Jerry Sloan forced out at Utah...

[elnutsmalljaws]

The Utah Jazz will regret this decision. Jerry Sloan, 23 years as the head coach of the Utah Jazz, one class act was forced out today. One of Sloan's assistant coaches that has been with him for 18 years is resigning as well. Evidentally, Sloan and Deron Williams (one of the best point guards in the league) had a falling out last night at half time and then the GM and Sloan had another after the game. From what I read and what was reported on ESPN, Williams did not call the same plays on the court that Sloan wanted and this is not the first time the two of them have had issues. Sloan just signed a 1 yr extension on Monday, 3 days ago, and is out today. The GM Kevin O' Connor will regret this decision for a long time to come and I think it will cost him his job. Sloan may be the best coach to NEVER win a NBA title, went to the finals twice and lost to Jordan's Bulls both times. My bet is the Utah fans will turn on Deron Williams after the team goes downhill from here and then Deron will bolt out of town the first chance he can get. O' Connor will be ran out of town after that if not before. Sad society we live in today when a fella with this much experience with a team is ran out of town because of a snot nosed player.

[Tim_T]

The Utah Jazz will regret this decision. Jerry Sloan, 23 years as the head coach of the Utah Jazz, one class act was forced out today. One of Sloan's assistant coaches that has been with him for 18 years is resigning as well. Evidentally, Sloan and Deron Williams (one of the best point guards in the league) had a falling out last night at half time and then the GM and Sloan had another after the game. From what I read and what was reported on ESPN, Williams did not call the same plays on the court that Sloan wanted and this is not the first time the two of them have had issues. Sloan just signed a 1 yr extension on Monday, 3 days ago, and is out today. The GM Kevin O' Connor will regret this decision for a long time to come and I think it will cost him his job. Sloan may be the best coach to NEVER win a NBA title, went to the finals twice and lost to Jordan's Bulls both times. My bet is the Utah fans will turn on Deron Williams after the team goes downhill from here and then Deron will bolt out of town the first chance he can get. O' Connor will be ran out of town after that if not before. Sad society we live in today when a fella with this much experience with a team is ran out of town because of a snot nosed player.

Jerry Sloan is a fantastic coach and I agree Utah will regret this decision. John Stockton and Karl malone didn't act like fools when they played for Sloan and they both are much better players than Williams is.

[DJD]

It's the nature of these new spoiled players. Some of them just don't know how to act. Man the mailman was a big country fed fella huh?? Loved his work ethic!! He and Stockton were awesome.

[mhall]

Sloan is a class act and a heck of a coach. He is old school and the new Hip Hop Gangsta playa's of today just can't deal with that. I hate the NBA with my ENTIRE GUT.

[Fishin is life]

Pure stupidity.....A man that takes low levels of talent and turns them into a contender on top of being a first class guy....How many NBA teams do you think will be knocking his door down in the offseason if they haven't started already....Probably one of the dumbest front office moves I've heard of in awhile in professional sports

[elnutsmalljaws]

The GM Kevin O' Connor was on Rome is Burning earlier and said that it was purely Sloan's decision to leave. That there was no ultimatum given by Sloan in that it was Sloan or William's. Blah Blah Blah. A guy with the class and integrity as Sloan has shown all these years does NOT retire in the middle of the season, does NOT sign a year extension on Monday only to retire on Thursday, does NOT have a heated discussion with his best player at half time and the GM after the game and then retire because it is "TIME". Sloan was absolutely ran out of town and all I can say is Utah better find a way to make the playoffs and win or their fans have every right to point the finger at Williams and his is a free agent in 2012 and he will be leaving town then or traded before. No dis-respect in that the Jazz and Sloan would have a couple of titles if not for a fella named Jordan. Utah could not keep Carlos Boozer around last year as he left for the Bulls, Sloan is now gone, Williams will be gone next and Utah will be in the cellar with the Kings and such within a year or two.

[DJD]

I watched an interview with Sloan and he did say he had lost his fire for the game. Pretty much said he just wasn't up for the battle anymore.
I'm sure through his many years of being in the spotlight he has learned to hold his words. If there is anything else to it then it will come out if and when he writes a book. JMO

[elnutsmalljaws]

The Utah Jazz will regret this decision. Jerry Sloan, 23 years as the head coach of the Utah Jazz, one class act was forced out today. One of Sloan's assistant coaches that has been with him for 18 years is resigning as well. Evidentally, Sloan and Deron Williams (one of the best point guards in the league) had a falling out last night at half time and then the GM and Sloan had another after the game. From what I read and what was reported on ESPN, Williams did not call the same plays on the court that Sloan wanted and this is not the first time the two of them have had issues. Sloan just signed a 1 yr extension on Monday, 3 days ago, and is out today. The GM Kevin O' Connor will regret this decision for a long time to come and I think it will cost him his job. Sloan may be the best coach to NEVER win a NBA title, went to the finals twice and lost to Jordan's Bulls both times. My bet is the Utah fans will turn on Deron Williams after the team goes downhill from here and then Deron will bolt out of town the first chance he can get. O' Connor will be ran out of town after that if not before. Sad society we live in today when a fella with this much experience with a team is ran out of town because of a snot nosed player.

Monday February 7, Sloan signs contract extension, Jazz win that night

Wednesday February 9, Jazz lose to Chicago, Sloan and Williams get into arguement at halftime, Sloan and GM have meeting after game.

Thursday February 10, Sloan "Retires"

Friday February 11, Jazz Lose

Tuesday February 15, Jazz Lose

Wednesday February 16, Jazz Lose

All Star Break

Wednesday February 23, Deron Williams traded to the Nets!!!!

Utah is 31-26 but are a TERRIBLE 9-15 since January 1. They lost the first 2 games of the season then went 22-9 in the Western Conference.

People can say or think what they want but THE class act that was/is Jerry Sloan was not the problem in Utah and that point is proven by them trading Williams. Williams was under contract until the end of NEXT season and could have easily traded him next year if they wanted to or tried to sign him to an extension. For an All Star point guard and one of the best in the league with Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, to be traded without a breath of the new coming from anyone before the deal is done tells me that he was the problem all along and Utah just did not want to pick the coach over the player. Now the Jazz have lost their well respected head coach and their best player for nothing. Maybe one day the owners will stand up for what is right and not for the snot nosed brats called Pro Athletes. The good thing is this brat is going to a team that is 17-40, so his recent losing experience should come in handy the rest of the season.

[elnutsmalljaws]

ESPN reported that Williams found out he was traded by the ticker that runs across the bottom of ESPN. Said he was watching tv and the ticker said he had been traded to the Nets. Pretty funny if you ask me

[RICHYD4U]

Being from UT, I have watched the Jazz through all their ups and downs. I remember as a young boy watching Mark Eaton, Thurl Bailey, Darrel Griffith...long before the Stockton/Malone era. The Jazz have always been a class act organization...they just never could put it all together and win a championship. I contibute their inability to win by them never having talent in the center position....they always realied on their guards and forwards. Sloan was no different....class act! He was continually fed no-name players, and would make something out of them. The Jazz will bounce back from this eventually...just will take much longer without Sloan at the reigns.

I still have a pair of Malone's autographed shoes that he handed to me at a Jazz game when i was 10....I'll never forget that day!

-Rich

[elnutsmalljaws]

In today's age of the media knows when pro athlete's fart before they do, The Jazz absolutely figured out too late that Williams was the problem not Sloan. You just don't take an All Star point guard, one of the best point guards in the league, and ship him off in a trade when NOBODY knew about it, expected it or anything. when that same player finds out about being traded on the ESPN ticker, then the Jazz decided they were tired of him and his antics. As an old radio commercial on WKQQ said, "Remember, no matter how good she looks, somebody is tired of putting up with her crap". I guess the Jazz were tired of his crap and shipped him off to the great and talented NBA Champion favorite Nets.