname for Deron instead of DWill. Ahmad came up with 'sweet'.

Better than Boler for what it's worth.

What about Slam magazine last summer coming up with Deron "Ice Pick" Williams.

Lets do a brief recap:

D-Will
Willy
Slick
Dee Williams
The Iceman...because he's so cool.
The Cometh
Sweet
Ice Pick
DW8
The Tandem (he, Ronnie Brewer and Paul Millsap)

only 2 have stuck.

[hoops4life]

Slick was Hot Rod's doing... not that, that makes it any better. How about just calling him "Deron"?

[erudite23]

I really like Ice Pick, fits his assassins mentality well.

[Fido]

OT: Why is there a Mormon.org ad on my screen next to the ticker? I thought this was a basketball forum.

For the same reason there is a furniture ad, the porn site ad, or the blinking WINNER box next to the ticker on occasion. Paid advertising.

Hot Rod just keeps resurrecting nicknames from his era-- "Slick" Watts, George "The Iceman" Gervin, etc. That is why none of them stick. Too dated....

[ColdBlue]

But people all throughout last season (and into the off season, iirc) were trying to make out that Deron was harboring bad feelings toward Jerry, that Deron resented him for what happened, that Deron wasn't going to ever get over it, and some even went so far as to suggest that the Jazz would have a hard time retaining Deron because of it.

I'll admit... I had my doubts that Deron and Sloan could co-exist, but Sloan did step aside and let the alpha dog loose on the league.

My take on the whole thing from the beginning was that Deron simply had to learn to observe certain restrictions that Jerry has on his players for the good of the team, and that once Deron accepted that, his game began to take off, and Jerry gave him all the playing time he could take.

I disagree. I don't think the restrictions helped his game, other than the fact that it pissed Deron off and gave him fuel. It seems that Deron thrives on that stuff... but it's a fine line especially with a coach/team leader type of relationship. I'm glad Sloan didn't push it like he has with other players. Credit goes to Deron as well, and he didn't act like a prima donna.

As far as a nickname, we should give Deron a stoic name... Deron "Zeno" Williams... ok maybe not.

[ksillini77]

Couple of thoughts:

First, I kinda like 'Ice Pick'/

Second, Deron went through the same thing in college after Self left and Weber came in. They went from a high-low to a motion. Once Deron 'bought-in' after a rough start they went an a 11-0 run in the Big Ten and won the outright championship setting up the Finals run the next year. Weber, like Sloan is hard-nosed so to speak. Two strong wills (no pun intended) butting heads. When Deron struggled during his rookie year, he consulted Weber who told him to 'buy-in' to Sloan with similar results.

[Duiz]

Deron <3's Slick Williams