R.E.S.P.E.C.T. S.L.O.A.N.

[mjvile]

Over the years we have seen Coach Sloan do what he does. He is in the hall of fame but has never won C.O.Y.

Back in 2003-2004 the Jazz were predicted to win only 7 games and tie the worst record in NBA basketball history. He didn't have one all-star on the team until that season when A.K. 47 got his first and only All-star appearance. Coach of the years was given to Hubie Brown (coach of the Memphis Grizzles) for winning 50 games (50-32, previous year 28-54) and taking his team to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

What is the meaning to coach of the year anyways? Is it someone who can take a team and increase a teams winning percentage? Is it someone that can come in and just take talent and turn it around? Or is it someone who can take a team that is expected to fail and make them just win?

Don't get me wrong no disrespect to Coach Brown but look who he got handed to coach while receiving this award:

Lorenzen Wright C
Pau Gasol PF
James Posey SG - SF
Mike Miller SG
Jason Williams PG
Stromile Swift F
Bo Outlaw PF
Shane Battier SF
Bonzi Wells SG - SF
Earl Watson PG
Jake Tsakalidis C
Ryan Humphrey PF
Theron Smith F
Dahntay Jones SG
Troy Bell PG

If you look at that line up now would you expect this team to win? Look at the line up and tell me now how good is this team? What would Sloan have done with this line up if he had the chance to coach them?

Here is the team Sloan had that year:

Greg Ostertag C
Tom Gugliotta PF
Andrei Kirilenko SF
Gordan Giricek SG
Carlos Arroyo PG
Jarron Collins C
Michael Ruffin PF
Aleksandar Pavlovic SF
Raja Bell SG
Raul Lopez PG
Paul Grant C
Mikki Moore C
Curtis Borchardt C
Ben Handlogten C
Matt Harpring SG - SF
Maurice Williams

Wow!!! For Sloan to do what he did with a team of no bodies and make them into a .500 basketball club. I guess what I am really trying to say here is, you people with you slogans "Firer Coach Sloan" in your foot notes and all you nae sayers is show the man some F***ing RESPECT for what he has done with this club! This club would not be in S.L.C. if it was not for him and L.H.M. (R.I.P.).

I give the guy C.O.D. and a lot of good memories. As they say, "You don't know what you got till its gone".

[kebutah]

You should suck up to Sloan in private. When the real season begins Sloan has a losing record with zero titles to show for all his wonderful coaching. I guess he just gets outcoached when it matters the most.

[The59Sound]

He got out-Jordaned.

[gojazzmjsucks]

He got out-Jordaned.

Sloan and every other coach and Star of the 90's.....That 42 and 40 team one a blast to watch. If Matty Boy stayed healthy that year we would have made the playoffs. Coach of the year would be cool for Sloan but we need to get this guy a ring!

[kebutah]

Sloan's greatness really shines in the playoffs when he has led the losing team with the homecourt advantage against (at least) Dn Nelson (twice), Cotton Fitzsimmons, Rudy Tomjanovich (twice), and Mike Dunleavy. It wasn't only the Bulls that kept us fromthe title-it was slow adjustments, programmed substitutions, and poor time out calling.

[The59Sound]

John Stockton's greatness really shines in the playoffs when he has led the losing team with the homecourt advantage against Mitch Richmond, Kenny Smith (twice), and Damon Stoudamire. It wasn't only the Bulls that kept us from a title -- it was poor man to man defense, telegraphed play-calling, and not taking enough shots.

[dalekjazz]

The Jazz only lost once to the Rockets with homecourt advantage. The other time the Rockets had homecourt advantage.

[MeestR]

COY's since 2000:

2000: Doc Rivers Magic-fired in 2003
2001: Larry Brown 76ers-quit in 2003
2002: Rick Carlisle Pistons-fired in 2003
2003: Greg Popovich Spurs- still there
2004: Hubie Brown Grizzlies-quit the following November
2005: Mike D'Antoni Suns-quit in 2008
2006: Avery Johnson Mavericks-fired in 2008
2007: Sam Mitchell Raptors-fired in 2008
2008: Bryon Scott Hornets-fired in 2009
2009: Mike Brown Cavs-fired in 2010

2010: Scott Brooks Thunder- yet to leave the team

there we have it. in the last 10 years, (i only went back 10 years, because face it, only a few nba personalities even LIKE staying in one place that long, let alone getting a chance to) 6 were fired, 3 quit and only 1 stayed with the team.

if sloan had won COY that year OP is talking about, going by the COY tradition, he would have gotten fired after the following year, (if not during that 50-loss season), and never gotten the chance to coach deron williams. Hubie Brown's health would have stayed up to par and the grizzlies would not have collapsed into a trash heap that ships away allstars for pennies.

you know it's true. the COY curse is REAL!

[GP]

You sound like this just happened. This particular snub (he's been snub multiple years in his career), was 7 years ago, let it die. We all get it, you really love Sloan.

[JazzJuice]

I've said this before, you can't be a true Jazz fan and not appreciate Jerry Sloan. He deserves as much credit if not more credit than anyone for making the Jazz a consistent contender.

It's not homeristic it's common sense. If you like the Jazz for their hard nosed style, there efficiency, their history of taking midiocre talent and making them into better players, it all traces back to the coach.

[HolyToledo]

Jerry Sloan is a good guy but not too bright. He is good at getting guys to play hard for him, but not strong on the Xs and Os of the game. He is antiquated in his style and should have been fired 10 years ago. At least, he works cheap!!

[S2Minem]

Jerry Sloan is a good guy but not too bright. He is good at getting guys to play hard for him, but not strong on the Xs and Os of the game. He is antiquated in his style and should have been fired 10 years ago. At least, he works cheap!!

Works cheap? Isn't he making 5 or 6 million, well above the league average?
http://www.insidehoops.com/nbasalaries.shtml

In 2005, before Phil Jackson (and whoever else) got a raise, Sloan was among the highest paid coaches in the whole league.

TOP NBA COACH SALARIES (Source: New York Daily News on July 25, 2005): Yearly Average Salaries based on current overall contract: (1) Rick Adelman, Kings, $6.9M... (2) Jerry Sloan, Jazz, $5.5M... (3) Larry Brown, Pistons, $5M... (4) Doc Rivers, Celtics, $5M... (5) Jeff Van Gundy, Rockets, $5M... (6) Rick Carlisle, Pacers, $4M... (7) Mike Fratello, Grizzlies, $4M... (8) Jim O’Brien, 76ers, $4M... (9) Gregg Popovich, Spurs, $4M... (10) Byron Scott, Hornets, $3.3M

Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/nbasalaries. ... z0zpMbniTI

I agree with the assessment of Sloan's performance: above average at motivating players, below average at in-game strategy. Mixed reviews on player development, too; while Millsap and Matthews blossomed quickly, I'm not convinced that it wasn't more from their own efforts. And while the same thing could be said about CJ, Fes and others (in the opposite direction), I didn't see how the coaching staff really helped them along (and in KF's case, gave him PT to figure things out).

[The59Sound]

Mixed reviews on player development??? What planet are you guys on? I've never seen another coach in any sport mold so many contributing players out of so much utter crap.

[S2Minem]

Mixed reviews on player development??? What planet are you guys on? I've never seen another coach in any sport mold so many contributing players out of so much utter crap.

Yes, you read me correctly; mixed reviews. At best.

Sloan didn't 'make' Deron, Millsap, Matthews, Harpring, Hornacek, Malone, or Stockton, just to name a few. It was their own motivation first. The FO should get a chunk of the credit.

He didn't get Boozer or Okur to play defense more than only occasionally, and it took 3 years to get CJ to defend. Brewer was an amazing athlete, and he defended only part of the time, and Sloan made no effort to develop Brewer's PG skills from college (presumably as a backup). Korver maybe played a little more D when he left, but he looked like he was as concerned with his 3-point-shooting-percentage record than team ball. Kirilenko wasn't exactly a success story, either; it takes two to tangle, and AK was a headcase, but Sloan's dealing with Boobergate was poor communication and poor leadership at best.

Are you talking about Collins, perhaps? Meh. He turned out to be the smartest flopper in the NBA.

Ostertag, perhaps? You'd have a case if Utah had gotten a championship. Big O played well once every few games. Tough to overcome his lack of motivation, but he doesn't help your case.

Oh--maybe Gaines or Price? After significant time on the team, they are still poor-passing backup scrubs. Sometimes talent is a barrier, but especially in Gaines' case, it seems like he had the aptitude for being a true backup PG--if somebody had enforced running the offense.

Oh--certainly you're talking about Dee Brown or Mo Williams--except that they were on the team for only a year each. Mo had great things to say about Sloan, but much of his development happened after he left.

Now I've got it: You're referring to DeShawn Stevenson. ROFLMBO.

I could go on, but point made.

Sloan is good at motivating players who are already motivated. Not so good at motivating players who aren't. Or picking the combos in games that would keep the motivation and execution high. He's probably gotten a little bit better on substitution patterns and matchups, but he still made big blunders combowise against contenders and bottom-dwellers alike.

[Nate505]

Jerry Sloan is a good guy but not too bright. He is good at getting guys to play hard for him, but not strong on the Xs and Os of the game. He is antiquated in his style and should have been fired 10 years ago. At least, he works cheap!!

Huh, I think his offensive system is one of the best in the league. It gives the Jazz tons of easy shots. Their FG% has been in the top 3 in the past 4 years. It's his substitution patterns and lack of calling timeouts to stop momentum that I have a problem with.

[mjvile]

I just want to acknowledge all you who are honest! This is what this board is for. THANK YOU for voicing your own opinion. Today Afghans are voting for only the second time in their history. If you serve in the U.S. military I just want to thank you for your dedication and respect for freedom. Life justice and freedom.

[BarneyGumble]

John Stockton's greatness really shines in the playoffs when he has led the losing team with the homecourt advantage against Mitch Richmond, Kenny Smith (twice), and Damon Stoudamire. It wasn't only the Bulls that kept us from a title -- it was poor man to man defense, telegraphed play-calling, and not taking enough shots.

Wow. I never thought you would stoop so low as to call out John Stockton's greatness to defend your boy Sloan's, but you Sloanies won't stop at anything, I see....

[kebutah]

Stockton always played Sloan's system Sloan's way with the substitutions and players as devised by Sloan. The common denominator seems to be Sloan was in charge of the majority of the factors which resulted in being outcoached during the playoff series.

[JazzJuice]

It amazes me that the best players that have ever played for SLoan and his peer coaches always give Sloan the credit he is due but some of the so-called arm-chair experts on these boards don't. Why don't you realize that there is a direct correlation between how great Stockton and Malone were and the coaching system they played under? Deron would be great any where he would have played but has experienced most of his success here once he bought into the system and that is why he is now often considered the best PG in the league.

There are only two other coaches in the league right now that you can argue are better than SLoan and neither would come to Utah. So why down grade?

[The59Sound]

John Stockton's greatness really shines in the playoffs when he has led the losing team with the homecourt advantage against Mitch Richmond, Kenny Smith (twice), and Damon Stoudamire. It wasn't only the Bulls that kept us from a title -- it was poor man to man defense, telegraphed play-calling, and not taking enough shots.

Wow. I never thought you would stoop so low as to call out John Stockton's greatness to defend your boy Sloan's, but you Sloanies won't stop at anything, I see....

My point was to illustrate that the argument is bull. Obviously Stockton's greatness isn't in question. If anything, I like him too much; there's a framed photo of him on my wall.